Nissan X-Trail Review (2022-present)
Nissan X-Trail cars for sale
4.0
Expert review
Pros
Hugely practical
Lots of safety equipment
Comfortable on long journeys
Cons
e-Power model is not as economical as you might hope
No plug-in hybrid option
Some rivals offer more space in the third-row seats
The CarGurus verdict
We really like the Nissan X-Trail. It’s a quiet, comfortable and confident drive, teamed with a very well equipped and roomy interior that benefits from the always-popular option of a seven-seat layout. Safety standards, in particular, are also hard to fault.
We’re not totally convinced by the real-world – or even official – economy of the X-Trail e-Power hybrid system but it is at least very similar, if not a touch better, than you’ll achieve with conventional, non-electrified petrol alternatives. You’re also getting usefully better performance and refinement, so there are clear benefits, but even so, we’d say that a pure-electric X-Trail would be an even better option if Nissan were to make it available sooner rather than later.
Even without a plug-in option, the Nissan X-Trail is a fine and functional seven-seat family crossover that offers exactly what a lot of family buyers are looking for.
What is the Nissan X-Trail?
The Nissan X-Trail started life in 2000 as a rugged and utilitarian 4x4 that won many fans for its no-nonsense ability (including being a great tow car). The same attributes applied to the second-generation X-Trail, which landed in 2007. However, with the arrival of the third-generation car in 2013, Nissan sought to replace ruggedness with refinement, and the X-Trail became the brand’s large, seven-seat family SUV offering. That’s the same formula Nissan has applied to this all-new version, which majors on interior versatility with both five- and seven-seat variants on offer, both of which have plenty of comforts and huge amounts of standard safety tech including blind-spot assist and adaptive cruise control.
Powertrains include a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol mild hybrid that gets 161bhp, but Nissan expects its e-Power hybrid model to be the more popular choice in the UK. This is an interesting and rather unusual powertrain that was first seen in the Nissan Qashqai. It features a 2.1kWh lithium-ion battery, which powers a 201bhp electric motor on the front axle to deliver front-wheel drive - but the battery is charged entirely by a 1.5-litre petrol engine. There is no drive directly from the petrol engine to the wheels in the X-Trail e-Power; it is always powered by the electric motor, and you can’t plug the X-Trail e-Power in. You can also have this same e-Power engine with four-wheel drive, which includes a second, 134bhp electric motor on the rear axle for a total combined power output of 210bhp. The e-4orce four-wheel drive is even good enough for some moderate off-roading, and includes a hill descent feature.
Prices put the X-Trail in contention with five-seat alternatives like the Toyota Rav4, Mazda CX-5 and Nissan’s own Qashqai, as well as seven-seat SUVs like the Peugeot 5008, Seat Tarraco and Skoda Kodiaq. It also elbows firmly into the price territory of slightly bigger and pricier seven-seat SUVs such as the Hyundai Santa Fe.
How practical is it?
The Nissan X-Trail gets a very roomy 575 litres of boot space in its five-seat mode (585 litres in the version that doesn’t have seven seats), which is a really good-sized load space even by the standards of this class, and the low load lip and flush boot floor make it easy to lug a double buggy in, too. Pull up the third row of seats and there’s space for the tonneau cover to sit in the remaining strip of luggage space, with a few soft bags as well. The five-seat X-Trail also benefits from a ‘Flexible Luggage Board’ system, which offers a variety of underfloor and boot sectioning functions so that you can hide your valuables and/or keep your groceries secure on the trip home from the shops.
Getting into the third row of seats requires a bit of dexterity – more so than in the Hyundai Santa Fe, for instance, but roughly on a par with the Peugeot 5008. An average-sized adult will be OK back there for short journeys provided those in the middle row are willing to have the seats slid forwards – again, roughly on a par with the Peugeot 5008 or Skoda Kodiaq, but usefully better for third-row passenger space than in the Land Rover Discovery Sport.
More realistically, it’ll be the kids in the back and the grandparents in the middle seats, when the X-Trail’s third row is just great for occasional flexibility, and will offer the sort of seating versatility that makes light work of family motoring.
In five-seat mode there’s masses of legroom and headroom in the X-Trail, plus the seat backs can be reclined in a 60/40 split, or in a more versatile 40/20/40 layout from Tekna trim and up.
There are two Isofix fittings in the middle row, but none in the occasional seats in the seven-seat model, nor in the front passenger seat. If you do need more than two pairs of Isofix fittings, consider the Peugeot 5008 or Citroen C5 Aircross, which have three individual seats in the middle row, each with a pair of Isofix fittings for ultimate child seat practicality. Mind you, if you only need to fit one or two car seats, one benefit that the Nissan X-Trail has is its wide-opening rear doors, which hinge to 85-degrees, offering fantastic access to the middle row of seats.
Up front there’s plenty of space even for a tall driver to get comfortable, with ample head- and legroom whether you’ve got the panoramic glass roof or not. There’s also lots of cubbies, including a hidden area to put your wallet or keys beneath the visible centre console area, as well as a large central storage area, glovebox, and door pockets that will take a sizeable drinks bottle.
Perceived quality is a big step up in the new Nissan X-Trail, with contrast stitched leather on top-spec models, and durable but tactile finishes around other key areas. There are nicely damped, straightforward rotary air-con controls, which are a refreshing change from the in-screen controls that are now common on many alternatives.
What's it like to drive?
The X-Trail is very calm and comfortable to drive, which is exactly what you want from a family car like this. The hybrid X-Trail e-Power can feel a bit unusual to start with, especially if you’ve never driven an electric vehicle. That's because the X-Trail e-Power does have characteristics of a pure electric car thanks to its novel hybrid system. The electric motors that are driving the wheels mean that there’s no gearbox; it’s just direct drive, resulting in plenty of torque and a constant stream of acceleration as you build up to 62mph in some 7.0sec in the four-wheel-drive model (8.0sec in the front-wheel-drive e-Power).
It’s fast enough for quite pokey mid-range bursts of speed or fast merges onto motorways, but if you do ask for heavy acceleration there is a definite background groan from the petrol engine that’s forcing energy into the battery pack in order to feed the electric motor. It’s not a pleasant noise, really, but it is quite muted – certainly more hushed than the hybrid and CVT gearbox combination in the Toyota RAV4. The rest of the time the X-Trial e-Power is impressively quiet, and you barely notice the petrol engine doing its thing.
You can also force the X-Trail into pure electric mode via the ‘EV’ button, which is great for around town but you will only get some 1-2 miles absolute maximum before the petrol engine has to kick in to keep you going. The benefit of the X-Trail e-Power being driven by electric motors is that you also get regenerative braking. By default this feels no different to everyday engine braking from a petrol or diesel engine, but you can hit the ‘e-Pedal’ mode for very heavy brake recuperation, just as you can in the Nissan Leaf and Nissan Ariya electric cars.
Ride comfort is very good, even on the 20-inch alloys that were fitted to our test car. The X-Trail gets fidgety over scruffy urban roads, but even then the bump absorption over speed bumps is very good, and the X-Trail generally remains comfy and composed even over poor surfaces. The steering is light and easy to predict, so while the X-Trail will wash wide if you go into a corner aggressively, you get a good sense of how much grip there is. By the standards of big, efficiency-focussed family SUVs, the X-Trail has decent performance and is one of the more comfortable and refined options in the class.
Technology, equipment & infotainment
The infotainment system in the X-Trail is fit for purpose but not the best in class. The graphics lag behind what you get in the Kia Sportage or Hyundai Tucson, and it isn’t always obvious where to find certain system settings such as turning off voice control on the nav guidance. However, the main features are easy to find, there’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and also Amazon Alexa voice control to further help you find what you’re after in the system. Between that, a clear and easy-to-read digital driver’s readout, and a standard head-up display on higher spec models, it’s hard to quibble with the tech features on board the Nissan X-Trail.
The Nissan X-Trail is one of the best in class for safety equipment, and comes with autonomous forward emergency braking that can sense pedestrians and cyclists as well as other cars. Blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise control are standard even on entry-level Visia models. However, most buyers will go for the higher-spec trim levels such as Acenta Premium, which adds keyless entry, a reversing camera and the option of the e-Power hybrid powertrain, while N-Connecta goes one step further with a bigger 12.3-inch touchscreen and digital driver’s readout. Tekna is a really generously-equipped trim that includes 19-inch alloy wheels, sunroof, head-up display, climate control and retractable sunshades in the back, and even a semi-autonomous drive mode and park-assist program. Tekna+ is the ultimate luxury option, with quilted leather seats, 20-inch alloys and a 10-speaker Bose sound system.
The X-Trail received a minor update midway through 2024, which saw the entry-level Visia trim axed (it didn't sell very well), and a new mid-range N-Trek trim level introduced. This is mainly a style-focused offering, with glossy black finishes for the roof rails and mirror caps, plus slightly revised front- and rear bumper treatments with darkened elements. The other trim levels also received slightly enhanced equipment levels.
Nissan X-Trail running costs
The Nissan X-Trail is very competitively priced against its key rivals, but it does start to get pricey in higher spec e-Power models, especially by the time you’ve added optional seven-seats (£1,000) and the e-4orce four-wheel drive (more than £2,000). The range tops out with the Tekna+ e-Power e-4orce at over £48,000 (at which point you could have a plug-in hybrid Hyundai Santa Fe that also has four-wheel drive), but we’d point to the still very well equipped N-Connecta or Tekna trims for great value and all the kit you’ll likely want or need.
Residuals are very good on the Nissan X-Trail, which also means that monthly costs are set to be competitive. Fuel costs should be acceptable, with the standard e-Power managing a WLTP combined mpg of up to 48.6mpg, while adding the four-wheel drive e-Force brings that down to between 43- and 44.7 mpg depending on trim. The 1.5 MHEV mild hybrid – which has an automatic transmission as standard - manages up to 39.9mpg. In our test drive of the four-wheel-drive X Trail e-Power, we managed between 36- and 42mpg in real-world driving, depending on the terrain and driving style.
If there are any reservations over the costs of the X-Trail, it’s whether the e-Power engine will really deliver the fuel economy gains that you’d expect of a hybrid as advanced as this. Ultimately, even the official economy isn’t much better than that of the straightforward petrol automatic 1.2 petrol Peugeot 5008, while a diesel Skoda Kodiaq and the hybrid Toyota Rav4 manage closer to 50mpg in WLTP tests. The plug-in hybrid Hyundai Santa Fe certainly offers potentially much lower fuel costs and definitely lower Benefit in Kind company car costs.
Even so, provided you enjoy the way the X-Trail drives, and are confident that its hybrid powertrain and low-to-mid 40ish mpg will work for you, it still stacks up well on the cost front.
Nissan X-Trail reliability
The latest Nissan X-Trail is too new to have been subject to owner surveys or specific reliability. However, Nissan came a poor 28th out of the 31 manufacturers included in the Brand class of the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, which is disappointing.
A three-year, 60,000-mile warranty is standard, which is also what you’ll get on a Peugeot 5008 or Skoda Kodiaq, but the Kia Sportage, Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Santa Fe all offer usefully longer warranties.
- If you thought the X-Trail’s various driver aids were impressive, that’s not where the company has stopped; it’s also introduced a new central airbag in the front of the car. In addition to the driver and passenger airbags, and the side- and curtain airbags, this central airbag attempts to prevent front occupants from coming into contact during a collision. By any measure – even compared to the high standards set by Hyundai, Kia or even premium brands such as Volvo – the Nissan X-Trail really does have impressive levels of safety equipment.
- Don’t be confused by the descriptions of the Nissan X-Trail’s 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol engine. A mild hybrid is, in essence, a normal combustion engine with a clever alternator that delivers an additional electric boost in order to improve fuel efficiency. You drive it and live with it just as you would a normal petrol car. Just as you do, in fact, the hybrid X-Trail e-Power, which – as we’ve described – doesn’t offer the option of being able to charge from mains electricity, which may or may not be a benefit depending on how you want to use your car. It is worth noting that there is no plug-in hybrid X-Trail on the cards, and no pure-electric X-Trail either for the foreseeable (although the latter is fairly likely to arrive in a few years). For now, if you want a plug-in Nissan, you must look to the Nissan Leaf or Nissan Ariya.
- The Nissan X-Trail is a very similar size to rivals like the Peugeot 5008 and Skoda Kodiaq, none of which offer hybrid powertrains like the Nissan X-Trail’s in their seven-seat guises, which is why Nissan describes the X-Trail as the only electrified option in its class. The Hyundai Santa Fe is well within the price range of the high-spec X-Trail e-Power models, though, and is available as a full hybrid and plug-in hybrid even with seven seat layouts.
- If you want the best value: The Acenta Premium 1.5 mild hybrid promises to balance equipment levels and ownership costs quite nicely. The e-Power engine is well worth considering if you value the lower CO2 emissions, and it’ll be more economical than the mild hybrid as well, but possibly not by as much as you might hope as we only saw around 42mpg from the e-Power e-4orce X-Trail even in quite sedate use, while economy dipped to more like 35mpg on rural roads.
- If you want the best family car: The Nissan X-Trail Tekna with seven seats is a great family car, with its glass roof, more flexible middle row of seats, rear climate controls and sun shades: it really does promise to keep everyone happy. Again, do consider the e-Power as the refinement is great but don’t expect hugely impressive economy as even the official figures only pegs it at roughly 45mpg depending on the equipment and wheel size on the car.
- If you want the best company car: Go for the N-Connecta e-Power hybrid, since the lower emissions will bring lower company car tax bills, and the better economy will keep your boss happy, too. N-Connecta is a very happy medium for equipment as it’s usefully cheaper than Tekna but still gets the full 12.3-inch touchscreen and lots of other comforts and luxuries.
- If you want the best long-distance car: The Tekna e-Power hybrid will be ideal as it’s a super-refined and comfortable motorway cruiser, while the electrically adjustable seats with lumbar adjustment, head-up display and glass roof make for a bright and comfortable interior.
- If you want to tow: The e-Power e-4orce is the powertrain to go for as it gets an 1,800kg braked towing capacity so will tow a small horsebox or lightweight caravan.
