There's good news for Nissan fans as the Japanese brand has bolstered its local SUV range by adding an all-new X-Trail to this mix, which joins the latest Qashqai. We headed to the Cape to drive the newcomer.
After nearly a decade, Nissan has finally released the new, fourth-generation X-Trail into the local market. The mid-size SUV joins its smaller Qashqai sibling alongside products such as the Magnite and Navara, which means that Nissan has its most modern local product offering in a very long time! We headed to Cape Town to drive the latest X-Trail to see if it has what it takes to compete in a highly saturated market. If you find yourself in the market for a new SUV but need to sell your car first, AutoTrader can get you an Instant Offer on your car!
Design and interior
The exterior of the latest X-Trail is certainly a modernisation of the decidedly dated exterior of its predecessor, while the new Nissan corporate design language will either be a hit or a miss, depending on who you ask. In this writer’s opinion, the X-Trail looks better from the rear than front the front, but is overall a relatively attractive SUV, all things considered. Heading inside is where we were most impressed, with a vast improvement in the material and build quality and an increased emphasis on digitisation.
Grade walk
The X-Trail range is made up of three models, namely the Visia, the Acenta and the Acenta Plus. The entry-level model comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, 6 airbags, air conditioning, a multifunction steering wheel, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, front and rear USB ports, keyless entry/start, electrically adjustable and foldable side mirrors, cloth-covered seats, seating for five occupants as well as LED headlights along with rear PDC and a reverse camera.
Moving up to the Acenta model, the same features are on offer but with added items such as 8-inch wheels, 8 airbags, lane keep assist, blind spot monitor, rear privacy glass, an autodim rearview mirror, artificial leather seats, an electrically adjustable and heated driver’s seat, LED fog lights along with additional front PDC and a surround-view camera. The flagship Acenta Plus gets seating for seven, a four-wheel drive system, 19-inch alloy wheels, a head-up display, a larger infotainment screen, a digitised instrument cluster as well as automatic wipers/lights.
Powertrain
The X-Trail range makes use of a familiar 2.5-litre naturally aspirated engine that the brand says has been overhauled, while a CVT remains the sole transmission option which sends power to either the front wheels in the Visia and Acenta or all four wheels in the Acenta Plus models. Power is rated at 135kW and torque at 244Nm while kerb weights vary between 1 540kg and 1 666kg, with fuel consumption claimed at 7.4 L/100km for front-wheel drive variants and 7.8L/100km for the four-wheel drive model. When queried about the powertrain option, Nissan stated that its turbo petrol engines would soon be discontinued, making the 2.5-litre engine along with electrified powertrains the only viable long-term option for the X-Trail range.
Driving X-Trail
We had an opportunity to drive the latest model across a variety of conditions in the fair Cape. Our key takeaways include the improved refinement, respectable ride quality and general ease of use, making the X-Trail a very agreeable product in most driving situations. The powertrain performs acceptably in many situations, but a familiar CVT drone and relatively high fuel consumption are still realities of X-Trail ownership. We managed a figure of 9.4 L/100km in the Acenta Plus model, which is higher than claimed, while the combination of the naturally aspirated engine and CVT feels dated in 2023. One bugbear that we encountered several times was the lack of an electric tailgate, especially when one considers the heft of the boot in the X-Trail. We envision many an owner struggling to close the boot during day-to-day operations.
Pricing
X-Trail Visia CVT R649 900
X-Trail Acenta CVT R709 900
X-Trail Acenta Plus CVT R759 900
All models come with a 3-year/90 000km service plan and a 6-year/150 000km warranty.
Verdict
The latest X-Trail has many admirable qualities relating to its interior quality, refinement, practicality and packaging, however, its pricing, powertrain and key specification omissions such as the aforementioned electric tailgate paired with the fact that it competes in such a challenging segment mean that it starts its life in the local market on the back foot.
Keyword: We drive the latest Nissan X-Trail!