The latest edition of the Nissan X-Trail is displayed at the Northwing of SM City Cebu.
(CDN PHOTO/TOBNEE DESPOJO)
With the auto industry expected to boom in the coming years, Nissan Philippines, Inc. (NPI) is looking to strengthen its presence in the country by introducing more new vehicles.
NPI started its bid when it launched the all-new X-Trail compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) in Cebu last Thursday at the SM City Cebu Northwing.
The new SUV will come in two variants, the 2.5 four-wheel drive and 2.5 two-wheel drive.
NPI managing director Antonio Zara said the introduction of the new X-Trail is part of the company’s strategy to strengthen the Nissan brand in the country and in the southeast Asian region.
According to Zara, Nissan’s current market share is four percent and he said they want that to grow to eight percent in the next five years.
“That will mean more market expansion by introducing more quality products and a strong network,” said Zara.
Zara said the industry expects to sell 260,000 units this year and hit the 400,000 level by 2019 because of the rising number of the middle class.
“Now the GDP (gross domestic product) per capital level is $3,000 a year for the Philippines. That is an indication that there are now more people who can afford to buy a car. This year, those brand new cars sold at P500,000 are the best sellers because the market is seeing a lot of the first time car owners.”
Although the X-Trail is way above that level, with the 2.5 4×2 starting at P1.375 million, Zara said they are not worried since the market for second cars, or those who are upgrading their cars, is also increasing. This is why Zara is confident the new X-Trail will be another hit in the market.
The new X-Trail is more attractive than its predecessor because of what Nissan calls its “stylish, clever, robust and sleek design.”
The compact SUV also has inviting interior features and innovative technology including Nasa-inspired zero-gravity seats that can comfortably accommodate seven passengers.
With a height of 1,710 mm and a length of 4,640 mm, the Nissan X-Trail is said to be the tallest and longest among its main competitors, which include the Toyota Rav-4, Honda CR-V, Kia Sorento, Hyundai Sportage and the Mazda CX5.
Unique features include a monitor that gives the driver a 360-degree view when navigating through a parking space.
Zara also boasted of the 4×4 capability of the X-Trail, which has been known as one of the toughest compact SUVs before.
“The 2.5 4×4 model allows driver to select between three different driving modes based on road conditions. Two-wheel drive for normal road city driving, automode that automatically changes torque distribution between front and rear axle depending on road conditions and the lock mode for better traction on rough roads,” Zara said.
Meanwhile, Nissan said it looks to add more dealerships soon.
Zara said Cebu is a major market for their brand and they are looking at adding two more dealerships within the next five years.
They currently have one dealership in Cebu, Nissan Cebu Distributors, Inc. (NCDI), which Zara said has always been their major growth partner.
“We’ll expand as part of the target to have over 40 dealerships in the country in five years. Now we have 28 and we believe that a good network of dealerships is key to market dominance.”
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