New Nissan models coming: Qashqai, Ariya, Navara, Patrol and more

After years of selling a stale model line-up, Nissan has been enjoying a recent influx of brand-new product that means it now has one of the freshest showrooms in the country.

This year alone, for example, saw the Japanese brand completely overhauled its SUV line-up with new-generation versions of the mid-size X-Trail, larger Pathfinder and the more compact Qashqai all hitting showrooms.

The product is good, too. The X-Trail quickly shot to the pointy end of its class and was a worthy Wheels Car of the Year finalist thanks to its roomy and practical cabin, improved quality and tidy driving dynamics.

Enthusiasts have been looked after as well, thanks to the recent additions of the Z sports coupe and the Nissan Patrol Warrior, the latter the result of an ongoing partnership with engineering specialists Premcar.

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Even better news is that while Nissan now has an impressively fresh showroom, there is still plenty of other new product on the horizon.

And we’re talking significant models, too. An all-new Navara, for example, is about as crucial as it gets for Nissan in Australia. And an all-new Patrol, which will ditch the current V8 patrol in favour of a more efficient and advanced — though probably worse sounding — turbocharged V6, is also tipped to be shown sometime in the middle of next year.

Here, then, is your guide to the new Nissan models coming to Australia, including confirmed new models and others that have the potential to head Down Under.

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JUMP AHEAD

Confirmed models

• Nissan Qashqai e-Power

Future models

• Nissan Z Nismo
• Nissan Ariya EV
• Next-gen Nissan Patrol
• Next-gen Navara

Confirmed models

Nissan Qashqai e-Power: arriving Q1 2024

Originally expected to arrive towards the end of 2023, the hybrid version of the new-generation Qashqai is now slated for a late Q1 launch in 2024.

The delay has seen prices creep north, too. First thought to start from about $50,000 drive-away, the Qashqai e-Power hybrid is now priced at $51,590 plus on-roads costs.

That will make the British-built, petrol-electric Qashqai $4200 more expensive than an equivalent version powered solely by petrol. Just one trim level is available, with Nissan reserving its fuel-saving hybrid tech for the flagship Ti model grade.

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E-Power versions of the Qashqai use the same hybrid set-up as the larger X-Trail e-Power, which swaps combustion-engined propulsion for electric motor drive with a petrol engine as a generator.

It means that unlike a Toyota C-HR, which uses an older and more conventional hybrid system, the Qashqai e-Power always favours electricity to turn the axles.

Compared to other versions of the Qashqai, the e-Power develops an extra 30kW and 80Nm and has a lower combined fuel consumption figure of 5.3L/100km.

The e-Power also scores a unique front grille, e-Power badging and active noise-cancelling technology inside the cabin.

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Future models

Nissan Z Nismo

A harder, faster and more powerful version of the Nissan Z will hit Aussie roads in early 2024 carrying a price tag of $95,000.

Just 100 examples of the Z Nismo are being sent to Australia in the first allocation and sadly they’re all sold. Nissan opened online reservations for the Z Nismo in mid-2023 and the entire allocation was exhausted within an hour.

Don’t fret if you missed out, however, as more are on the way, with prospective buyers set to snap up a package that offers some noticeable performance upgrades over the standard car.

Chassis tweaks include retuned suspension, stickier tyres and bigger brakes, while outputs from the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 climb to 309kW/510Nm (+11kW/45Nm). Strangely the sole transmission offered is a nine-speed automatic, although Nissan has tweaked the shift logic to deliver faster shifts.

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Nissan Ariya EV: Finally confirmed

It feel like years ago that Nissan first revealed the Ariya all-electric SUV — because it was.

First shown in concept form at the 2019 Tokyo show, the Ariya went on sale in the US in 2022 and is already almost due for a facelift. During this time, the Ariya has been in limbo for Australia, with local execs showing keen interest but were unable to lock in an allocation.

That changed in mid-2023 when Nissan Australia officially confirmed the Ariya would hit our shores, although we still don’t know exactly when it will arrive or how much it will cost. A launch some time in 2024 is possible, though local price and spec are a long way from being locked in.

No word, either, on what version of the Ariya we’ll get in Australia. In Europe, the Ariya is available in front-wheel drive, with two battery sizes and two power outputs, or as an all-wheel-drive e4ORCE flagship that offers 225kW/600Nm and a claimed range of 498km.

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Next-gen Nissan Patrol: new-gen model with turbo V6 power

Of all the new models Nissan has in the pipeline, the all-new Y63 Patrol is easily one of the most anticipated.

Test mules have already been spotted in America, where Nissan’s large off-roader is known as the Armada, and it’s expected the new-generation Patrol will officially be revealed in August 2024. Official details about the new model are scarce, though it’s expected the Y63 Patrol will ditch the 5.6L V8 petrol engine used in the current model in favour of a more advanced and efficient twin-turbo V6 petrol.

If the 2025 Patrol does adopt a V6, it will tread a similar path to the Toyota LandCruiser which recently moved to V6-power for the 300 Series. A fresh exterior design, improved safety systems, even better off-road capability and a cabin that feels more modern are also tipped for the new Patrol.

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Next-gen Navara – Next year or delayed until 2025?

If a new Patrol is significant, then a new-generation Navara is absolutely critical for Nissan in Australia.

The first ‘all new’ Navara in over a decade has been jointly developed with the soon-to-arrive Mitsubishi Triton and speculation suggests production should commence in Thailand in mid-2024. Pending any delays, that could mean an Aussie arrival in late 2024 or early 2025.

Set to usher in a bold new design language, the new Navara’s tougher exterior will take inspiration from the US-market Frontier ute and Pathfinder SUV.

There’s no official word yet on what engine the new Navara will use, though a diesel unit is virtually guaranteed at launch and could be the same ‘newly developed’ 2.4-litre turbo diesel that powers the new Triton. A petrol-hybrid powertrain is also expected to join the line-up later in the model’s lifecycle.

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