Nissan’s plotting an electrified hot hatch

Nissan has confirmed it’s exploring the idea of a new hybrid hot hatch, having just presented the Aura NISMO RS Concept at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon.

It’s been a long time since Nissan offered a true hot hatch, but that’ll hopefully change if the Aura NISMO RS Concept makes it to production and is okayed for international markets.

“Designed as a technical validation exercise … Nissan is exploring the potential of bringing this concept to market as a production car,” the brand said.

Where the standard Aura NISMO outputs 100kW, the RS Concept leverages the new X-TRAIL NISMO’s uniquely calibrated e-POWER hybrid system to develop a much healthier 150kW, however no performance claims have been made.

The extra firepower is complemented by significantly widened wheel tracks, sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber, lowered (-20mm) and retuned suspension, four-piston front, two-piston rear brake calipers and a heavily revised body.

The said body is 145mm wider and 142mm longer than standard and adorned with an aggressive aero package designed to increase downforce while reducing drag.

The whole package rolls on forged 18-inch NISMO wheels.

Speaking at the concept’s reveal, Nissan Motorsports and Customising Company (NMC) president Yutaka Sanada said the Aura NISMO RS Concept was the first model born from the “combined expertise” of Nissan and NMC, and that the firms were “committed to introducing heartbeat models”.

The standard Auro NISMO – let alone the wider Note hatch it’s based on – isn’t offered in Australia, and nor is the X-TRAIL NISMO, so the odds of seeing the production-spec RS in local showrooms aren’t in our favour.

Nevertheless, Nissan said the concept will undergo further refinement and optimisation for “potential racing applications in addition to potential future commercialisation”.

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