Nissan X-TRAIL 2.5 RANGE
Soft Roaders Dont Come Much Better Than Nissans X-Trail 2.5. Andy Enright Tries It For Size
Some people have issues with cars like the
Nissan X-Trail. They just dont understand them and question their relevance. Why bother with a 4x4 when they never travel off-road? Its a valid question and one that only prospective buyer can properly answer. Still, if you really can muster the necessary justification, and want to buy the best, your search should extend no further than the Nissan X-Trail 2.
5. Thats right. A Nissan.
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After all, Britains leading off-road magazine 4x4 voted the X-Trail the best soft roader two years running, beating off rivals such as the
Land Rover Freelander, the
Toyota RAV4 and the
Honda CRV. The 2.5-litre petrol model we feature here is supplied in three trim levels, Sport, SVE and plush T-spec. Priced from £19,645 for the 2WD version, it boasts an extra 25bhp over the next most powerful petrol engine, the 2.
0-litre, and represents the starting point for petrol X-Trail buyers who want all-wheel drive traction (this being the only engine in the line-up that cant be ordered with two-wheel drive). Recent improvements centre around the addition of extra equipment on the top of the range T-Spec model (improved satellite navigation, 17-inch alloys, privacy glass and Xenon headlamps). The Sport model gets the new 17-inch alloys while the SVE variant gets the privacy glass. Theres also a new colour (Baltic Blue) added to the palate.
The 2.5-litre engine has been available for some time in foreign markets, powering the Altima saloon in the States, and it produces some decent figures. The 165bhp output is fair enough, but the 230Nm of torque gives the pleasantly muscular feel of a good diesel. Refinement is better than any equivalent diesel you could imagine and fuel economy is far from crippling.
You only shave 1mpg from the 2.0-litre cars showing, the 2.5 returning a very creditable figure of 29.4mpg.
Performance is transformed over the lesser petrol unit, the manual version sprinting to 60mph in less than 10 seconds and emissions are rated at 230g/km.
"The fact that it borrows its 4x4 technology from the
Nissan Skyline supercar should silence most pub bores"
Just about the only trim option available for the SVE model most customers choose is a £1,500 satellite navigation system, which should give some indication as to the length of the standard equipment list. The highlights are leather seats, the front pair of which are heated, six-disc CD autochanger, electrically heated door mirrors which glide into a folded rest position on demand and stereo controls mounted on the leather trimmed steering wheel. Thats before you add such items as anti lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, electronic climate control that even cools or warms the twin cupholders, auxiliary power sockets and airbags that seem to be incorporated in every possible void. The electrically operated tilt and slide glass sunroof is unexpectedly enormous.
Whilst the 2.2dCi diesel version of the X-Trail is probably the better bet if you do intend to take your shiny Nissan mud-plugging, the 2.5 has the torque to cut it in the rough. Faced with a rather daunting off-road course, the omens for the Nissan didnt look particularly good.
Here was a car that had a sweet purr at idle, a drive system that defaulted to front-wheel drive and a decidedly smooth on-road ride. Surely any serious off-roading would soon show the X-Trail up for the poseur it was? As the front wheels began to slip when ascending a mild but slippery incline it looked as if the Nissan had been cruelly found out, but with just a slight slur of the rev counter drive was diverted to the back wheels and momentum was restored. The fact that it borrows this technology from the Nissan Skyline supercar should silence most pub bores. The front and rear departure angles arent the greatest, the exhaust tip catching when cresting sharp edges, but otherwise the X-Trail acquits itself well.
The torque allowed it to lug itself out of our deep mud bath, although we did have to lock the differential to divide the power 57:43 front/rear. Even if you should never use it, feel smug that the X-Trail has the capability up its sleeve, just in case. Impressive. The ALL MODE electronic 4x4 system is pretty easy to grasp.
Three modes are available at the push of a button, including front-wheel drive only for everyday tarmac use. Those looking for more grip will select the AUTO function for maximum security, the X-Trail then sending power to the rear wheels when the fronts begin to slip. Should you find yourself faced with something really tough to overcome, best to plug it into LOCK and hope for the best. Road manners are pretty near the top of the compact 4x4 tree, certainly far better than average, although probably not quite as composed as the
Ford Maverick but on a par with the Land Rover Freelander.
Roll is well suppressed and wind noise is also agreeably muted although the tyres will make an infernal din on poorly surfaced motorways. The recent spec changes build upon the improvements introduced during 2004 which saw 50mm shaved from the front of the car courtesy of a slimline new bumper. The front grille was also revised to give the nose a little more visual impact while round the back there were revised light clusters. Inside, there have been interior upgrades focusing on improving the look and feel of the cabin.
The X-Trails signature design feature has always been the centre mounted instruments and this design has now been tweaked to house additional climate control switches and, where necessary, Nissans Birdview satellite navigation system. The seats have been beefed up a little with added bolstering at the sides and under the thigh and the X-Trail now features upright can holders as opposed to the horizontal holders used in the original version. Theres something very reassuring about knowing youve bought the best in class. True, Land Rover or
Mitsubishi may have a genuine claim that their offerings are better when the going gets really tough, but for most of the people most of the time, the Nissans the best bet.
In 2.5-litre SVE guise, the X-Trail makes a good deal more sense than at first expected, offering a decent hike in performance and equipment without drastic effect on either fuel economy nor retail price. Its good enough to make the rest of the chasing pack look a little leaden. If you must have a soft roader, this is the one to have.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Nissan X-Trail 2.5 range
PRICES: £19,645-£23,245 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 11
CO2 EMISSIONS: 230g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 9.9s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 29.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver and Passenger airbag, ABS, EBD and Brake Assist
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 4510/1765/1750mm July 6th 2005
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