The Nissan X-trail is now open to orders. Being built on the CMF-C platform from which too is used for then Nissan Qashqai and where the Nissan X-Trail is available in both five and seven-seater versions. With prices starting from £32,030 with a £1,000 extra for the seven seats.
The all-new Nissan X-Trail comes with two options, one being a 163hp 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol available as two-wheel drive. The other option, tipped to be the most popular being e-Power full hybrid powertrain, which is available as either two-wheel drove or four-wheel drive.
The e-Power,
which is already present in the Qashqai, combines a 1.5-liter turbocharged
petrol engine with variable compression ratio with a high-output battery, power
generator, inverter, and a motor on the front axle to provide 204 horsepower.
The electric motor serves as the only source of power for the wheels, with the
petrol engine only being used to generate electricity, which is then either
sent via the inverter to the battery pack, the electric motor, or both,
depending on the driving situation. It costs an additional £2,435 compared to
the mild hybrid petrol. It also uses a range-extender setup.
Due to this set-up, where usually there is a delay with internal combustion engine or traditional hybrid, this is no longer the case where there is a more instant response to the accelerator and avoiding the ‘rev-up’ effect of traditional hybrids under hard acceleration, making it more refined and smoother.
For an additional £2,200, the e-Power system can be ordered with an e-4orce all-wheel drive system. This will also make its debut on the Ariya electric crossover in early 2023. It adds a 136-horsepower motor to the back axle, giving the vehicle a total of 213 horsepower and a 0-62 mph acceleration time of 7 seconds. Additionally, it is said to produce consistent torque redistribution and nearly flawless weight balancing while giving 10,000 times faster rear torque response than a mechanical 4WD system.
The X-Trail e-Power also features Nissan’s e-Pedal Step ‘one pedal’ driving set-up. Already seen on the Leaf, this allows drivers to accelerate and brake using only the accelerator, taking the repetitive strain out of stop-start urban driving, when activated.
The updated exterior design brings signature Nissan design elements such as the floating roof and V-motion grill, while the cabin is set to set “a new segment standard for elevated ambience, distinctive design and enhanced usability”.
Wider passenger door openings, a 60:40 split in the second row of seats, and a central hatch make it easier to access the back of the vehicle. Long objects, such as skis, can also be transported with ease thanks to the central hatch. One of the most spacious in the market, individual rear seats on seven-seater models of the vehicle are believed to sink into the floor and are built to fit people up to 160 cm in height. They also allow passengers to place their feet under the second row of seats.
Added safety comes from Nissan’s Intelligent Forward Emergency Braking with predictive function to check out for vehicles suddenly stopping in front and brake accordingly.
Deliveries of the new Nissan X-Trail will start in October.