Nissan to launch diesel SUV in Japan in 2008

Nissan to launch diesel SUV in Japan in 2008Filed under: Diesel, NissanNissan is going head-first into the diesel market. After the announcement about the company's new clean diesel technology that might pave the way for Nissan diesels in America, Nissan announced today it will launch a diesel version of the X-Trail SUV in Japan some time in fall 2008.

This diesel SUV, according to Reuters, could "revive the all-but-dead diesel passenger car segment in the world's third-biggest auto market." As in America, diesels in Japan suffer from an image problem (dirty, smelly), but new vehicles that meet the new emissions standards would be clean and attractive to a lot of buyers (love those high MPG numbers). A diesel X-Trail would be the first new Japanese diesel passenger car in years. Currently, the only diesel passenger car for sale in Japan is the Mercedes E320 CDI sedan. Honda says it will sell diesels in Japan after 2009.