Nissan Rogue Hybrid, Smaller Variant Coming
Nissan announced last week that 100,000 more Rogues would be brought to the U.S. each year to satisfy demand, but the company isn’t stopping there.
Two new Rogue variants are set to join the lineup in the U.S., offering customers more choice. Starting in 2016, Nissan will offer a Rogue hybrid and a smaller version of the already compact crossover.
To shrink the Rogue, Nissan will simply import its European Qashqai crossover, which is 10-inches shorter than its North American counterpart. Whether or not the Qashqai will keep its 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine when it makes the trip across the pond remains to be seen.
SEE ALSO: 2015 Nissan Rogue Starting at $23,650
This move means that Nissan will also have to dump a product: the Rogue Select. When Nissan redesigned the Rogue for 2014, it kept the pre-redesign models in production and sold them as the Rogue Select, a cheaper alternative to the new refreshed Rogue. Nissan thinks the smaller Qashqai will fill the hole left behind by the Rogue Select.
“We haven’t hit the ceiling yet. We have more opportunity there if we can get our dealers more,” said Nissan senior vice president of U.S. sales Fred Diaz, talking about Rogue sales.
Nissan is sourcing its extra 100,000 Rogues from a Japanese plant, while the brand’s Smyrna, Tenn. plant is now cranking out 150,000 a year. Also, as many as 80,000 units will come from a South Korean Renualt plant.
[Source: Automotive News]
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Stephen covers all of the day-to-day events of the industry as the News Editor at AutoGuide, along with being the AG truck expert. His truck knowledge comes from working long days on the woodlot with pickups and driving straight trucks professionally. When not at his desk, Steve can be found playing his bass or riding his snowmobile or Sea-Doo. Find Stephen on <A title="@Selmer07 on Twitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/selmer07">Twitter</A> and <A title="Stephen on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/117833131531784822251?rel=author">Google+</A>
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