Nissan X-Trail review

• What is it?
• So just another hybrid, then?
• But what’s so special about e-Power?
• Any other ‘bridge technology’ on board?
• What's the verdict?
• What is it like to drive?
• Any driving modes to speak of?
• What’s fuel economy like?
• And off road?
• What is it like on the inside?
• What should I be paying?

Overview

What is it?

It’s the only seven-seat electrified SUV in its segment. Quite what segment that is exactly seems open to debate, though: as rivals, Nissan cites Toyota’s RAV4 – which it used as a benchmark for this fourth-generation X-Trail – as well as the likes of the Skoda Kodiaq, Mazda CX-5 and VW Tiguan Allspace. We’d chuck the Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota Highlander and Kia Sorento into that mix too, although Nissan reckons they’re too large to count as direct contenders.

The X-Trail has always suffered something of an identity crisis: it arrived in the UK in 2001 as a tall, gently-rufty-tufty estate car with extra ground clearance, all-wheel drive and salt-of-the-earth aspirations. Trouble is, Subaru’s courageous Forester 2.0-litre Turbo had already had its towel on that sun-lounger since 1998 and was, frankly, more fun.

Understandably Nissan decided the X-Trail might be better off positioned as something of a Qashqai with knobs on, and by its third generation it had the job of replacing both the Mk2 X-Trail and the Qashqai+2, and sizeable psychiatry bills.

Anyway, mild role-in-life and segment placement dust-ups aside, enter the Mk4 X-Trail, which has shed its crossover pretensions in favour of added SUV chunkiness and also boasts a self-charging, electric motor drive powertrain.

So just another hybrid, then?

Well, in as much as both internal combustion and electric power sources are involved, yes. But in this case, Nissan’s gently novel e-Power system relegates a 1.5-litre variable compression ratio, turbocharged petrol engine to the sole job of charging the 2.1kWh battery, while power is provided to the front wheels by a 150kW electric motor delivering peak output of 201bhp.

We’ve already seen this e-Power system in the Qashqai, but the X-Trail variant we’re driving here features a first in the form of four-wheel drive, called e-4orce, which adds a 100kW electric motor to the rear axle for a total system output of 211bhp and the promise of 0-62mph in 7.2 seconds with enhanced traction, handling and ride comfort.

Not expected to shift in any great quantity, a third, more conventional powertrain is also available – the same 1.5 litre turbo mated to 12V mild hybrid technology, generating 161bhp to power the front wheels.

But what’s so special about e-Power?

Quite. Why not a conventional EV or a standard, run-of-the-mill hybrid? It’s all about driving feel, Nissan tells us. e-Power combines the most efficient use of the petrol engine with a small battery and a quiet, smooth EV driving experience.

Nissan also points out that, as ‘bridge technology’ e-Power is a better proposition globally as a stepping-stone to full electrification than either a plug-in hybrid or a full EV; sound thinking given the sparsity of charging posts.

Largely, the system works well. Power delivery is indeed smooth and quiet; with the engine only operating to charge the battery, you are spared those accompanying hybrid noises that suggests there’s an episode of Bonanza being filmed under the bonnet, though protracted periods of hill climbing will still elicit mooing as the engine perks up somewhat vocally to keep the battery topped up.

But this isn’t a car set up to encourage Axminster crushing, and if you drive it with an ear on keeping things muted in the engine room it rewards with tidy handling, light, precise steering, well-controlled cornering posture and a supple ride, the underlying firmness of which only surfaces on the very worst, um, surfaces.

Any other ‘bridge technology’ on board?

More ‘extending the hand of friendship to the elderly’ technology… Mercifully, Nissan is one of the manufacturers that, having seen what a mess others are making of their touchscreen-only infotainment operations, is happy to leave the important knobs alone, including the air-conditioning controls and a centrally located audio volume control.

There’s no evidence of the Qashqai parts bin here save two 12.3-inch screens, which serve the driver and a central multi-information system, while a whopping 10.8-inch head-up display occupies so much windscreen space you’ll want to dim it almost to the point of obscurity. Nissan boasts that this all adds up to ‘35 inches of infotainment’; a statement we shan’t dwell on… Connectivity includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay – the latter wireless – and in-car wi-fi for up to seven devices.

By equipping the new X-Trail with both e-4orce electric all-wheel drive and seven seats, and styling it more like an SUV than a crossover, Nissan clearly hopes to prise open the gap between this car and the Qashqai to give it a tad more of a fighting chance on the showroom floor.

It isn’t going to set the world on fire, but it has been pretty carefully crafted to offer as close to all things to all family members as any car in this class could hope to. Sure, anything with electric-motor drive which still bangs out CO2 at the rate of 147g/km is bound to elicit some head scratching, but you’ll forget all about that once you’ve tried it.

Driving

What is it like to drive?

On the whole, rather serene. But definitely best piloted as if you’re keen to avoid making your passengers nauseous. The powertrain is at its happiest, smoothest and quietest if not pushed to deliver ramming speed; the engine remaining admirably muted even while you’re overtaking, as long as you don’t push too hard.

Besides, there’s not a deal of fun to be found in flinging the X-Trail around. Rather, the dynamic emphasis is sensibly focused on a comfortable ride at cruising speed, light steering, and nicely planted, drama-free cornering with excellent body control. Shod with 20-inch wheels, the X-Trail can become quite crashy on poorer surfaces at low speeds, and urbanites might be happier with a taller tyre wall coming to the rescue.

Any driving modes to speak of?

The e-Power system is equipped with the usual selection, but progress in Eco mode is like swimming in wellingtons: a great deal of activity for not much forward motion, while Sport mode tends to promote a tad too much protest from the engine room without much added reward. An e-Pedal button ups braking regeneration to the point where you can readily drive on one pedal alone. This is useful for the urban drudge that will occupy the life of 70 per cent of X-Trails, but, on the open road, does feel as if someone has mischievously tied a large rubber band to the back bumper.

What’s fuel economy like?

Pottering mode also reaps rewards from a system that seems remarkably efficient, being a good 15-20 per cent more economical than the mild-hybrid X-Trail, and returning a quoted average fuel consumption of about 43.5mpg. The lack of battery weight must help; this AWD X-Trail weighs in at some 1,880kg, while the battery pack of a conventional EV would surely nudge the needle a good 200kg more round the dial.

Under braking, the Nissan disguises its bulk admirably. The e-Power system incorporates brake torque vectoring, which promises, and appears to deliver, better control and handling with less pitching under braking. For all that, we found response to the first press of the pedal a whiff too sluggish. Perhaps we’ve all become spoiled by the instant grab of the over-servo’ed?

And off road?

Off-road, firstly on amusingly slippery gravel tracks and then a small, more arduous course carefully tailored to ensure successful completion by even the most ham-fisted, the X-Trail acquitted itself predictably handsomely; the electric four-wheel drive system allegedly promoting better torque control and quicker responses than mechanical counterparts.

Shame there was no wet gymkhana grass about though. Axle articulation beards will tell you that this surface is about as severe as it gets, although most X-Trails will actually ever encounter it, ironically.

Interior

What is it like on the inside?

Pretty classy. The top-of-the-range variant we drove is swathed in tactile, cappuccino-hued leather which lifts the cabin elegantly above the usual all-black SUV offering that the British, says Nissan, prefer. The quality of fit and finish is first class, even unto the ‘laser guided stitching’ which ensures that the needle never violates any of the perforations in the leather seat cladding.

Though soft-touch mouldings do bizarrely still frequent surfaces that no one will ever touch except to dust, the scratchy plastics previously prone to sneak aboard on door cards and centre consoles have all vanished. Oh, hang on… what’s that inside the centre arm rest? Ergonomics give no cause for complaint, the driver’s seat is comfortable and the driving position spot on.

Accessed by the 85-degree opening rear doors loved by Qashqai owners, the second row seats have a 220mm sliding range to guarantee legroom for even the lankiest, and the flat floor afforded by electric power behind means whoever gets the short straw and ends up in the centre seat will at least have somewhere to put their feet. Better yet, the rear bench’s sensible 40:20:40 split/folding format allows two adults to comfortably share their accommodation with skis or the occasional post-taxidermy ostrich.

Though the third row seats do offer space for feet under the row ahead, they’re designed with a height limit of 1.6 metres in mind, so only contortionists need apply. As usual, erecting the third row annihilates loadspace, which promptly shrinks from a respectable 585 litres to a volume appropriate only for a post-taxidermy stoat, making a roof-mounted luggage box pretty much compulsory for any journey involving an overnight stop.

Buying

What should I be paying?

The fourth-generation X-Trail goes on sale in the UK with a five-grade model range priced from £32,030 to £42,520. That, though, is the price range for the MHEV variant. The base grade, £32,030 Visia is available as an MHEV only. For all other grades, if you wish to upgrade to e-Power add £2,435, for e-4orce AWD add a further £2,200, and for seven seats an additional £1,000.

If 70 per cent of X-Trails truly are destined for a life of urban drudgery, then the added expense of e-4orce AWD – no matter how clever – seems unnecessary. Conversely, there seems little point in upgrading from a Qashqai unless you opt for seven seats. This adjusts the price range across four model grades to between £37,140 and £45,955, comfortably undercutting the cost of comparable PHEVs or full BEVs.

Nissan is cock-a-hoop to report a 13 per cent improvement in residual values over the previous generation X-Trail, the fourth-generation car now quoted at 57.6 per cent (three years/30,000 miles), bettering all its rivals.

The company quotes what is, these days, an admirably short lead time for car delivery of between one and six months, and a four-year PCP price of £473 pcm for an N-Connecta e-Power grade model.

Keyword: Nissan X-Trail review