Hiatus over for Nissan
ALL-NEW FOURTH-GENERATION SUV COMFORTABLE AND SPACIOUS Adequate oomph at the coast, but might be found slightly wanting in Gauteng.
Nissan has been somewhat in hibernation for the past few years in my opinion, and now with the rollout of the Qashqai in 2022, and the all-new 2023 X-Trail, they are awakening and getting ready to go on a bit of a new product offensive.
I couldn’t pry further details from the execs at the launch drive of the X-Trail, but either way, this can only be good news for the brand and their loyal customers.
Nissan’s X-Trail has been a staple in the brand’s SUV line-up for as long as I can remember. Now some 20-years later its fourth generation is here, and it has eyes on one target, and that is Toyota’s ever popular RAV4, according to the same execs.
But today is about my drive in the all-new X-Trail, where the Western Cape was again the host to our local media contingent.
Available in three variants for now, the Visia CVT, Acenta CVT and Acenta Plus CVT (a hybrid will arrive sometime in the future), externally the X-Trail offers that now-unmistakable Nissan signature-style V-Motion grill, accompanied by distinctive and imposing front air vents and LED headlights, plus that familiar overall box shape that promises interior space for the entire family. And when you jump inside, this is exactly what the X-Trail delivers on.
Add to this, the rear doors that open to 85 degrees for easy access to the occupant space of the X-Trail, five-seat and seven-seat offerings, model dependant, with 16 load configurations, USB ports front and rear, along with threezone air-conditioning, you know the X-Trail will be a comfortable place to be on the open road.
Mom and dad stay informed and connected to the important stuff, courtesy of three new displays, including a 12.3-inch intuitive touchscreen, 10.8-inch head-up display and 12.3-inch digital instrument
cluster.
Heading out onto the road you have 135kW of power and 244Nm of 2.5-litre naturally aspirated power running through a CVT gearbox to an on-demand allwheel drive system that is complimented by five selectable drive modes, including Normal, Sport, Eco, Off-Road and Snow Mode.
Is this enough oomph? For easy, unloaded, driving around the Western Cape it was enough, but back up in Gauteng, you can’t but help feeling you will be left wanting a bit more.
Fuel consumption is claimed to be 7.4-litres per 100km, but a more-realistic mid to high eight was what we were averaging on the launch drive. new king
I don’t think this is too bad for a medium-sized SUV, and it’s a number that puts it right in the ballpark with its main foe, the Toyota Rav4 2.5 VX.
It is perhaps worth noting that these number are nowhere near the 4.8-litres claimed Rav4 Hybrid, so you will have to wait for the ePower Hybrid if fuel consumption is the deciding factor in your X-Trail purchasing decision.
A solid package includes intelligent cruise control, predictive front collision warning, blind spot intervention, cross traffic alert and ProPilot.