At a quick glance, the Nissan X-Trail is easy to mistake for yet another Qashqai, but look closer and you’ll find that the new X-Trail is a lot larger and also, we reckon, a little bit better looking too.
Not too long ago, the X-Trail was a rugged and slightly stodgy-looking 4x4 in the same vein as the old Mitsubishi Shogun, but in recent years it's undergone a metamorphosis into a more comfortable and car-like large crossover.
It’s still just as practical as ever, with more cabin space than almost any rival, seven seats and a massive 1,982-litre load space in the rear. In keeping with the smaller Qashqai, it also comes outfitted with a full range of comfortable mod-cons, accessories and safety kit.
One of the downsides to the X-Trail range, however, was a slightly limited choice of engines, so in order to address that problem and help it appeal to a wider range of buyers, Nissan has now added the option of a new petrol motor.
The same 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine as is available in the Qashqai, it’s been introduced to the X-Trail to broaden the range as a cheaper entry-level point for buyers who really fancy the practicality with a slightly lower price.
From a cost perspective, it’s certainly attractive. Prices start from £21,995 for the entry-level Visia trim with the petrol engine, and from £28,445 for the range-topping Tekna we tested, meaning that it’s roughly around £1,500 cheaper than its diesel counterparts.
On paper, it looks decent with a 161bhp output and 214Nm of torque, so what’s it like when put to the test on a road? To find out, we went with Nissan up a couple of twisty mountain roads in the French Alps to see how the petrol newcomer handles itself.
To its credit, it is remarkably refined and much quieter than the diesel options on the road. Particularly when cruising at motorway speeds, it’s virtually noiseless in sixth gear, further reinforcing the X-Trail’s transformation into a more comfortable family car.
It comes at a cost, though, and the main problem with this engine is that it’s been transplanted directly from the smaller Qashqai. While it performs fine in that car, the larger X-Trail obviously carries more weight and as a result performance takes a serious knock.
While 161bhp might sound like a fair output, the 1.6-litre petrol carries a torque rating of a maximum 214Nm, and it struggles to pick up speed as a result, particularly in the higher gears. If you’re in need of a nippy overtake on the motorway you might find yourself struggling to make it past, with acceleration almost troublingly sluggish even after dropping it down a gear.
Granted, it is a bit faster in a straight line than the diesel models, reaching 62mph from a standstill in 9.7 seconds, whereas the diesels each take between 10 and 11 seconds each. Each diesel engine has 320Nm of torque compared to the petrol’s 214Nm though, and so feel a lot more usable and lot more eager to pick up quickly once up to speed.
Able to achieve 44.1mpg on the combined cycle, economy is decent but still less than its diesel counterparts, while it has slightly higher CO2 emissions as well, with 145g/km. There’s also no four-wheel drive on the petrol, while the diesel engines come with it as an option.
In spite of that, though, to us the X-Trail still felt better on the road than the smaller Qashqai with the same engine. There’s a little understeer in tight corners thanks to the bigger body and larger weight, but overall it feels more stable and composed than the Qashqai, with a supple suspension that irons out potholes and bumps nicely.
In keeping with Nissan’s attempt to make it more appealing to families, it also comes incredibly well equipped. Our range-topping Tekna test model gets a full leather interior and features like a touchscreen infotainment system with integrated sat-nav, an intelligent park assist function and electrically-adjustable heated seats.
It also comes with Nissan’s full suite of Safety Shield technology, which includes a swathe of neat features like the marque’s Around View Monitor, which offers a 360-degree bird’s eye view of the car, handy to navigate narrow mountain roads and cramped carparks alike.
The sheer amount of space inside is incredible as well, with miles of leg and headroom for both first and second row occupants, while the massive boot will make light work of carrying any and all types of cargo and luggage.
That said, despite having seven seats, the rearmost third row of seating is pretty cramped and realistically suited only for children, and even then only on short journeys. It’s probably best simply to use them as emergency backup seating or as extra storage space for day-to-day use.
Overall, the Nissan X-Trail is a remarkably spacious and comfortable large family crossover, with some X impressive features and options. It’s a shame that the new 1.6-litre petrol engine option isn’t quite as impressive on the road as it looks on paper, but it is attractively priced and refined.
If you’re a city driver who spends most of their time in urban areas, then the petrol engine might be for you, but realistically if you’re doing longer distances we’d recommend forking out that little bit extra for one of the diesel options.