Nissan X Trail Plug in Hybrid Opens a New Chapter in the US, the Brand’s First PHEV for America
Nissan is stepping into the US plug in hybrid market with unusual swagger. The X Trail Plug in Hybrid, sold there as the Rogue Plug in Hybrid, arrives as the company’s first PHEV for American buyers. Its debut is set for the Los Angeles Auto Show at the end of November, a venue known for throwing visitors straight into a storm of premieres. Nissan’s pitch is simple enough. The time is right for electricity and petrol to work together.
The Rogue Plug in Hybrid uses a 2.4 litre petrol engine paired with two electric motors and a 20 kilowatt hour battery. The US specific configuration develops 251 horsepower. Electric range stands at a claimed 61 kilometres, which suits city errands and short motorway hops without much fuss.
Nissan avoids mentioning one detail. The same hardware also powers the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Mitsubishi’s version delivers a stronger 306 horsepower and uses a 22.7 kilowatt hour battery. The resemblance is visible from the outside too. The Rogue Plug in Hybrid borrows the Outlander’s glossy black trim and its 20 inch wheels. Nissan essentially performed a cosmetic reshuffle and changed the badges, a perfectly common approach in the industry.
Inside, the Rogue PHEV offers three rows and seven seats. The digital instrument cluster measures 12.3 inches and the centre screen is a 9 inch unit. The size is a reminder that the standard Rogue uses a larger 12.3 inch display, although here the priority clearly lies with the mechanical package.
Nissan has not shared the price. For reference, the regular Rogue starts at 29 thousand dollars, or about 26 800 euros. The plug in hybrid will reach showrooms in early 2026, right when American buyers rediscover the appeal of combining electric drive with petrol power.
The renewed interest in PHEVs marks a curious shift in the US. Electric vehicle growth has slowed during recent months and car makers returned to compromise solutions. Models like the Mitsubishi Outlander and the Nissan Rogue Plug in Hybrid show how shared engineering cuts development costs and accelerates new releases. It also creates an odd market where rivals sell nearly identical technology wrapped in different bodywork. The idea holds as long as buyers choose the familiar and the practical rather than the strictly unique.
