2024 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:13
After years of lethargy, Nissan wants to step out of the shadows of X3, RAV4 and Santa Fe with the X-Trail. The centrally positioned dashboard also fell victim to the comprehensive model upgrade.
There were times when the SUV competition froze at the sound of the name X-Trail. But that was yesterday. The former bestseller was overtaken by mid-range SUV competition from Asia and Europe practically overnight. Thanks to the new Qashqai platform, it has been extended by 17 centimeters and is much more powerful, but it is now targeting the heaped areas again. With sweeping aprons, flared wheel arches and a widened D-pillar, it follows the current design trend for more visual muscle mass.
Two new diesel units
But not only the look of the Nissan has changed. The engine and drive were also refilled. The 2.5 liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 121 kW / 165 PS remains in the range and is supported by an entry-level version with 140 PS. However, the two newly developed diesel engines with 110 kW / 150 PS and 127 kW / 173 PS should be much more important on the German market. Euro4 and a particle filter are mandatory. A manual six-speed gearbox is standard in the diesel models; A six-speed automatic transmission is optionally available. With the gasoline engines, you can opt for a continuously variable CVT transmission.
Similar to the competition, the Asian all-wheel drive now also has amenities such as hill and descent assistance. The new X-Trail is based on the same C platform as the recently launched Nissan Qashqai. Both the front McPherson strut suspension and the rear multi-link axle are attached to subframes. The dimensions of the new X-Trail have increased significantly: the wheelbase has remained almost unchanged at 2.63 meters. At 4.63 meters, the total length is a remarkable 17 centimeters above the previous model.
No more experiments
"The X-Trail customers love the practicality, the powerful engines and the off-road properties of the series," says Carlos Tavares, Executive Vice President for Product Planning at Nissan Motor Europe. And further: “This is why Nissan has further developed the new X-Trail in an evolutionary way. The targeted improvements will appeal to both existing and new customers. " In addition to the exterior design and engines, there are also sensible improvements in the interior. Grained plastics in contrasting colors are used in the cockpit. In contrast to Citroen and Renault, who continue to rely on misplaced instruments in the middle of the dashboard, Nissan has taken the vehement criticism of its predecessor. The speedometer and rev counter are back where they belong - in the direct field of vision of the driver behind the wheel.
Premiere in summer
The relocation of the instrument panel gave the Nissan design team more freedom to use the center console. There you can see a large navigation display and an integrated six-disc CD changer. The trunk of the Nissan X-Trail is more receptive than ever. Its volume grew by 145 to 555 liters. This freed up space for a double-decked trunk with an extendable drawer, in which valuables are protected from prying eyes. The Nissan X-Trail is coming to Germany in the summer - the exact prices have not yet been determined.
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