The return of the Nissan X-Trail to the brand’s India fleet, marks, in many ways, a return to form for a brand whose stature as a maker of premium, robust SUVs has been somewhat diminished by its reliance on the humble Magnite. Now, with renewed vigour, the brand intends to launch five new SUVs across the D,C and A-segments. Kicking things off is what Nissan calls its customer-led CBU business relaunch initiative, and the first order of business is the launch of the X-Trail.
Once at the vanguard of a new age of premium, reliable and ultra-modern SUVs in India, the X-Trail, slowly, er, trailed off course, and disappeared into the night be. Arriving a decade later, the new X-Trail isn’t the most impressive SUV on paper. For something directly competing with the likes of the Skoda Kodiaq and the Hyundai Tucson, it falls short of one cylinder and, unlike the former, it does not feature all-wheel drive. Yet, according to Nissan, who have brought-in their flagship SUV via the CBU route, the economic engine capacity does not in any way diminish its performance. It even has the numbers to back that claim. The 1.5-litre, 3-cyl, turbo-petrol on the new, fourth-generation X-Trail makes a healthy 161 bhp and 300 Nm of torque. Keeping in mind that its CBU status will command a high price tag, the question is, is it worth the premium, it’ll likely command?
In profile
The X-Trail looks the part alright. It’s big and bold, has an accentuated shoulder line and even sports a “floating roofline” that appears to be a design mandate for all brands, but isn’t quite the optical illusion they think it is. The roof that’s clearly attached to all A,B and C pillars drops steeply to reveal a large SUV measuring over 4.6 meters in length, complete with a third-row of seats and an adjustable middle row. But more on that later. There are few of Nissan’s current design trademarks including the trapezoidal grille and massive 20-inch wheels. It’s also quite proportionate and traditional in its SUV-stance, not going for the radical approach adopted by the Magnite or, heaven forbid, the Kicks.
The Engine…
Has been the subject of much discussion and speculation, so understandably there was plenty of anticipation preceding the day before the official media drive. Nissan claims that despite its relatively smaller capacity, the X-Trail’s engine can give most four-pot, 2.0-litre turbo petrols a run for its money. A tall claim given that three-cylinder engines are noticeably less smooth and far more prone to vibrations. But Nissan insists that its wide turbocharger is paired with a variable compression ratio system which essentially optimizes the air-fuel mixture for more power and less turbo lag. This revolutionary, patented tech is what Nissan says, will underlie all its India-bound vehicles between FY24 and FY26. It’s also why the X-Trail is one of the top-five highest selling SUVs in the world, in 2023. That’s high praise, so let’s see if there’s any truth behind it shall we?
It works. All of it. The X-Trail’s acceleration is smooth and linear following a brief second of turbo and transmission lag. Nothing too pronounced because this SUV takes very little time in overtaking other vehicles. It’s also palpably smooth, with no vibrations although mashing the accelerator will produce a bit of a groan. From there it’s smooth sailing. The CVT is quick and decisive, mimicking the mannerisms of a regular torque converter rather effectively. This is a truly impressive engine. Even with spirited highway and city driving, the large, 3-row SUV returned 10.5 kpl. Keep the throttle pressed and the X-Trail picks-up speed like a standard 2.0-litre turbo-petrol. You absolutely do not miss the additional displacement levels, it’s so smooth and reactive. Props to Nissan’s engineering team, this engine is every bit as good as they claim it is.
The kit
Alas, for a market that prioritizes an extensive features list over all-else, the X-Trail’s relatively austere cabin can prove to be its Achilles heel. Yes, it has all the core essentials – seven airbags, parking sensors, hill start assist, a panoramic sunroof but gosh it’s sparsely equipped. To begin with it doesn’t get the option of leatherette or leather seats, let alone ventilated ones. You get cloth seats, with matching cloth door panels, immediately lowering the luxury quotient. Even the Tata Safari gets ventilated seats, not only up-front but also for the middle row, which gets captain seats. Then there’s the centrally-mounted touchscreen which seems at least a decade old. The interface is far from quick to load, there’s no native SatNav view, and, to make matters worse, it doesn’t even get wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto like the international model does, nor does it get a proper hi-res display for the instrument gauge. It doesn’t even get powered front seats! Even the driver has to manually adjust both the steering rake and distance along with the front seat. That said, the seats aren’t lacking in comfort. The mid-row can be adjusted and reclined. Even the third row gets a reclining function, but it’s best designed to seat an amorphous, gelatinous mass rather than a fully-limbed human being.
Verdict
No doubt, the X-Trail gets the fundamentals right. It’s got a terrific engine, which is also efficient, It’s got a quiet, fabulously-insulated cabin, plush suspension and decent utility. But the absence of 4x4 and various other features found in much cheaper SUVs, puts the X-Trail on the back foot, especially since its on-road price is expected to be nearing Rs 50 lakh. If Nissan wants to stand on solid ground in this segment, it had better bring out the most contemporary features it has to offer globally and nothing less.
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