The fourth-generation Nissan X-Trail is going on sale in South Africa in early 2023 with a choice of one petrol and one hybrid powertrain, confirmed Nissan South Africa.
The SUV will also be offered with five and seven-seater cabin layouts, as well as with a raft of new technologies and assistance features that weren’t available before.
Hybrid propulsion
Headlining the new X-Trail engine line-up is the all-new e-Power drivetrain. This range-extending hybrid system turns the wheels with electric power alone while using a 1.5-litre petrol engine to keep the battery for the electric motor charged up.
The configuration has a few inherent benefits, mainly the absence of lag when pressing down on the accelerator.
“The instant response delivers exhilarating high torque feel and agile acceleration to make overtaking or merging onto a highway easier and more confidence-inspiring,” said Nissan.
It further ensures the engine is running only at the speed it needs to and nothing more, reducing the “rev-up” effect of traditional hybrids while also lending a quieter drive than the outgoing X-Trail generation.
Additionally, the electric motors allow for one-pedal driving as they are now able to bring the SUV down to a “creeping speed” making bumper-to-bumper traffic and low-speed manoeuvres easier to handle, said the manufacturer.
At its maximum, the e-Power system generates 157kW and sends 330Nm to the front axle while another 195Nm is sent to the rear axle, pushing the X-Trail to 100km/h in 7.0 seconds at an average consumption rate of 6.3-6.4l/100km.
In front-wheel-drive guise, it generates 150kW and 330Nm and completes the same sprint in a slightly slower 8.0 seconds while reporting a fuel usage of 5.8-5.9l/100km.
If a hybrid is not your cup of tea, the new Nissan can also be had with a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol motor with 12V mild-hybrid technologies putting out a combined 120kW and 300Nm.
In this specification, the SUV clears triple digits in 9.6 seconds while averaging 7.1-7.2l/100km, and it also boasts the highest top speed of any new X-Trail on the market at 200km/h, compared to the e-Power’s maximum of 180km/h.
Also new for the next-generation Nissan is the option of electrically-controlled e-4ORCE all-wheel drive.
This system provides a “10,000 times faster rear torque response” than mechanical all-wheel drive and continuously directs torque to the wheels that need it most to ensure optimal grip in every condition, said Nissan.
In addition, e-4ORCE is capable of applying independent brake control at all four corners to maximimse the cornering force generated by each individual wheel.
Upgraded specs
The new X-Trail’s cabin has been treated to a variety of next-generation technologies, more premium materials, and finer attention to detail giving it a more upmarket ambience than before.
Planted on the dash is a large 12.3-inch infotainment system bringing smartphone integration, voice control, 3D maps with live traffic, NissanConnect compatibility, and “Home-to-Car skills.”
NissanConnect allows the owner to perform several functions remotely from their smartphone including activating the horn and lights, locking and unlocking the doors, and setting smart alerts for speed, time, and zone parameters.
Similarly, “Home-to-Car skills” is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa thereby offering a wide range of voice commands, including the ability to send destinations to the car’s navigation by talking to your phone.
Depending on the model, the X-Trail will also come with a 12.3-inch configurable instrument cluster, a 10.8-inch heads-up display, a 15W wireless charger, a hands-free tailgate, adaptive Matrix LED headlights, and the ProPilot with NaviLink driver assistance package.
ProPilot takes pressure off the driver by offering adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go that can bring the Nissan to a complete stop on a single-lane road and also get it back to cruising speeds with no manual intervention.
Additionally, the system can read and react to speed-limit signage, monitor blind spots, as well as apply brakes if it senses a moving object in its path and the driver is not reacting.
In the spirit of practicality, the seven-seater variants also get sliding second-row seats while the rear-most bench has been designed to now accommodate passengers up to 160cm in length.
Though if the five-seater is chosen, the X-Trail now boasts a 20-litre-larger boot than before at 585 litres, with two movable “luggage boards” offering a total of 16 configurations for the cargo hold.
Nissan X-Trail
Keyword: When you can buy the new Nissan X-Trail in South Africa