Nissan has pulled the covers off a pair of plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUVs it will build in China for both domestic sales and export to global markets, with Australia a strong possibility.
Production versions of the boxy Terrano PHEV and sleek Urban PHEV – revealed at the Auto China 2026 in Beijing today – are due in showrooms within 12 months, the Japanese automaker said.
Nissan said the Terrano will be exported to “select export markets” – without providing specifics – but did not comment on the Urban PHEV’s prospects beyond China.
It has also confirmed the N7 electric sedan for sale in ASEAN markets (10 countries in Southeast Asia), with a raft of new models including the Frontier Pro dual-cab PHEV ute and NX8 electric SUV potentially also on the way to Australia.
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Nissan recently announced a seismic shift in its product plans for Australia, fuelled largely by models from China, but has not yet confirmed further details.
The company will use China – its third-largest market behind the US and Japan – as a global export hub.
“China is not only a highly competitive domestic market but also a source of innovation, enabling us to create new value and experiences for customers in China and in the global markets,” Ivan Espinosa said in a statement.
The return of the Terrano name – last seen here on the 1999 Terrano II – brings a rugged design, with the red sand-coloured show vehicle featuring an integrated nudge bar, bonnet vents and blistered wheel-arches wrapped around all-terrain tyres.
The front-end includes an illuminated Nissan badge and grille, while there’s significant ground clearance and a range of auxiliary lights on the bonnet and roof. A roof rack – accessed via a built-in ladder – and a tailgate-mounted spare wheel further reinforce its off-road focus.
The show car’s C-pillar features topographical maps, with promotional material showing the off-roader drifting through desert sands.
There’s no official word on the underpinnings, however, the previous Terrano II used a body-on-frame (ladder) chassis which is preferred by off-road enthusiasts.
True to its name, the Urban PHEV flips that script with a more curvaceous design, with the purple-coloured concept car shown in a cityscape targeting younger buyers.
Its exterior design has styling cues from the Nissan NX8 – which is all but confirmed for Australia – and will shape the look of upcoming Nissan SUVs, the automaker said.
The interiors of neither model has yet been shown, nor have details of their PHEV powertrains, with Nissan describing them simply as incorporating “the latest plug-in hybrid technology”.
Nissan is looking to turn around its fortunes amid mounting global losses, after being late to capitalise on the rising popularity of hybrids in the US – where it won’t introduce its first e-Power hybrid model until late 2026.
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