Tightening legislation is erasing the differences between cheaper and more expensive cars. The key word is powertrain. In people’s cars, it used to be a source of significant noise, and such a Nissan X-Trail could only rumble a hundred and six with a diesel a few years ago. With the hybrid drive, it is almost miraculously quiet, and the power of the electric motor is a joy to dose. Even the price is reasonable, the only thing to think about is consumption on the highway.
Nissan is one of the pioneers of smaller SUVs. When the trend for tall passenger cars emerged twenty years ago, it was quick to come up with a solution for every size. Alongside the miniature Juke and the compact Qashqai, it was the X-Trail that won over European customers looking for a bit of adventure with reasonable service costs.
Last year, it introduced the fourth generation. Compared to the previous one, it is not bigger or more spacious, but focused on efficiency. With a length of 4.7 meters and a wheelbase of 2.7 meters, it corresponds to the Škoda Kodiaq, but in everything else it follows a different path.
Starting with a bold and expressive exterior design that embraces the latest trends and isn’t afraid to stand out. It is not pleasing at first glance, but it can confidently arrange fashionable elements such as split headlights into an original form.
At the same time, the dynamically undulating surfaces successfully disguise the fact that the body pontoon is higher and the greenhouse, on the other hand, lower than in the past. It follows from the basic architecture. The floor and seats are located higher due to the battery of the hybrid, and in the future also the plug-in hybrid drive.
The user will recognize this when getting in, when it is necessary to rise higher than in the past, without the pillars and the roof being higher. But it makes up for the spectacular impression of the cabin, which in our case was even improved by the upholstery in a light color. Even a Volvo or a Lexus wouldn’t be ashamed of the combination of cream leather and gray wood.
The wide and reasonably stiff seats and the clear menu of the communication system leave an equally good impression. The vehicle settings remained atypically on the display in front of the steering wheel, but the tablet in the middle of the dashboard can manage the display area better.
The rear part of the cabin is narrower than some European competitors, offering a comfortable ride for four adults. The optional third row of seats is very modest, usable really only on shorter journeys with smaller children.
There is a long, wide, but rather shallow space of 575 liters left for luggage. The space under the floor is largely occupied by the twelve-volt battery accessories.
The smooth and muscular reactions of the hybrid drive dominate the driving experience. All movement is provided by the electric motor, while the gasoline three-cylinder only spins the generator. The result is an electric car-like throttle response. Strong, immediate, perfectly quiet and, considering the size of the car, really impressive.
The connection of the internal combustion engine can only be heard when the radio is switched off. The supercharged 15-liter has an unconventional arrangement with three cylinders and a variable compression ratio, which is reflected in an unusually grunting sound. However, it penetrates the cabin only slightly and does not disturb the atmosphere in any way.
As with all hybrids, the benefit of electric power transmission is most noticeable in the city or at speeds up to 100 km/h. As the pace increases, the vigor decreases and the indicated 213 horses seem to have run away somewhere.
Nissan was the first to omit the clutch and permanent transmission from the internal combustion engine to the wheels. Everything is provided by electric motors on both axles, which run out of the optimal range on the highway and lose their breath. The X-Trail manages a steady pace, but it lacks the foresight for overtaking from one hundred and twenty.
It’s the same with fuel consumption. In the city, it surprises with values of around 5.5 liters, in suburban driving it fits in seven. But on the highway at 120 km/h it rises to nine, at 130 km/h over ten liters.
Nissan X-Trail e-Power Hybrid AWD
Engine: petrol 3-cylinder, 1497 cm3
Power: 116 kW at 1600 rpm
Torque: 250 Nm
Electric motor at the front: 150 kW, 330 Nm
Rear electric motor: 100 kW, 195 Nm
Top speed: 180 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 7.0 s
Combined consumption: 6.7 l/100 km
Volume of the luggage compartment: 575 l
Price: from 1,029,900 CZK
It is only here that the slightly divided nature of the X-Trail becomes apparent. The quiet drive combined with the elegantly designed cabin raises the feeling of driving above the level of the middle class, to the point where it could be described as luxurious. However, the trimmed dynamics and consumption on the highway bring us back to earth, as well as the restless response of the chassis on shorter bumps.
But the mentioned disadvantages are offset by the price. The X-Trail is currently only offered as a hybrid, with front-wheel drive from 1,029,900 crowns. The e-Powerline equipment includes dual-zone air conditioning, a parking camera and front and rear sensors, navigation or LED headlights.
SUVs of European brands with a simpler gasoline drive, less economical and noisier are sold for similar prices.
