Japanese car maker Nissan has been in the Indian market for more than a decade and a half, but never before has the number of cars it offers to the consumer been so limited as it is now. The company’s fortune currently depends largely on the Magnite compact SUV, which has been an extremely successful product ever since its first launch in late 2020. But the now the brand has answered that all-important question – what’s next? It has announced that it is studying the feasibility of two of its most popular global models for the dynamic Indian market.
The X-Trail and Qashqai are popular Nissan SUVs globally, and now the brand has confirmed that testing has begun on these two cars on Indian roads. Focusing specifically on their adaptability to Indian roads and differing terrains, the tests will assess each vehicle’s ability to meet customers’ needs. Starting this month, the vehicles are being put through their paces by Nissan’s engineers on the roads that surround the company’s manufacturing plant in Chennai. Nissan says it aims to assess their suitability for the rapidly evolving Indian consumer base.
According to Nissan, over the coming weeks, it will be identifying the feasibility of models from its global portfolio for the future potential vehicle line-up in India. Once testing is complete, the X-Trail will be introduced for sale first, followed by other models. In fact, the X-trail was one of the first cars launched by Nissan in India in the mid-2000s, but its sale was discontinued owing to poor acceptance from the buyers. Now, of course, the SUV is much more technologically advanced and may get lapped up by consumers in bigger numbers.
These vehicle assessments are part of a holistic study that Nissan is undertaking to prepare for its future in India. The wide-ranging review also includes securing future localised production for the long-term viability of domestic and export manufacturing, as well as exploring the potential for electrification in the longer term. The company has also showcased its extremely popular mini-SUV Juke in India for the first time, but there’s still no word if the car will either be tested or launched in the market anytime soon.
“The Indian market has boundless potential, and it is critical that we introduce the best vehicle line-up to align with what modern Indian consumers want and need,” said Frank Torres, President, Nissan India. “Following the success of the Nissan Magnite in India, we plan to strengthen our focus and leverage our expertise on high-quality SUVs that have become synonymous with our reputation.”
“The success of Nissan Magnite has shown what’s possible for the Indian market when you combine an excellent product with manufacturing competitiveness, supported by strong government partnerships. We look forward to strengthening Nissan’s presence in India and delivering further innovation and excitement for our Indian customers,” said Torres.
The brand is also considering bringing electric cars to the Indian market. The Indian EV space is rapidly expanding, and the Leaf may just be the perfect electric car that Nissan could launch in India. It’s a name that the Indian consumer is fairly aware of, which may help it find some traction if Nissan does decide to bring the car to India.
The author is a senior editor at carandbike.com