Nissan X-Trail 2017 review

Engine and performance

• 2L petrol engine 2WD with 6-speed manual transmission: It’s hard to imagine this being a good choice. Available only with the ST, selecting these options knocks about $3,000 off the price but locks you into a weaker engine, 2WD drive and manual transmission.
• 2.5L petrol engine 2WD: The standard, well-regarded choice of petrol engine. This is the only engine type available with 7-seater variants.
• 2L turbo-diesel engine: The only diesel engine option

Nissan’s Xtronic CVT comes as standard with all versions, except the 2L petrol.

What’s a CVT – and do I really need to know what it is?

CVT stands for continuously variable transmission. You don’t really need to know what it is. You’ll be able to feel it in the test drive even without giving it a name.

Some reviewers found the X-Trail’s CVT to be oversensitive, resulting in a somewhat jerky and uneven drive. Others characterised it as responsive, offering the car a light and “peppy” feeling.

If you notice either of those on the test drive, that’s probably the CVT in action.

If an automatic transmission is the next step up from manual, then a CVT is the next step beyond that. It switches gears on the fly quicker than a non-CVT transmission.

It’s helpful because it offers improved fuel efficiency and a nimbler drive.

Some enthusiasts aren’t keen on it, just as some people simply prefer driving manual rather than automatic.

Expected fuel economy

Fuel consumption on the petrol engines is about on par with most other medium SUVs.

• 2L petrol – Rated at 8.2L/100km
• 2.5L petrol 2WD – Rated at 7.9 to 8.1L/100km, for the 5- and 7-seat versions.
• 2.5L petrol 4WD – Rated at 8.3L/100km
• 2L diesel – Rated at 6L and 6.1L/100km for the TS and the TL respectively

Fuel consumption and emissions are helped by a range of onboard systems, but there are two in particular you might notice, both of which are becoming relatively common across SUV models. You can turn either of them on or off at the press of a button:

• Eco mode. Found in all CVT models (everything except the ST 2L petrol), this mode lets you improve fuel efficiency, but at the cost of performance. The main difference is that it smooths out and slows your acceleration so you’ll get more efficiency, but less responsiveness from the accelerator.
• Idling stop. Found with the newer diesel variant only. With this mode on, your engine switches off after you’ve been stopped for about a second, and flicks back on in under half a second when you take off again. It only functions when the engine’s warmed up and you’ve been travelling at over 20km/h. It shouldn’t happen when you’re gradually moving through traffic or performing parking maneuvers.

Handling

Overall, reviewers found the X-Trail to be an especially lightweight and dynamic drive for its size, and some pointed out that the steering also seemed unusually light.

Combined with independent suspension that irons out all but the worst road bumps and an engine that delivers a constant stream of power (in the case of the 2.5L petrol at least), you’re looking at a very smooth ride and effortless drive, although the CVT might occasionally make itself felt.

As one reviewer noted, the car’s still willing to rev hard enough for “emphatic overtaking”, despite the light feeling. This is probably the case for all variants, except the manual 2L petrol 2WD.

The driving style might not be for everyone. Some reviewers found it a little too light, and thought it ended up on the wrong side of that fine line between peppy and finicky, with an oversensitive transmission.

When you take it for a test drive, it might also be worth paying attention to the cornering. Reviewers agree that it corners well, but the all-around zippy feeling of the drive might have you lurching around corners harder than you expect, until you get used to it.

On the higher-end Ti and TL models you’ll also find some features that can affect your driving experience. Most of these high-end-only features, such as auto-levelling headlights, will make for a better drive without you noticing them. Others might be more apparent.

Other features include Nissan’s “intelligent ride control,” which might manifest as a smoother experience on undulating surfaces, and “intelligent trace control”, an important and now relatively standard feature that allows selective braking of individual wheels for improved traction.

The X-Trail is rated for a 1,500kg (braked) towing capacity with the 2.5L petrol engine, and 1,650kg with the diesel. This is probably slightly lighter than most other medium SUVs.

Drivetrain options

The ST gives you the most freedom to choose a cheaper option, with 2WD and 2L manual 6-speed transmission, but all variants also let you go higher-end with 4x4 and the CVT. This can let you cut costs on unwanted features, while still getting the driveability you want.

Interior and other features

Safety and technology features

For the most part, by 2017 standards, you’re getting a pretty basic technology package with the ST and TS, while the Ti and TL offer a lot more. The ST-L tends to sit in the middle.

• Nissan Around-View Monitor. Four cameras give a 360 degree view of the car’s surroundings and create a composite digital image. This lets you fully check all around the car at a glance.
• Intelligent emergency braking. All models have this. The onboard computer can detect imminent collisions, sound an audible warning and hit the brakes faster than you could react. It’s mostly for multi-vehicle collisions, but the Ti and TL can also detect pedestrians. Ideally you won’t get to experience this technology.
• Rear cross-traffic alerts. While reversing, this warns of vehicles approaching from within 20m on either side of the car.
• Blind spot warning. Audio warning of vehicles in your blind spot, diagonally behind the car.
• Intelligent cruise control. Cruise control that automatically adjusts speeds to help keep pace with traffic conditions.
• Lane departure warning. Audio warning if you’re drifting from your lane.
• Intelligent lane intervention. Automatic adjustments if you’re drifting from your lane.

The interior

The interior design might be where the X-Trail comes to life as a Swiss Army knife for the whole family.

If you’re after a high-quality yet good value 7-seat people-mover, or want to carry a lot of cargo plus the driver and up to 4 passengers, then the X-Trail might be exactly what you’re looking for.

The standard is a 5-seat layout, while the ST and ST-L both offer a 7-seat configuration as well. The 7-seater variant is only available with the 2.5L petrol engine. Fortunately that’s probably the one you want, unless you have your heart set on diesel.

Being able to pack in 7 seats is probably one of the highlights of the range, and one of the reasons the X-Trail has sold as well as it has. This adds a third row of seating in the back, but at the cost of storage space.

The least expensive 7-seat option would be the 2WD ST, listed at $31,990. For many people, this makes it a very attractive combination of price, practicality and quality.

Your interior and storage space will naturally vary depending on the seating layout.

The 5-seater model offers up a spacious 565L of storage with the seats up, and a mid-standard 945L with the second row folded flat. With all three rows of seats up, the 7-seater leaves you with only 135L of storage, up to 825L with all three rows folded down.

Climb into the second row back seats and you might be struck by how nice and spacious it is, even if seated three across. The same can’t be said for the third row in the 7-seater model. This is definitely best reserved for kids. Having said that, there are no head-level rear airbags in the third row.

In a nice touch, the second row can also be shifted forwards or backwards for legroom, and it’s also a bit higher than the front seats for a good view. Taller passengers might be a bit low on headroom there though, especially if you’ve chosen to add a space-stealing sunroof to your Ti or TL.

Overall, as long as you have enough headroom, those second row back seats provide an all-around great ride for passengers, marred only very slightly by the lack of USB or power connections.

The X-Trail is well ventilated with rear seat air vents, although there’s no separate back seat climate control.

As you climb the price range, you start getting what you pay for in the interior. The touch-screen gets bigger, cheaper plastic starts giving way to leather and you get more variations in seat adjustment.

In all models, you might notice a handful of neat touches, like an easily-navigable touch-screen design, an oversized sun visor and broad, comfortable seats for long trips.

Other features might bother you, such as the easy-to-overlook parking brake that is operated with a left foot pedal, or not being able to access your phone through the car touch-screen.

There’s no price penalty for new 2017 X-Trail models, and some are cheaper than previous versions.

Overall, the X-Trail sits in a similar price range to other SUVs in its class, with certain variations having a bit of an advantage.

In particular, you might find good value for money compared to other diesel SUVs, other 7-seat SUVs, or vehicles that offer a similar range of electronics and features.

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