Nissan PH ‘confident’ with upcoming China-sourced models

MANILA: The leadership of Nissan and its Philippine arm, expressed confidence in its upcoming China-sourced vehicles. 

Nissan Motor Philippines is set to launch the Navara Pro PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) and the Primera EV (electric vehicle) later this year, and it’s no secret that the upcoming nameplates are a product of the company’s Chinese joint venture. 

And while some Filipino car buyers still harbor stigma for Chinese-made products, Nissan promises that their vehicles—wherever they may be built—will always carry the company’s value proposition. 

“Regardless of where the model comes from, all of Nissan’s product are high quality,” Nissan Philippines President Yoshinori Kanazawa stated. 

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Why source, develop vehicles from China? 

Nissan bringing in models from China might have raised a couple of eyebrows, especially among purists. However, Nissan Management Committee for Japan and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Chairperson Shohei Yamazaki made a strong case for the brand sourcing and developing the Nissan Navara Pro PHEV and Primera EV in China, instead of its home country. 

Not that the car manufacturer is no longer gunning to compete with fellow Japanese automakers, but the executive pointed that some popular segments in the Philippines cannot be sourced entirely from the Land of the Rising Sun. 

In the case of the Nissan Navara Pro PHEV, due to the lack of demand for pickup trucks in Japan, the company cannot produce the model in its plants in Tochigi, Oppama, Yokohama, Iwaki, or Sagamihara. But because the Chinese market has a buzzing truck segment, it makes sense to make the new model there. 

“For example, this segment (referring to pickup trucks), almost nothing in Japan. No pickup market in Japan, and we cannot produce, develop those cars for Japan market,” Yamazaki was quoted as saying. 

The same goes for the Nissan Primera EV. With the growing popularity of kei cars and compact hatchbacks in the country, fewer and fewer customers opt for a low-slung five-seater sedan. 

Battery electric vehicles too, have fewer fans in Japan, where hybrid cars are more popular. 

“This one (referring to sedans), sedan. There is no sedan market in Japan—anymore. So, we cannot produce, develop for Japan. But still, there are some sedan markets in China,” he added. 

“Japanese customers love e-POWER. Japanese EV penetration is probably lowest in the world—only one or two percent. Very low, however hybrid or e-POWER is very popular in Japan,” he commented. 

Yamazaki also noted that the Chinese auto industry has done well in the past years, and that the progress the country has shown further reinforced the two models’ potential in the Philippines. 

“The reason why we are going to export those models outside China—or Philippines—is China automotive industry or China automotive trend since five years ago, since 2021, is actually leading the market in terms of technology, in terms of speed, in terms of cost, therefore, we were proud of our achievements in China… therefore, now, we are going to demonstrate what we have achieved in China,”  Yamazaki explained. 

“Sorry for making you wait, but now you can feel, drive, buy, those two models,” he added. 

Nissan Navara Pro PHEV, Primera EV PIMS debut 

The Nissan Navara Pro PHEV and Primera EV have made their Philippine debut at the recently-held Philippine International Motor Show. The two stirred buzz among event-goers alongside the two new models released by the company, which are the Xtrail e-POWER and the refreshed Kicks e-POWER. 

Nissan Philippines’ newest truck offering rides on the heritage of the Navara nameplate and bank on the reputation built by the model in the country overtime. Whether or not being “made in China” will actually have an effect on the car’s performance and longevity—only time will tell. 

As for the electric executive sedan, the brand will rely on its know-how in electrification as well as its experience in manufacturing upmarket models. But will it be priced well enough to compete with other Chinese-made models and sway Filipino car buyers? 

Find out more about Nissan Philippines’ upcoming offerings when they launch later this year. Keep it here at Zigwheels Philippines. 

Also read:

Nissan to ‘formally’ unveil Kicks e-Power tomorrow

Nissan’s next-gen e-Power technology earns Guinness World Records title

Nissan sells 700K cars in Q1 2026

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