Nissan has been around for over 15 years and in this period, the Japanese manufacturer has tried its luck with nearly every segment. The Micra did hatchback duties quite well; its booted sibling, the capacious Sunny wasn’t too bad, either; the Terrano helped Nissan taste success in the compact SUV segment; whereas the Teana brought along V6 power for smooth transitions from one boardroom to the other. There was the 370Z for all the sporty driving, the GT-R for shaming many a supercar, and the good old Evalia for carrying the whole family together. This didn’t end there, either: Nissan India also got the Kicks; followed by the Magnite, which is the sole model in Nissan’s current line-up; and the X-Trail, a premium SUV which was a very capable car off the road. Now, Nissan has decided to bring that back, in an all-new form, of course, and we think that it’s a reason to celebrate.
More sophistication
The X-Trail returns in what is its fourth-generation version globally. The price is yet to be announced, but you’ll notice that it isn’t quite the body-on-frame car as before. It carries more sophistication in its monocoque design, there’s no diesel engine anymore, and in the spec — it will come to India as a completely built-up unit (CBU) — it is going to be bereft of an all-wheel-drive system, too. It sits on 20-inch wheels, which somehow don’t look obscenely large and suited the black test car. Colour choices are going to be limited, too, but with Black, Pearl White and Champagne Silver, Nissan might’ve covered the entire spectrum of shades popular among SUV buyers. Its overall inoffensive design is rounded off by a relatively generic rear, but on the whole, the X-Trail continues to look good, if not as butch as before. The Patrol-esque styling is likely to win hearts, that’s for sure.
On the inside, the X-Trail presents a mix of leatherette and fabric. The dashboard gets soft-touch leatherette material on it, the doors a mix of both, and the seats are all-fabric. This isn’t common for a car in this segment, but if you think about it, fabric seats are more practical — if a bit dated in appearance. In terms of comfort, I didn’t find a reason to complain during the time I spent behind the wheel. The ergonomics are pretty spot-on, the view of the road is supreme and with the steering adjustable for both rake and reach, finding an optimal driving position isn’t difficult at all.
The second row is a full bench instead of captain seats. There’s a fair bit of space but the transmission tunnel does intrude and thus eats up some leg space for the middle occupant. The third row of seats isn’t likely to see frequent use, as the ingress is a bit challenging and the space is limited at the back. When that’s folded down, the boot space is impressive, and there’s a neat parcel tray to store some items away from prying eyes even when the last row is up. The cabin feels nice on the whole and only the taller passengers might find the space to be a constraint.
Silent on the move
In terms of features, the X-Trail doesn’t quite look loaded to the brim in this spec. While the 20-inch wheels are pretty unheard of in the segment, the absence of electrically adjustable and ventilated seats is an omission you won’t take too long to spot. The touchscreen audio system also seems strictly okay, and it does begin to sound a bit cheap when the volume is cranked up. The 360-degree camera works without any fault, although the blind-spot monitors on the outside mirrors weren’t active. The climate control worked like a charm, making things very cold in just a few seconds, even at its medium setting. What customers will appreciate is that, on the inside, the X-Trail is nearly silent on the move — very little noise from the engine and tyres usually permeates into the cabin.
A 1.5-litre turbo-charged petrol engine drives the X-Trail’s front wheels. It’s equipped with mild-hybrid tech and gets a CVT gearbox. There are three drive modes, namely Eco, Standard, and Sport. The latter definitely makes the SUV more eager but also a touch noisier. The gearbox can hold the revs for longer — useful when making progress quickly — while if you’re looking for manual control, the X-Trail comes with paddle shifters, too. In the time we spent with the car, it was clear that with two persons and some luggage, even in the Standard mode, the X-Trail had more than enough performance.
The suspension set-up is such that on the one hand, it tackles urban speed breakers effortlessly while on the other, it maintains the car’s composure at high speeds. Having said that, despite a more car-like chassis, the X-Trail is still an SUV, so there’s some body roll if you try to corner hard. On the bright side, even within the city, manoeuvring it isn’t a pain. Parking it in tight spots isn’t a problem, either. The only slight grouse that I have is with the gear selector, which for some reason doesn’t engage into neutral easily.
We expect the fully imported X-Trail to carry a ₹40 lakh-plus price tag, ex-showroom, which will put it right against cars like the Skoda Kodiaq. The introduction of the premium SUV will not just widen Nissan India’s model line, it’ll also give buyers in the segment a product that seems well-rounded for the most part, is fairly uncomplicated to drive and works impressively as a package. Of course, Nissan has missed out on some features, all-wheel drive and even a spare wheel. None of which will make potential buyers turn right away from the X-Trail but at the same time, their inclusion can possibly help Nissan exploit the X-Trail’s true potential more successfully.