The Japanese automaker has always been a mainstream company, but many customers link the Nissan name to off-roaders. Even as the Qashqai had a huge success without being a true off-road vehicle, the brand is still valued as a great SUV builder.

The fact is true if we judge a little Qashqai’s numbers on the market – it outdid even Nissan’s own expectations, even as the company had them really high – for many years it was their sole offering in the highly fought European compact segment.

Now, the Japanese bet that Europeans have not lost their appetite for off-roaders from the brand, even as iconic names like the Patrol have been long since ruled out of the market. That’s why the company aims to reach sales of 80,000 units in Europe and Russia next year, more than double the best year for the current generation X-Trail, which managed to achieve deliveries of 38,000 units in 2012, forecasts X-Trail’s third generation.

“We are confident we can double our sales in Europe and Russia thanks to a very competitive model, which can keep loyal customers and attract a lot of new customers with its crossover design,” said Timothee Fondeur, the X-Trail’s project manager for Europe.

Fondeur said that Nissan took the necessary steps to ensure the model’s success – besides the obvious styling relation to the smaller Qashqai – mirroring Nissan’s new design language, the new X-Trail will also be offered in a front wheel drive configuration, while the model is Nissan’s only SUV in the region to feature a seven seat version – the similar offering from the Qashqai was not replaced for the new generation.

Via Automotive News Europe