Nissan->ke62 recently announced plans to sell the 48-mpg Nissan X-Trail->ke2317 Hybrid in Japan starting next month, and since the X-Trail->ke2317 is essentially the same as the U.S.-spec Nissan Rogue->ke2176, it theoretically wouldn’t take much to offer a Rogue Hybrid.->ke147 Nobusuke Toukura, chief engineer for the X-Trail, backed that up by saying that Nissan is considering such a hybrid->ke147, although it was far from any type of confirmation and there was no time frame mentioned.

Assuming it would simply carry over the same drivetrain components from the X-Trail Hybrid, a potential Rogue Hybrid would swap out the current 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine for a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that Nissan promises will offer enhanced quietness and acceleration. The key difference, of course, is the added electrical components, which in this case is Nissan’s Intelligent Dual Clutch Control (a single motor with two clutches) powered by a lithium-ion battery that doesn’t eat into any of the crossover’s cargo capacity. In addition to its improved fuel economy, the X-Trail Hybrid also promises a 75 percent reduction of NOx exhaust emissions.

Although Nissan remains mum on plans for a Rogue Hybrid crossover in the U.S., the X-Trail Hybrid is expected to be a hit in Japan, perhaps accounting for 40 percent of X-Trail sales. With the Rogue currently ranked as the second-best-selling product in Nissan’s U.S. portfolio, the addition of a hybrid model would surely help to continue the compact CUV’s->ke2317 sales surge.

Click past the jump to read more about the future Nissan Rogue Hybrid.

Why it matters

Nissan has lagged behind practically all other automakers when it comes to offering hybrid vehicles, and its current U.S. lineup has no hybrid models. Adding a Rogue Hybrid makes perfect sense since the compact hybrid crossover market is reemerging after being dominated by the now-deceased Ford Escape->ke233 Hybrid. The only other offerings in this segment are the 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid and the recently introduced 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.

2014 Nissan Rogue

Read our full review of the 2014 Nissan Rogue here.