New Z, Qashqai, X-Trail and Pathfinder will be here by Christmas, but the status of the latest electric fare remains unknown.

REASSURANCE new generations of the volume-generating Qashqai and X-Trail, plus the Pathfinder large sports utility and the latest talismatic Z sports coupe are incoming to New Zealand before year-end has been expressed by Nissan.

Announcement that the second half of this year will constitute “one of the biggest six months” in the brand’s local history is a positive spin arriving when the national dealer network appears to running perilously low on product to sell.

The statement is not specific to timings and ominously seems to steer clear of in-vogue electric product, notably the new Ariya, a fully electric hatch of similar size to Qashqai that in optimal form presents as a 500kmh all-wheel-drive.

All new vehicle distributors are facing mainly Covid-linked disruptions, but Nissan seems to have been hit harder than some.

Supply of the outgoing Qashqai exhausted at the start of the year and X-Trail (new model pictured above) has downgraded to two derivatives, both with limited availability.

Replacements for both had been expected to be in the showroom by now. Qashqai was cited for release in February-March.

The previous Pathfinder disappeared from circulation two years ago. The replacement, which is again built in North America and has been selling there for more than a year, was also originally cited as a late 2021, early 2022 choice for Kiwis.

Availability of the previous ‘Zed’, the 370Z, appears to have ended in 2021.

In comment sent out to tie in with an event to show off examples of the new cars to select media, Nissan Australia – which effectively runs New Zealand distribution planning – was still coy about exactly when the new generation models will become available.

Its brief statement cites only that these will be here in the second half of this year.

It also steers clear of lending insight into model grade choices- that information is subject to embargoes that are progressively lifted over coming weeks -,save to say that Qashqai (below) will avail across four trim and specification levels.

Speculation is strong that the key drivetrain choice will be a petrol electric set-up quite unlike the hybrids Kiwis are familiar with.

With e-Power, a 1.5-litre 115kW petrol engine doesn’t ever drive the wheels directly - instead it charges the battery which supplies an electric motor producing 140kW and 330Nm of torque.

Any planning for Nissan’s latest electric car, the Ariya, and the evergreen LEAF, which is about to undertake a modest update in other markets, is not being shared.

LEAF stands as New Zealand’s most popular electric car by sales volume, though that feat is almost entirely down to its success as an ex-Japan used import.

Ariya (above) is Nissan’s first product to sit atop the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s CMF-EV electric architecture that will be used by all partner brands.

Some models have single motor rear-wheel-drive and others deliver twin motor four-wheel-drive powertrains, swapping the entry 63kWh lithium ion battery for a 87kWh unit.

The 63kWh single motor model offers 160kW/300Nm and a range of around 450 kilometres in its most modest format.

The 87kWh edition is enabled for 178kW/300Nm, a range of at least 500kms, 0-100kmh in 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 160kmh as standard.

There’s also an e-4orce flagship that packs more punch – 389kW and 600Nm – and extra pep: Zero to 100kmh in 5.1 s and top speed of 200kmh. Range for that one drops to 400kms. All those estimates are from Nissan. The WLTP figures have yet to be provisioned.

Qashqai will come here from the United Kingdom, also the sourcing point for the new-generation Juke, whose release in 2020 was hampered by covid. X-Trail, meantime, will come to NZ from Japan.

Interest in Nissan’s Navara ute seems to have been bolstered by the rush to buy one tonne utes ahead of Clean Car penalties. Like every other high-volume ute, it sources from Thailand, where manufacturing has been impeded by component supply issues.

Nissan NZ’s release expresses confidence the brand will be fronting with one of the freshest SUV line-ups in New Zealand and cites thought that the “our performance halo vehicle, the all-new Nissan Z, which will write a new chapter for this iconic sports car.”