The soft-roader thats no so soft
The X-Trail was designed in the days when Nissan still imported the mighty Patrol to the UK. And by the standards of todays small SUV class, it looks like a proper off-road truck. To some extent, it even drives like one.
All X-Trails have cruise, climate, alloys and much more besides, and you dont lose any safety kit by choosing the entry-level Acenta model. This has Bluetooth, a chilled glovebox and lights and wipers that know when to come on, too, as well as four-wheel drive as standard, so you neednt feel cheap if its all you can afford. At the top of the range, the Tekna costs a heady £3800 more; highlights of what you get for that include leather, sunroof, xenons, sat-nav, surround cameras and bigger alloys if you dont mind spending the extra money, youll certainly be able to justify it.
The single engine in the X-Trail range is an excellent 2.0-litre diesel, with strong torque and more than enough power to bowl you briskly along on your way. It comes with a manual box as standard; theres an auto option, but its limited only to the Tekna and adds another grand and a half to the price. It also takes 25% longer to accelerate from 0-62, thanks in part to the engine being de-tuned to suit the box, as well as using more fuel, putting out more CO2 and being in a higher tax band. Youd really, really need to be an auto far to go for it.
The X-Trail has an upright dash with chunky controls and a big steering wheel. It feels as if its trading on its truck-like image, and theres nothing wrong with that, but you could call it unsophisticated even with all the techno kit the top model gives you. Build quality is excellent, however but though theres a lot of space inside, the way its used now feels out of date, with rather cramped rear seats whose headrests need to be taken off for you to fold them down. The cargo bay is still very good, though, with a long, flat floor whose tough, waterproof surface has a handy drawer system beneath it.
Stick with the manual and the X-Trail pulls very well, giving you all the performance youll ever want from a family SUV. It feels heavy, though, with a lot of body movement on uneven roads that doesnt fully settle down even on the motorway. Wind and road noise are on the intrusive side here, too, and though the engine remains quiet, it also becomes rather unresponsive. Theres next to no body roll in corners, however, and plenty of steering feel, and though you can tell when the suspension is being worked by the surface, it never gets bouncy.
The X-Trail is one of those vehicles you tend to keep for a long time, and once youve experienced its truck-like honesty youre unlikely to feel at home with anything softer-edged. The current model is getting towards the end of its life cycle, though, so its running costs are on the high side for a junior SUV, but itll hold its value better than most and there are some extremely good discounts going around, especially if you want to be temped into the top-spec model.
