Nissan and Premcar consider new sub-brand

Nissan and its local engineering and design partner Premcar could be exploring a second sub-brand to sit alongside Warrior.

It is understood something in the vein of Subaru’s Wilderness and Hyundai’s XRT model lines is being discussed for light-duty SUVs such as the top-selling X-Trail medium SUV, the recently facelifted Qashqai and perhaps even the tiny Juke.

Feasibly, the sub-brand could even extend to the incoming Ariya SUV coming later this year and the 2026 next-gen Nissan Leaf, which is being turned into an electric SUV.

carsales understands the new sub-brand is being mulled over because the Warrior sub-brand is being preserved in Australia and New Zealand for hard-core highly capable 4x4s.

While the X-Trail can be had with all-wheel drive, the Qashqai and Juke are both front-wheel drive, and none of the three could be described as truly capable off-roaders.

Therefore, the future for Warrior locally appears to be focussed on a green light for programs based on the next-gen Navara and Patrol, although there remains a possibility of an X-Trail Warrior.

The new Navara, which is yet to be revealed, shares its technical base with the current Mitsubishi Triton and could be on sale in Australia as soon as late 2025.

The twin-turbo petrol V6 Patrol could be on sale in the first half of 2026 if Nissan Australia lobbying succeeds.

“Our relationship with Premcar is very solid and we are looking to see what we can do in the future,” was all local Nissan chief Andrew Humberstone would offer when asked about the potential for a new Premcar-developed sub-brand.

When asked about the prospective sub-brand, Premcar boss Bernie Quinn said he couldn’t comment on future product programs.

However, he did say: “There is no reason the Warrior local development concept couldn’t be applied to other models with another sub-brand.”

The Warrior program has provided a substantial boost to both the sales and perception of the Navara and Patrol in Australia. No doubt, Nissan is hoping a sub-brand focussed on its light-duty SUVs could do the same thing.

Both Hyundai XRT (which is sold in Australia) and Subaru Wilderness (which is wanted locally but doesn’t have confirmed timing) are designed to give light-duty SUVs a more rugged look and enhanced off-road capabilities.

In both cases they apply to all-wheel-drive models such as the Hyundai Santa Fe and Subaru Forester.

That sort of concept could work very well for the X-Trail, which is offered as an AWD in some models. However, the Qashqai and Juke are both front-wheel drive only, which poses a further challenge.

While work on the new sub-brand appears at an early stage, Premcar’s relationship with Nissan is stretching beyond Australia.

As previously reported, a Navara Warrior will soon start production in South Africa, while it is understood there is potential for the Warrior name to also spread to Thailand, the Middle East and even the USA.

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