Bigger, better new-gen Nissan X-Trail looks and feels great, can’t come soon enough
IN THE fourth quarter of this year, an all-new Nissan X-Trail arrives to take over from the ageing T32 generation model, with wholesale changes to its architecture, design, driveline and technology fit-out to entice customers of what was once the brand’s biggest seller back into the showroom.
The nomenclature is familiar – ST, ST-L, Ti and Ti-L grades will be offered across the T33 X-Trail range, but the offering will be much more modern than current X-Trail owners will be used to.
It has been a while between drinks for the X-Trail. The T32 generation of Nissan’s stalwart medium SUV arrived way back in 2014, and while a 2017 facelift managed to extend its lifespan, after eight years the X-Trail’s pull with the public has dimmed.
In previous years, the X-Trail has managed to claim healthy market share, often sitting just behind the dominant RAV4, CX-5 and Tucson, but this year its performance has slipped considerably with Sportage and Outlander now overtaking it.
The T32 still has some soldiering on ahead of it, with a precise local launch date for the T33 X-Trail yet to be confirmed – bad news for a model that has long been Nissan’s top-selling product bit since given up that title to the Navara.
GoAuto understands the T33 will launch within the fourth quarter, however a more precise time frame is harder to lock down – as is pricing for the T33 Nissan X-Trail range, which will be announced closer to launch.
Built on the CMF-C platform (which now also underpins the rival Mitsubishi Outlander), only one powertrain will be offered initially, the PR25DD 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol four-cylinder that also serves in the Outlander.
With 135kW and 245Nm, the P25DD boasts an additional 9kW of power and 19Nm of torque compared to the T32’s QR25DE engine, however its peak outputs are not class-leading.
Nissan is not talking about diesel or hybrid options just yet, but while the latter remains a possibility for the future as part of Nissan’s e-Power hybrid rollout, the return of a diesel X-Trail seems unlikely at this point.
However, outdoorsy types will still have more reason to look in the X-Trail’s direction thanks to a lift in towing capacity from the T32’s 1500kg to 2000kg for the T33. With the ability to safely haul caravans, a decent-sized boat and other heavy trailers, the 33 per cent lift in towing capacity gives the new X-Trail a fair upgrade in utility.
All-wheel drive will be offered, with a multi-mode system able to switch between four terrain modes – bitumen, dirt, ice and snow, as well as an all-encompassing ‘auto’. Hill descent control will also feature on AWD-equipped X-Trails.
Safety-wise, standard equipment on all T33 X-Trails will include a full suite of 10 airbags, stability control, traction control, forward autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with junction and cyclist detection, reverse AEB, rear cross traffic alert, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, blind spot monitoring, lane-keep assist and active cruise control.
During a preview event in Melbourne, GoAuto observed that the new X-Trail feels more spacious and passenger-friendly than before, due in part to dimensions that are longer and taller than the T32, but also thanks to more intelligent interior design features.
The T32’s much-derised foot-operated parking brake has been banished by the adoption of an electric parking brake on all models, and the gear selector is now a computer-mouse-like stump that leaves plenty of clear space in front of the centre stack.
A centre console that has been lifted up substantially places cupholders in easier reach and makes for a more comfortable armrest, but also liberating a sizable volume of space beneath the console for smaller items of shopping, handbags, tissue boxes and the like.
Meanwhile the upper console tray is now bigger and better at accommodating modern phones, though a wireless charge pad only becomes available on the upmarket Ti and Ti-L.
At least the two USB ports are easier to access (1x USB-A, 1x USB-C), and there are two USB ports for those in the back seat as well. The X-Trail’s reconfigurable dual-level boot floor will continue to be a feature, bringing 16 cargo-carrying configurations to the car’s load area – though only on ST-L grade and above.
Every variant will get LED lighting on front and rear, high-beam assist, paddle-shifters, roof rails and the aforementioned safety equipment.
For the base model ST, an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto takes up position at the top of the centre stack, while 17-inch alloys are the main visual cue that this one’s the entrypoint to the range.
Stepping into ST-L grade brings 18-inch alloys, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, privacy glass, foglamps, fore-aft sliders for the 40:20:40-split rear seats and faux leather upholstery. Safety equipment also gets an upgrade, with Nissan’s ProPilot system bringing more advanced lane-keep assistance while a top-down 360-degree parking camera and front parking sensors are also added to the spec sheet.
The Ti grade brings higher-end gear like real leather, a 12.3-inch electronic instrument panel, a 10.8-inch head-up display, a panoramic glass sunroof, an electronic rear view mirror, tri-zone climate control and a power-operated tailgate.
Infotainment gets a substantial upgrade too, with the small screen of the ST and ST-L being replaced by a 12.3-inch touchscreen with built-in satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay (Android Auto remains wired-only), and is accompanied by a wireless phone charging pad at the base of the centre stack. Meanwhile, 19-inch alloys and all-LED indicators add some visual sparkle to the exterior.
For the range-topping Ti-L, all of the above equipment ships as standard, plus a heated steering wheel, Bose 10-speaker premium audio system, full Nappa leather upholstery with power-adjustable memory seats, integrated rear window sunshades, a hands-free mode for the powered tailgate and a remote engine start function.
It is all a substantial lift over what the outgoing T32 X-Trail (which is still currently on sale) offers, however there are still some months to go before the T33 arrives in Australian showrooms.
Though Nissan has endured extended delays as a result of the pandemic and associated supply shortages (as has every manufacturer), the slow arrival of the T33 X-Trail must sting more than a little considering its North American equivalent, the Nissan Rogue, has been on sale since late 2020 (though it should be pointed out that that vehicle is produced in the USA, whereas Australian X-Trails will be sourced from Japan).
Meanwhile, corporate cousin Mitsubishi has been selling its new-gen Outlander since October 2021, a vehicle that utilises the same platform and engine as the T33 X-Trail thanks to the alliance between Nissan, Mitsubishi and Renault.
Though they are all on the same team, there must surely be some consternation in Nissan Australia’s office that Mitsubishi has been able to make hay with its new Outlander while the old X-Trail soldiers on.
Keyword: Nissan confirms specs for all-new X-Trail