Nissan pulled the drapes off the Aura NISMO RS Concept at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon, which previews a JDM hybrid hot hatch.
A NISMO version of the Aura (based on the Note) already exists but this one winds up the wick with a refreshing take on the ‘big engine, small car’ formula for the hybrid generation.
Under the flared guards and wide bodykit sits a tuned e-4ORCE all-wheel-drive setup with an electric motor up front producing around 150kW/330Nm plus a 100kW/195Nm rear motor driven by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder generator engine, transplanted from the X-Trail NISMO.
With 250kW combined, that’s a significant jump in power compared with the current Aura NISMO’s e-Power layout, which uses smaller motors and a 1.2L generator. It also gets a bump in battery capacity from 1.5kWh to 1.85kWh.
Functional aero upgrades widen the car by 145mm, add 140mm to length, with suspension revisions lowering the car by 20mm. 245/40R18 tyres replace hte 205/50R17s of the standard Aura NISMO.
Quad piston calipers operate 355mm ventilated rotors at the front, while rear brakes are 280mm discs with twin-piston calipers. Serious hardware for a hybrid hatch.
A 1490kg weight target sits 100kg above the base Aura NISMO but given the chassis and braking upgrades, Nissan must be expecting some serious performance. The X-Trail NISMO is quoted at 7.0 seconds for 0-100km/h, so we estimate the 421kg lighter Aura NISMO RS should dip into the mid-late 5 seconds region.
What do you think of Nissan’s very different take on the hot hatch? Let us know in the comments below.
