Ten Second Review

Pretend SUV Crossover models are all very well, but they're often not much use if you want more than a modicum of all-wheel drive ability and there's a need to do things like towing. For such times, you'll probably be better off with a proper compact 4x4 that can deliver on the road and off it and in the search for such a thing, the revised Nissan X-TRAIL isn't a bad place to start.

Background

When the second generation X-TRAIL was launched in 2007, it was marketed as a car for families who didn't need a 4x4 but rather liked the image. Back then, Nissan didn't have a range of lifestyle 'Crossover' models - the little Juke, the spacious Qashqai and the larger plush Murano. These certainly weren't SUVs or 4x4s - instead more like family cars in automotive hiking gear. By comparison, they suddenly made this X-TRAIL look a very serious mud-plugger indeed. As a result, as the years went on, all of a sudden it became an SUV again - at least in the minds of Nissan's marketers - now positioned alongside the utilitarian Pathfinder in the seriously capable section of the Japanese brand's range. Now when you consulted the PR people, there was heady talk of its clever All-Mode 4x4-i intelligent four-wheel-drive system, its hill descent control for jungle slopes and even references to way that its individually braked wheels could act out the role of axle diffs. This you see, was apparently now a 'serious tool'. You couldn't blame customers for being a little confused, so in late 2010, Nissan decided on a fresh start, substantially revising the car with the styling tweaks, interior upgrades and the cleaner, more efficient diesel engine it would need to properly make its way in SUV land against rivals like Land Rover's Freelander, Toyota's RAV4, Honda's CR-V and Volkswagen's Tiguan. And this is the car we're looking at here.

Driving Experience

None of the changes that have created this facelifted second generation model have been targeted at improving its handling, so as before, the balance it offers is aimed more at comfort than dynamic response - almost certainly what potential family buyers are going to want. So the steering is light, the ride over poor surfaces well controlled and refinement very well contained. To put it another way, a RAV4 or a CR-V might feel sportier to drive but this Nissan is a better bet for bumpy urban use or over longer trips. And it's over these kinds of journeys that you appreciate the very flexible nature of this 173PS 2.0 dCi diesel engine, pulling happily as it does away from idle and really getting into its stride from about 1,500rpm for easy and relaxed overtaking, rest to sixty occupying 10s on the way to a top speed of 124mph. Opt for the 150PS version mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox and the figures fall to 12.5s and 118mph. This 173PS powerplant offers a potent 360Nm of torque, which is why this car is rated to tow a trailer up to 2,200kgs. As for the drive layout, well there are no 2WD models these days, pretend SUV motoring having been left to Qashqai customers. So every facelifted MK2 X-TRAIL gets Nissan's All-Mode 4x4-i intelligent four-wheel-drive set-up that reduces understeer and gives some real capability in the rough. A rotary knob lets you choose either fuel-saving front-wheel drive, automatic four-wheel drive (with a variable torque split between the front and rear axles) and a mode with the centre differential fully locked to help you crawl out of the mire. Though a relatively low ride height will ultimately prevent you from taking on anything too arduous, Hill descent control, a hill holder clutch function to help you up steep slopes, ESP stability control and individually braked wheels acting out the role of axle diffs all mean that few of the adventures you can take on with this car will be beyond you.

Design and Build

Though visual changes have been made to the facelifted version of this car, you have to be a bit of an enthusiast to spot them, the bold setsquare lines remaining much as before - classic 4x4. Which of course is entirely intentional. A sleeker, curvier shape would have suggested this model to be some kind of Qashqai-like Crossover - and Nissan already has more than enough of those. For the record, the most recent improvements amount to a redesigned front grille, flanked by smarter headlamps and flowing down into a revised bumper assembly, the bottom part of which is angled outwards to try and visually widen the car. The profile of the car is slightly more purposeful too, thanks to larger wheels, while at the back, you'll find a set of revised LED tail lamps. Inside, the interior, previously a bit plasticky and dour, has been upgraded with better materials and stitching which the plushest models get a touchscreen sat nav infotainment system borrowed from luxury Infiniti models. The instrument cluster is clearer than before and a revised central trip computer between the two main dials provides handy information on fuel economy, outside temperature, cruising range and average speed. It's a practical cabin too. As before, build quality is generally impressive and everything has a reassuringly solid feel. It's easy to find a comfortable driving position too, thanks to a height-adjustable seat and height and reach adjustability for the wheel. As for the lot of rear seat occupants, well though only half of this revised X-TRAIL's 10mm of extra body length has made it into the wheelbase, the designers have still increased rear passenger room by 10mm thanks to a re-shaping of the front seatbacks. It's a welcome improvement but it doesn't really change what's on offer. As usual with this class of car, two adults will be comfortable: three people far less so. As for luggage space, well there's a sizable boot, measuring 603-litres and including two easy-to-access underfloor storage areas if you raise the durable wipe-clean floor. Pushing forward the 40/20/40 split rear seat to increase the space on offer is a little fiddly due to the need to flip its base up and remove the head restraints first, but once you do, luggage capacity increases to 1773-litres.

Market and Model

X-TRAIL prices sit firmly in the £25,000 to £30,000 bracket, with the lower-powered 150PS automatic version only available at the top of that spectrum in the plushest trim. All of which means that this car slots into Nissan's range just above the Qashqai Crossover model and just below the larger, more ponderous 7-seater Pathfinder model. At first glance, a £25-£30K asking figure might make this car look a little more expensive than its obvious rivals, but that's only because Nissan doesn't bother with the lower-powered engines and bargain basement trim levels that brands with wider ranges provide. Comparable this vehicle with similarly specified and equivalently powerful competitors and you'll actually find that it's priced very tightly - almost identically in fact to the 2.0 TDI 170PS version of Volkswagen's Tiguan you'd need to compete. A comparable mid-spec 4WD Land Rover Freelander TD4 or Toyota RAV would cost you about the same too, even though both of these, like the slightly cheaper Honda CR-V, offer you 15 per cent less power Whether you choose your 2.0 dCi diesel XTRAIL in 173PS manual form or as a 150PS automatic, it'll come with 4WD, no longer a given in this class. It'll also come with a very decent level of spec. So expect to find alloy wheels, full body coloured bumpers, privacy glass, electric windows and mirrors, a drive computer, climate controlled air-conditioning, Bluetooth phone integration, plus auto headlamps and wipers, cruise control and a decent quality MP3-compatible CD/radio with 4 speakers and steering wheel controls. Plusher versions that add leather, powered and heated seats, xenon headlamps, power folding door mirrors, a panoramic glass sunroof, a 'Connect Premium' HDD satnav with music server and USB port, a rear parking camera, xenon headlights and a 9-speaker BOSE sound system..

Cost of Ownership

Now Euro 5 compliant, the X-TRAIL's 2.0 dCi diesel shows a huge 30g/km improvement in CO2 emissions to a much more competitive 168g/km - 15 per cent better than before. The change moves this car down two VED tax bands - from J to H - almost halving buyers' liabilities and taking the company car BIK percentage liability down from 32 to 26%. Bear in mind though that going for the automatic model will still see you with a CO2 return of 188g/km - and tax band J. There are also significant improvements to fuel consumption, this 173PS model's combined cycle 44.1mpg figure meaning that you'll travel around 6 miles further on every gallon that you would have in the pre-facelift version of this car. The auto version's figure is 39.8mpg. A gearchange indicator on the drive computer screen attempts to help owners get somewhere near to those figures on a day-to-day basis. Maintenance costs shouldn't be prohibitive and you'll be able to keep on top of this side of things via displays on the same computer that flag up reminders on tyre wear, low oil and servicing. Residuals won't be quite as high as you'd find with some rivals, but you should be able to balance that against the more competitive purchase price you'll get up front. Insurance is group 32 for the lower-powered auto and 35 for this 173PS manual model.

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