Nissan X-Trail Tekna Hybrid review

“You just can’t keep a good SUV
down. Like Arnie’s evergreen
Terminator, the X-Trail is back.
And fourth time around, Nissan’s
born-again Sports Utility Vehicle
means business...”

MOTORISTS ARE STILL understandably hesitant to buy all-electric cars due to both the inadequate public charging infrastructure and valid concerns about range. So let's hear it for Nissan for offering real-world drivers its reassuring petrol-electric hybrid option that efficiently merges the best of both petrol and electric technologies.

Unlike some, the X-Trail's combustion engine never directly drives the wheels. It's major appeal is that it's guaranteed to be anxiety-free: none of the unnerving range anxiety that handicaps every EV; no onerous recharging times (or the frustrating queues at public charging stations); and no worries about finding a working charging station before you run out of juice on longer journeys. Instead, hybrids offer two major upsides: a five-minute forecourt refuelling time and an uninterrupted 460-mile range on which you can totally rely whatever the weather conditions while still enjoying all the electric niceties such as the climate control, heated seats and heated steering wheel.

Doubling down on that, this latest X-Trail comes in at under Ł40K. Which makes it affordable for more of the many and not just the few. Go the X-Trail route and your hard-earned money gets you a spacious, comfortable, and exceedingly pleasant to drive Sports Ute, as our down-under cousins like to call them.

“This latest classy
looking X-Trail scores
with its appealing SUV
styling and its eye-
catching glasshouse.
And, true to say, its kerb
appeal is on par with
more expensive, prestige
badged all-roaders.
Measuring 4,680mm
long, 1840mm wide and
standing 1,725mm tall,
on paper it sounds big.
Yet on the move the
X-Trail feels compact
and is easily
manoeuvrable,
surprisingly so in town
and city traffic...”

Whatever you prefer to call yours, this latest classy looking X-Trail scores with its appealing SUV styling, further enhanced by its eye-catching glasshouse treatment. And, true to say, its kerb appeal is on par with more expensive, prestige badged all-roaders. Measuring 4,680mm long, 1840mm wide and standing 1,725mm tall, on paper it sounds big. Yet on the move the X-Trail feels compact and is easily manoeuvrable, surprisingly so in town and city traffic.

Remarkably, this one-size bodyshell accommodates both five- and seven-seat internal configurations. Opt for the seven-seater and you'll gain a pair of individual seats in the third row that, when not in use, fold away out of sight into the boot floor. Actually, they're fine for adults on an occasional basis although are perfect for kids dy-in-day-out and make light work of the dreaded school run.

Swing open the large driver's door and slide behind the wheel. You'll find yourself seated commandingly in an impressively roomy cabin packed with kit. Switchgear and controls are sensibly sited while the digital displays are as pin sharp as they are easy on the eye. More importantly, they're intuitive to use. Complementing the large landscape format touchscreen are separate heater controls.

Standard equipment on the Tekna model we're been driving takes in a central 12.3-inch NissanConnect screen along with a 12.3-inch TFT Combimeter, brilliant 10.8-inch head up display, NissanConnect navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, premium Bose sound system with 10 speakers (2 tweeters, 6 high and medium frequency door speakers, 2 in the Subwoofer Premium Bose Acoustimass Bass Box digital amplifier) and an M/FM audio system with DAB Bluetooth. There's also an emergency and breakdown call facility plus remote control services including a car locator.

The cabin is appealing and makes you feel truly at home. Keeping you and our passengers at the perfect temperature is automatic tri-zone climate control (with pollen filter) plus there's fresh air and sunshine whenever you want it thanks to a large glass electric sunroof with sunshade. Also provided is a holder for your sunglasses, wireless phone charging, active sound control, electric parking brake with auto-hold, Type-A and Type-C USB connections (the rear cabin gets the same but charging only ports) along with in-dash 12V power sockets. Nor has Nissan forgotten to include generous storage including two big cupholders in the centre console, decent door pockets and a deep bin beneath the twin-lidded centre armrest between the front seats.

Something else you'll appreciate the instant you climb aboard is the first-rate physical comfort; not just in the best two seats up front, but in the three in the second row too. Upholstered in synthetic leather that matches the dash and door panels, the front seats are heated; the electrically adjustable driver's seat comes with memory functions as well as powered thigh and lumbar support. The front passenger is equally spoiled, with power seat adjustment and memory functions as well as power adjustable thigh support. The driver also benefits from a heated, smooth-leather-rimmed multifunctional steering wheel.

And the heated seats don't stop there. Those travelling on the comfy bench-style rear seating — wide enough to take three adults side-by-side while keeping it all very sociable — also enjoy three-stage heated outer seats. In addition to having plenty of head and leg room for six-footers, both rear backrests individually recline. The flip-down central rear armrest features a pair of built-in cupholders. Courtesy of wide opening doors, access to the rear passenger compartment is straightforward, making it a straightforward task to fit and remove child seats (and their occupants!).

“South of the five-seater
cabin is a family-friendly
boot with a hands-free
powered tailgate and
a two-level boot floor.
Boot space is a practical
575 litres — enough to
park a brace of buggies
or transport your monthly
supermarket shop.
The rear seats also slide
fore/aft — handy when
you need to squeeze
a little more into the
boot while still carrying
passengers...”

South of the five-seater cabin is a family-friendly boot with a hands-free powered tailgate and a two-level boot floor. Boot space is a practical 575 litres — enough to park a brace of buggies or transport your monthly supermarket shop. The rear seats also slide fore/aft — handy when you need to squeeze a little more into the boot while still carrying passengers.

If you're travelling alone or with just one other, folding the 60:40-split rear seat backrests opens up a useful loadbay. The seats fold flat so there's no irritating step-up in the middle of the cargo floor and no tail-end lip so heavy items can be slid straight in or out. Roof rails offer additional external carrying capacity and towing's not a problem, be it for a trailer, boat or caravan — the X-Trail will happily haul a braked 1,800kg. And you can rely on Trailer Sway Assist to ensure it all stays tidy!

We've just spent a week behind the wheel of the Tekna e-POWER 204 e-4ORCE model. In layman's terms that translates to power fed to all four wheels by one of the Japanese brand's e-Power petrol-electric powertrains. Specifically, Nissan's turboed three-pot 1,498cc engine outputting 211bhp backed up by 387lb ft of torque. The X-Trail uses its petrol-drinking internal combustion engine to charge the 1.97kWh lithium-ion battery that keeps the two electric motors spinning.

Power is split 243lb ft to the front and 144lb ft to the rear. The result is a satisfyingly sharp sprint from standstill to 62mph in a speedy seven seconds. Top speed is reined in at 111mph — easily more than enough to hold your own on UK motorways and safely overtake. More important than the speed figures is the X-Trail's economy. Officially, the combined figure is 43.5mpg; over the course of a week's driving in mixed weather and traffic conditions our average came out at a very liveable, and surprisingly good for a large weighty SUV, 41.8mpg. A 12-gallon/55-litre tank holds enough fuel for a safe 430-mile range between refills — so NO range anxiety.

A strong showing of driver assists and safety aids are fitted to keep the X-Trail shipshape on all roads and in all weather conditions. These include essentials such as intelligent collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist recognition and Junction Assist, traffic-sign recognition with speed-limit adjustment, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure prevention, Vehicle Dynamic Control, Around View Monitor (360-degree colour cameras), intelligent cruise control, traffic jam pilot, ProPILOT Assist with Navi-Link, Hill Start Assist, front and rear parking sensors and ProPILOT Park. Plus there's a full set of airbags and lighting is all LED, from the adaptive headlights to the daytime running lights, taillights, and front and rear fog lights.

Driving the X-Trail is easy-peasy. Press the start button, engage Drive and you're on your way. The electric torque ensures a smooth, progressive response to your right foot. Hard-charging drivers will be pleasantly surprised just how zippy this X-Trail is on the blacktop, particularly in the most-used mid-range. There's also a useful 'B' (Braking mode) on the selector lever. This intensifies the degree of regen braking and while recovering energy for the battery, it adds more control when descending steep downhill sections as well as when you're threading through twisty country lanes.

“Should you need to
drive off-road you’ll be
pleased with the
X-Trail’s competence
away from the beaten
track — it’s certainly
capable enough to keep
the ordinary driver out
of trouble once they leave
the blacktop in their
rearview mirror...”

The Sport mode is well-modulated and feels the most natural even if you're just pootling about. There's also an Eco setting although after sampling Sport you'll likely leave it in that every trip. We should mention that, as you'd expect with an electric system, there's also an e-Pedal. Engaged, this gives you max regen braking, slowing the X-Trail to a crawl whenever you fully lift off the accelerator. Many town and city drivers love these one-pedal-driving setups, and the Nissan's works well.

Should you need to drive off-road you'll be pleased with the X-Trail's competence away from the beaten track — it's certainly capable enough to keep the ordinary driver out of trouble once they leave the blacktop in their rearview mirror.

The X-Trail makes use of an all-independent suspension composed of MacPherson struts at the front and a rear multi-link system. The compliant suspension serves up a supple ride that's better than most of its rivals — even rolling on 19-inch diamond cut alloy wheels shod with 235/55 rubber. Softly sprung it may be, but body roll, notably through corners, is well managed. And the steering is fine; point the X-Trail's nose at a set of twisty bends and it handles predictably. Naturally, the four-wheel drive helps a lot too. All-in-all, a very well-mannered family SUV/Crossover.

The brakes are decisive and fell nicely progressive, with braking taken care of by powerful discs (at both ends) and ably boosted by their regenerative setup. What this all adds up to is an enjoyable and stress-free driving experience whether you're fighting your way through rush-hour traffic, meandering lazily from A to B, or crunching motorway miles as you and the family head across the Channel for your summer vacation.

This uber-agreeable new X-Trail hybrid is satisfyingly practical and oh-so-easy to live with. No wonder drivers prefer these petrol-electric self-charging drivetrains to fully-electric cars with all their associated range and recharging complications. We truly enjoyed driving and living with this new X-Trail and were very sorry indeed to see it go. ~ MotorBar

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