Nissan has been teasing a new addition to the Nismo lineup for the past few months. The Nismo treatment was once limited to the brand’s cars but it has since been expanded to SUVs like the Nissan Armada.

It appears the company is preparing to expand further into this segment with the debut of the 2025 X-Trail Nismo which not only gives Nismo another avenue for sales, but could also preview a new version of the Nissan Rogue for the U.S.

A Rogue in disguise

The X-Trail is the Rogue’s Japanese cousin but the new Nismo version represents a change of direction for the company’s home operations. In the past Japanese customers only had access to separate Nismo parts that could be equipped to the X-Trail and Nissan and Nismo never made a variant that was sold alongside the regular X-Trail.

This changes with the new Nismo version which was developed to be a “Grand Touring SUV that delivers a passionate experience,” which combines “race-bred performance” with everyday drivability.” These upgrades come in the form of a revised aero kit and improvements to the all-wheel drive system. The interior also gets beefed up sport seats and plenty of red trim.

The main ingredient that’s missing is increased power with Nismo choosing to retain the stock 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine that makes 141 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque. The engine also serves as a generator for the on-board e-Power Series hybrid system which comes with a bundled 201-hp front electric motor and a 134-hp rear electric motor.

The missing power is forgivable here considering that having a tuned chassis can be just as helpful in improving high speed drivability as engine power and it seems Nismo is hitting all the right buttons even if some folks might not realize it right away.

Could it come to the U.S.?

While it may seem the model will be exclusive to the Japanese market, there’s a chance it might come to the U.S. Nissan is committed to expanding Rogue sales in the U.S. with the Rogue Rock Creek being an early example of this in action. The Rock Creek is meant to appeal to trail seekers and it has already proven to be a popular model for buyers.

The Nismo would help reach a separate sub-set of SUV buyers and it would also be the perfect platform for the U.S. debut of the e-Power Series Hybrid technology. Nissan has said in the past that it plans to bring the tech to our shores but it has not released a concrete timeline for when that will formally happen.

We hope it happens soon since the Nismo would allow Nissan to get more sales in the U.S. with the company needing them more than ever as it continues to navigate rough waters in its bid to survive.