On the right Trail for adventure

THE Nissan X-Trail has historically been a bit of a rugged, adventurefocused cousin to its more everyday, road-going Qashqai cousin – and in the wake of the new Qashqai, we have a brand-new X-Trail too.

Arriving with a bold new look and completely hybrid setup – as well as all-important seven-seater versatility – this fourth-generation X-Trail looks to pick up where its very successful predecessor left off.

What’s new?

Underpinning the new X-Trail is a CMF-D platform, created by the wider Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Alliance.

This lightweight platform promises improved refinement and ride comfort over the previous X-Trail, which should, in theory, make it even easier to live with day-to-day.

Elsewhere, we’ve got some of Nissan’s latest in-car technology, as well as an upgraded version of its ProPilot assistance technology designed to make the X-Trail as safe – and simple to drive – as possible.

What’s under the bonnet?

The X-Trail we’re driving has been equipped with Nissan’s latest e-Power set-up, which we’ve already seen in the Qashqai.

It uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine – which effectively works as a generator – to power an electric motor on the front wheels.

The X-Trail is available with a new e-4orce set-up, which adds a second electric motor to the rear axle, giving it fourwheel-drive.

That engine is never used to directly power the wheels. It’s designed to give a more EV-like feel to the driving experience, while a 0-60mph time of seven seconds means it’s more than punchy enough.

How does it look?

The X-Trail has been given a chunkier, more off-road-ready look compared with many of the cars in the segment. There’s plastic wheel arch cladding, for instance, while the gap between arch and tyre has been increased for the X-Trail to help it with a more upright stance.

The front end has been given a squared-off look, too, not by blunting off the ‘nose’, but by giving it upright air intakes that give the impression of a more angular appearance. At the back, there’s a similar blocky appearance, while the boot switch location – which isn’t in the traditional spot above the number plate – is a hark back to earlier X-Trail models.

What’s it like inside?

Prices for the new X-Trail start from a smidge over £32,000 – bringing around a £5,000 premium over an equivalent Qashqai – but you really can’t fault the quality at this price point.

The main dashboard is quite different to the Qashqai’s, but it’s the robust fit and finish which really shines through. There’s also good space for those in the middle row, while that final row can definitely

only be seen as ‘occasional’ (adults aren’t really going to be awfully comfy back there). With that rearmost row folded flat, you’ve got 575 litres of boot space which isn’t too bad.

The new X-Trail arrives with a bold new look and clever hybrid system. Jack Evans finds out what it’s like.

What’s the spec like?

All X-Trail models get plenty of equipment as standard, with entry-level Visia grade cars coming with 18-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control and a suite of safety systems as standard.

You’ll have to step up to Acenta Premium – priced from £33,705 – to be able to specify this e-Power hybrid set-up, as well as the e-4orce all-wheel-drive.

The N-Connecta trim seems like the sweet spot.

Priced from £36,530, it gets Nissan’s latest in-car tech with a 12.3-inch central display paired with a digital dashboard of the same size.

The verdict

In a market awash with options, the X-Trail does well to stand out.

It’s just got a little more character than its Qashqai stablemate – borne through its added practicality and versatility.

The new e-Power set-up works well in its application here too – as does the new e-4orce set-up – though we’d argue that many drivers might naturally lean towards the two-wheel-drive version unless added capability is what you’re after.

It feels like a very credible family car and a welcome addition to the segment.