Nissan Plans Rogue-based Infiniti Crossover, but There's a Catch

Luxury SUVs are aplenty

One segment where luxury car manufacturers seem to have more than a foothold is crossovers and SUVs, as many well-known brands have a diverse selection of these cars in various different-sized models in their lineups. Lexus has seven different SUVs in its lineup, BMW has nine, and Mercedes has 13 different ones in gas and electric, even some in its ultra-luxe Maybach offerings.

In recent years, Nissan’s luxury arm, Infiniti, has not been able to maintain as big a lineup. In August 2024, following the discontinuation of the Q50 sports sedan, Infiniti became a brand that sold solely SUVs. Though its current lineup consists of the QX50, QX55, the QX60, and the QX80 SUV, it will lose the smaller, Mexican-built QX50 and QX55 after this year. However, Infiniti doesn’t plan to be a two-model brand for very long, as a new report indicates that it is developing a future model.

Going Rogue

According to a recent report by Automotive News, Nissan Americas manufacturing head David Johnson teased plans for a compact crossover known as the i33C, which could arrive in late 2027 as a luxury Infiniti that sources say could run on the same platform as the next iteration of the Nissan Rogue.

They denote that the next-gen Infiniti could be powered by Nissan’s in-house e-Power series hybrid technology or a plug-in hybrid powertrain, and feature more advanced technology and a more premium interior than its potential Nissan-badged sibling. If plans work out, a production version could launch in 2027.

“We are giving strong consideration to a new, electrified compact SUV for Infiniti as we look to expand the brand‘s lineup,” Nissan spokesperson Brian Brockman told AutoNews. “We are fully committed to building a stronger, more competitive Infiniti business — driving sustained growth and ensuring success in the marketplace.”

Infiniti needs new cars, dealers say

The announcement comes during a critical time for Infiniti. By the end of December, it will solely make the QX60 and QX80 SUVs, as production of the Mexico-made QX50 and QX55 compact crossovers will cease. Its next model, a two-row midsize crossover designed to take on the Lexus RX, called the QX65, isn’t expected to be released until Q2 2026.

Infiniti losing more of its models is a massive red flag for its dealers. In a statement to AutoNews, Infiniti National Dealer Advisory Board Chairman Will Bonilla said that Nissan needs to use “any means necessary” to expand the lineup and get more people into the showrooms. “If that means sharing a platform with the Nissan brand, so be it,” Bonilla said.

Final thoughts

The AutoNews report also noted that if the plans go through, the future i33C will share a line at Nissan’s Smyrna, Tennessee plant. There, Nissan plans to increase the output of the Nissan Rogue crossover by more than half, primarily due to the Trump Administration’s 25% levy on imported cars.

Infiniti is no stranger to using some of Nissan’s existing technology to sell as its own brand cars. For instance, the QX4 SUV was a badge-engineered Nissan Pathfinder. Before that, the G20 was a rebadged Nissan Primera (a sedan Nissan primarily sold in Europe and Japan), and later iterations, the G35, G37, and Q50 are rebadged Japanese-market Skylines (yes, that Skyline).

Nonetheless, the idea of Infiniti offering a smaller SUV the size of a Nissan Rogue is not a bad idea in practice, as at the right price, it could attract at least some buyers into the brand.