Nissan's Hyundai Creta-Rivaling SUV For India Confirmed: Launch Timeline Revealed

Nissan has not had any major launches in the Indian market for quite some time. They did launch the X-Trail and also introduced the Magnite facelift in the market. Other than this, nothing much has happened. However, things are about to change. Nissan has now revealed that they are planning to launch an SUV that will compete with the likes of the Hyundai Creta in the Indian market. The SUV is expected to be launched in FY2026.

The upcoming SUV from Nissan will be based on the Renault Duster, which is scheduled to be launched in India later this year. We do not have a name for the upcoming SUV, but Nissan used to sell an SUV in this category called the Terrano. We are not sure if Nissan will continue with the Terrano name, just like Renault, which is using the Duster name again for its upcoming SUV.

While the Renault Duster was a popular name among Indians, the Terrano was not as well received. It didn’t do very well in terms of sales, and we feel Nissan might opt for a different name for the upcoming SUV.

Based on the images that have surfaced online, Renault is going for a rugged and boxy exterior design for the upcoming SUV. In the image, we can see Nissan’s logo on a wide grille with two horizontal chrome slats running across the width of the vehicle. We can also see the L-shaped LED DRLs and a connecting LED strip that links both DRLs. The headlamp looks like a sleek rectangular unit integrated within the grille. We are not sure if the upcoming SUV will feature Nissan’s V-Motion grille or if they are going for a different design this time.

Unlike many modern SUVs, Nissan might not offer a split headlamp setup. This SUV will be a based on the same platform as the Renault Duster, meaning both SUVs will share several components. In fact, both these SUVs will be manufactured at the Renault-Nissan Alliance factory in Chennai. They will be produced in India for both the domestic and international markets.

The Nissan SUV will also come with muscular bumpers, a faux skid plate, thick cladding around the wheel arches, and additional cladding along the lower part of the vehicle. The alloy wheel design on the upcoming SUV will be different from what we would see on the Renault Duster.

The interior of Nissan's Creta-rival SUV is expected to look similar to that of the Renault Duster. However, there is a possibility that Nissan might offer slightly more upmarket interiors for its version.

The Nissan SUV will come with features like a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 360-degree camera, automatic climate control, a fully digital 7-inch instrument cluster, drive modes, and more. Renault is offering ADAS in the Duster internationally, but it remains to be seen whether both Nissan and Renault will introduce this feature in India.

Nissan will offer the upcoming SUV with a petrol engine only. The SUV will be powered by a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine that produces 154 PS and 250 Nm of torque. This engine is available with a 7-speed DCT gearbox internationally. There is no confirmation yet on whether a manual transmission will be offered for the lower variants.