Nissan Terrano PHEV and Urban PHEV Revealed, Australia in the Mix

Image credit: Nissan

Nissan has pulled the wraps off two new plug in hybrid SUVs at Auto China 2026 in Beijing, and at least one of them is firmly on the radar for an Australian launch. The boxy Terrano PHEV and the curvier Urban PHEV will both be built in China, with showroom availability expected within 12 months.

Nissan confirmed the Terrano will be exported to "select export markets" without naming names, but stopped short of committing the Urban PHEV to anything beyond China for now.

China Becomes Nissan's Global Export Hub

The reveal lines up with Nissan's broader pivot. The brand recently signalled a major shift in its Australian product plan, leaning heavily on China sourced models, although final details have not been confirmed. Nissan has also locked in the N7 electric sedan for ASEAN markets, with the Frontier Pro dual cab PHEV ute and NX8 electric SUV both shaping up as potential Australian entries.

"China is not only a highly competitive domestic market but also a source of innovation, enabling us to create new value and experiences for customers in China and in the global markets," Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa said in a statement. China is now Nissan's third largest market behind the US and Japan.

Terrano PHEV: An Old Name Returns Looking Tough

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The Terrano nameplate has not been used in Australia since the 1999 Terrano II, but it makes a serious comeback in concept form. The red sand finished show car wears an integrated nudge bar, bonnet vents, blistered wheel arches and chunky all terrain tyres.

Image credit: Nissan

Up front, an illuminated Nissan badge and grille sit above significant ground clearance. Auxiliary lights are scattered across the bonnet and roof, a tailgate mounted spare wheel reinforces the off road brief, and a roof rack accessed via a built in ladder completes the overlanding kit. The C pillar even features topographical map graphics, with promo material showing the SUV drifting through desert sand.

Image credit: Nissan

Nissan has not confirmed the underpinnings, but the previous Terrano II rode on a body on frame ladder chassis, the layout most off road buyers still prefer. If Nissan goes that way again, it would slot the Terrano into a different category from the unibody PHEV SUVs currently dominating the segment.

Image credit: Nissan

Urban PHEV: Same Powertrain, Very Different Brief

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True to the name, the Urban PHEV flips the Terrano's script entirely. The purple finished concept aims at younger city buyers with a curvaceous body and softer detailing, and Nissan says its design language draws from the upcoming NX8, which itself is all but confirmed for Australia.

Image credit: Nissan

That cross pollination means the Urban PHEV's styling cues will likely shape a wave of upcoming Nissan SUVs.

Image credit: Nissan

What We Don't Know Yet

Nissan has not shown the interiors of either model, and details on the plug in hybrid powertrains are still vague. The brand will only say both vehicles incorporate "the latest plug in hybrid technology". No kW, kWh, EV range or claimed fuel use numbers have been shared.

The Bigger Picture for Nissan

Nissan is trying to claw its way out of a tough patch globally. The brand was late to capitalise on the hybrid boom in the US, with no e-Power model arriving there until late 2026. China sourced PHEV product like the Terrano gives Nissan a way to plug those gaps fast, and Australia could be one of the first markets to benefit if local certification lines up.

For more on the Chinese sourced wave reshaping the local market, see 9 New Chinese Car Brands Coming to Australia and the 2026 GWM Haval H6GT Hi4 PHEV deep dive.