Nissan Xmotion concept: the future SUV of Nissan?

The Nissan Xmotion concept presented at the Detroit Motor Show gives us a preview of what the design of the brand’s future SUVs could look like.

Following the recent announcement at CES 2018 of the expansion of its collaboration agreement with NASA to continue advancing the development of autonomous mobility systems, Nissan keeps looking to the future. If last year it was the Nissan Vmotion 2.0 Concept, this Japanese brand is presenting the Nissan Xmotion concept at the Detroit Motor Show 2018.

Look at it for what it is: a styling exercise exploring what could be the design language of future SUVs from Nissan. In this case, the Nissan Xmotion Concept opts for a compact crossover format, with aggressive lines and an interior designed for maximum comfort. There are three rows of seats: two “conventional” rows with individual seats, and two smaller seats in a third row. It measures 4.59 metres long, 1.94 wide and 1.70 high.

The rear doors that open against the direction of travel and the absence of a centre pillar look very good on a concept like the Nissan Xmotion. But don’t expect to see them on future models from the brand. It’s a showpiece solution. The roof-mounted luggage compartment seems more sensible, especially for carrying luggage when all three rows of seats are in use.

It is very unlikely that you will see a road-going Nissan with wheels like those proposed by the Xmotion concept. With 21-inch rims, the tyre itself, developed by Michelin, “hugs” the rim in some areas. Very attractive from a design point of view, but too exposed to scrapes, knocks and nicks, especially on an off-roader.

The interior of the Nissan Xmotion concept

And if the exterior is spectacular, don’t miss the interior design of the Nissan Xmotion concept. The brand says the technique used to make the dashboard, made of wood, is the same one used in Japan to build its temples. Craftsmanship combined with technology, as passengers have up to seven digital screens for the multimedia system, which can be controlled by voice and gestures.

It also includes ProPILOT autonomous driving from Nissan, or a virtual assistant that is activated by fingerprint. Nissan gives no clues as to whether the Xmotion concept is a functional prototype or a simple mock-up. It only says it features the brand’s All Wheel Drive intelligent all-wheel drive. For this reason there is no data on the propulsion system either, although anything you could imagine is possible here, from a hybrid solution to an electric motor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV_cEI45XBM