Earlier reports suggest that the all-new fourth-gen 2021 Nissan X-Trail will be paired to an 8-speed automatic. However, we know that this is not true as more evidence points to the transmission being a CVT with 8 virtual ratios.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) FuelEconomy.gov website, the X-Trail’s North American twin, the Nissan Rogue could gain the turbocharged 3-cylinder 1.5-litre engine (204 PS/300 Nm). This engine might debut in the Chinese X-Trail at the upcoming 2021 Shanghai Auto Show.

Also read: 3-cylinder 1.5L engine for China's 2021 Nissan X-Trail - 204 PS, 300 Nm

The Nissan Rogue is currently powered by a naturally-aspirated 2.5-litre inline-four that produces 181 PS and 245 Nm. According to the data provided by the EPA’s website, the 3-pot turbocharged engine provides better fuel economy than the 4-pot NA unit.

Nissan has also told Car and Driver that this engine would be a part of a “small pilot program” to evaluate the potential of this new powertrain, so it won’t be fully offered in the Rogue’s line-up yet.

But, back to the transmission. What makes us certain that the X-Trail will be using a CVT gearbox with 8 virtual ratios is written on the EPA site. Next to the word “Automatic” is the codename AV-S8.

Let’s just break this down quickly, the A = “Auto”, V = “Variable multi-level”, S= “Simulated”, and 8 = Number of gears. Add them all up and you get that the transmission which would be carried over into the X-Trail is an “8-speed” CVT.

While the North American Rogue comes with four variants with a choice of FWD or AWD, these might be carried over into the Chinese X-Trail. As for the local-spec X-Trail, we might have to wait much longer for its imminent arrival.