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2024 Nissan X-Trail Review

Nissan X-Trail Pros

• Handsome-looking SUV with a perfect blend of conventional & modern styling
• 1.5L turbo-petrol with variable compression is refined and offers decent performance
• Smooth CVT combined with a light steering makes the X-Trail a good urban car
• 585 litres of boot space (3rd row folded) is accomodating enough for family holiday luggage
• 3rd-row of seats gives it an advantage over 5-seater competitors
• Features such as the panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, paddle shifters, drive modes, fully digital instrument cluster, etc.
• 5-star Euro NCAP & ANCAP rating. Safety features such as 7 airbags, ESP and brake limited slip differential among others
• 210 mm of ground clearance is great for tackling bad roads

Nissan X-Trail Cons

• Missing features in what’s pitted as a premium SUV – lacks leatherette seats, ADAS, a spare wheel, powered and ventilated seats, ambient lighting, connected car tech, hands-free tailgate, rear sunblinds, wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, etc.
• 20-inch alloy wheels and shorter tyre sidewalls make the ride firm. Should’ve had smaller wheels as an option
• Since this is a direct import / CBU, the X-Trail will be expensive. Not many people would be willing to pay big money for a Nissan
• Single variant and single powertrain on offer. No turbo-diesel, no AWD
• Cramped 3rd row has very limited usability & is best for kids. This is more of a 5+2 seater SUV than a 7-seater
• Not as engaging to drive as the Kodiaq or Tiguan
• Nissan's tiny dealership network & poor after-sales service

This review has been jointly compiled with Chetan_Rao. Thanks to him for the expert observations!

Introduction

If the name ‘X-Trail’ rings some bells, that’s because Nissan launched the first and second generation X-Trail in India in 2005 and 2009 respectively. Now, after a long time, Nissan is launching the fourth generation X-Trail in India which was globally introduced in 2021. Notably, the facelift of the fourth-generation car was recently launched in the USA, but that’s not what we are getting. We’re getting the pre-facelift version in India as a direct import (CBU). It will be available with a single powertrain, in a single variant with a 7-seater configuration. Internationally, there is a 5-seater version available as well as multiple powertrain options, including a series hybrid. We’re getting the 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder KR series turbo-petrol engine with variable compression powering the front wheels. It is mated to Nissan’s 3rd-gen X-TRONIC CVT automatic. There’s also a 12V mild hybrid system that focuses on improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. The powertrain produces 161 BHP and 300 Nm.

Nissan entered the Indian market back in 2005 with the X-Trail and will be completing 2 decades next year. Somewhere along the way, things didn’t work for the company and in 2024, the company is surviving on a single car - the Magnite. At this point, Nissan has a new strategy and the relaunch of CBUs (starting with the X-Trail) is the first step. The next steps are improving domestic sales by introducing some new cars and then focusing on exports. On paper, the strategy sounds good, but will it work? Only time will tell. For now, let’s focus on the X-Trail which we got to drive in Delhi.

2024 Nissan X-Trail Price & Brochure

Bookings for the 2024 Nissan X-Trail will open on the 26th of July and the car will be launched next month. The SUV will be available in a single variant and 3 colour options – Pearl White, Diamond Black and Champagne Silver.

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Exterior

Design & Styling

While the first two generations of the X-Trail had a traditional boxy SUV design language, the third generation took the crossover-like path. In the fourth generation that you see here, the general design language is somewhat of a combination of both traditional SUV elements and crossover styling. While you have the upright stance of a conventional SUV, you also have some sharp body creases like a crossover. You get the Nissan ‘V-Motion’ grille up front with sharp lighting elements. Viewed from the side, you can see that the roof remains flat and doesn’t slope downward towards the rear. The rear is very much plain and simple with edgy taillamps.

Notable features on the outside include LED DRLs, LED headlamps, LED tail-lamps and 20-inch alloy wheels. The Nissan X-Trail measures 4,680 mm in length, 1,840 mm in width and 1,725 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 2,705 mm. The X-Trail is roughly the same size as a Skoda Kodiaq, Jeep Meridian or Hyundai Tucson. All in all though, IMO, the X-Trail is a good-looking SUV. The design elements aren’t too loud, nor are they too plain and boring. It’s quite pleasing to look at and isn’t likely to offend anyone by its design and styling.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

The fourth generation X-Trail is built on the Renault-Nissan CMF-CD platform that also underpins the Nissan Qashqai and the Mitsubishi Outlander. The car feels solidly put together. The doors, tailgate and bonnet have a good deal of heft. The panel gaps are consistent and the overall fit and finish are quite satisfactory. Comparatively, however, the Skoda Kodiaq feels better.

Wheels & Tyres

As mentioned earlier, the Nissan X-Trail will be available in a single variant. It will be equipped with 20-inch alloy wheels shod with 255/45 section tyres. There is no spare wheel on offer and you will have to depend on the puncture repair kit provided in the boot. Nissan really should’ve offered a spare wheel or at least a space saver, especially in India. The recommended tyre pressure is 33 PSI at the front and 30 PSI at the rear.

Ground Clearance

The Nissan X-Trail has an unladen ground clearance of 210 mm which is healthy for Indian road conditions.

Standard & Extended Warranty

Nissan will offer a 3-year / 1,00,000 km standard warranty with the X-Trail. Currently, Nissan is offering 3 years extended warranty on the Magnite. We hope that a similar coverage is offered on the X-Trail as well. More details will be revealed after the official launch. We strongly recommend you take the maximum coverage available. This is a brand-new car with complicated mechanicals. If something goes wrong, it’ll be best if you’re fully covered for a replacement.

Maintenance

The service interval of the Nissan X-Trail is 6 months / 10,000 km.

Safety

The fourth-generation X-Trail has scored a 5-star safety rating in ANCAP as well as Euro NCAP tests. Note that both the tests were conducted in 2021. You get 7 airbags and interestingly, the 7th airbag isn’t a knee airbag. Instead, it is placed on the left side of the driver seat. The car is equipped with traction control, rain-sensing wipers, vehicle dynamics control (VDC), ABS, EBD, hill-start assist, 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, emergency stop signal and brake limited slip differential. However, the Indian version doesn’t get the advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) that is available on the international version.

Interior

Cabin Design & Quality

Just like the outside, the interiors of the Nissan X-Trail are quite pleasing. The design is very neutral and will be liked by most people. In some ways, the cabin design feels a bit old school with all the physical buttons and minimum use of a piano black. You get soft plastics on the top portion of the dashboard and the door pads. Leather and fabric inserts have been used as well to add a bit of variety. The overall quality of materials is good and feels like it will last long. The buttons have a nice tactile feel and the fit and finish are also satisfactory.

Space & Comfort

As we have seen in this segment of cars, getting in and out is quite easy. It’s also one of the reasons why people prefer buying these SUVs. You can walk up to the X-Trail and just slide into the seats. The cabin is wide and you get that big car feel on the inside.

Something that you don’t see in cars in this segment, especially in the top-end variants, is fabric seats. The Nissan X-Trail’s fabric seats although comfortable (and some people prefer these), don’t look or feel premium. Moreover, because of the driver-side airbag, you cannot even add a seat cover. The cushioning is on point and comfortable over short and long journeys. Overall support is good, although people with heavy build would find the side bolstering too tight. At 5’10”, I would’ve liked a little more under-thigh support, but it’s not too uncomfortable.

Driving Position & Ergonomics

A missing feature in the X-Trail is the power adjustment for the front seats. You have to manually adjust the seats. The steering gets rake and reach adjustment which makes finding your perfect driving position easy. One thing I found a bit odd was that the fore & aft adjustment range for the driver seat wasn’t generous. I’m 5’10” tall and with a laid-back driving position and I had to move the seat all the way back. Anyone taller than me would definitely want to move the seat further back, which isn’t possible here. You get adjustable lumbar support for front passengers – electric for the driver and manual for the passenger. Overall visibility is good, but I found the placement of the ORVMs to be rather high for my liking. You will be relying on the 360-degree camera system at times to get out of tough spots.

Cabin Storage

If you carry a lot of stuff, there’s good space in the cabin to keep all of it. The door pockets are large and can hold 1-litre bottles with ease. There’s a wireless charging pad to dock your phone and two big cupholders in the centre console. You don’t get restrainers at the bottom to hold smaller cups, so they might spill. The glovebox, unfortunately, isn’t very accommodating. While converting from an LHD car to an RHD car, Nissan didn't move the fusebox. Hence, it interferes with the glovebox space. The centre armrest is big and can hold quite a few items. You also get another storage area under the centre console.

Air-Conditioning

The Nissan X-Trail is equipped with a dual-zone climate control system. It worked extremely well in the extremely humid conditions of Delhi. The A/C cooled the cabin pretty quickly and maintained a good temperature throughout. While driving in Eco mode, the A/C was cutting off from time to time to increase fuel efficiency. If you don’t want this, you can disable the function from the MID.

Features

Unique & Noteworthy Features

This is an area where I believe that Nissan is going to have a tough time convincing customers. Just have a look at all the successful cars in the Indian car market today. What they have in common is that they are feature-loaded. That’s what attracts Indian car buyers.

While we don’t have the full feature list at hand, we know that the X-Trail is equipped with a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, 8-inch touchscreen head-unit with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster, 360-degree view camera, wireless charger, LED lights, auto-dimming IRVM, auto headlamps, and auto wipers. While this is good enough for some customers, the car's rivals offer features like ADAS, leatherette seats, spare wheel, wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, powered front seats, ventilated seats, ambient lighting, hands-free tailgate, connected car tech and rear sunshade.

Audio System & Sound Quality

The X-trail is equipped with a 8-inch touchscreen infotainment and the sound system also has a subwoofer. The touchscreen has a very basic display and gets physical buttons at the bottom with two rotary knobs for volume and tuning / scrolling. The user interface is, again, simple and the font feels too rudimentary. In comparison, it is not on par with the sleek systems that we have seen in the Skoda Kodiaq or Hyundai Tucson. In terms of audio quality, it feels a bit flat and average. Audio systems from some of the lower-segment cars sound much better. This feels very basic to listen to and just about does the job.

Rear Passengers

Rear Seat Comfort & Space

We have seen Tata advertise their 90-degree opening doors in the Altroz, and Nissan has something similar in the X-Trail. The rear doors open at 85 degrees which makes ingress and egress quite easy. Moreover, it is also more convenient when you are attaching a child seat to the ISOFIX anchors. We get the 7-seater variant and the middle row of seats can be moved to increase or decrease the space in the third row. This is when you realize that compromises have been made to accommodate 3 rows of seats in this car. As mentioned earlier, the fore and aft travel of the front seats is limited. This makes sure that there is decent space for the middle-row passengers. With the middle row pushed all the way back, there is just about enough room for someone who is 5’10” tall. Two 6-footers sitting one behind the other would be tight. The headroom is good as the roof doesn’t slope downward. The under-thigh support could’ve been better though. As for the seats, they are comfortable with side contours and the backrest angle can be adjusted as well as per your liking. The cabin width is pretty good and 3 adults can be seated on short journeys. You get a wide centre armrest for the rear passengers with two cupholders and a phone holder.

The middle row backrests have latches that fold and unhook the seats so that they can slide forward. The seats don’t tumble fully and you have a narrow opening to enter into the third row of seats. This gap is sufficient only for kids and lean adults. Getting in and out of the third row is almost a workout. The last row seats are tiny and can barely fit an adult. With the middle row in place and moved all the way back, there is no legroom even for kids. You will have to move the middle row forward for anyone to be able to sit in the third row. Doing that seriously compromises the legroom of the middle passenger. The third row is suitable only for kids and that too only for short journeys. There are much better third-row seats in much cheaper cars. In fact, the Renault Triber has a far superior third row than the X-Trail.

Boot Space

With all the seats up, there is barely any boot space. You can fit a couple of backpacks, but nothing more. You get 585 litres of boot space after folding the last row of seats. Folding the middle row seats gives you cargo space of 1,424 litres. In comparison, the Kodiaq has a boot space of 630 / 2,005 litres. You don’t get an electronic tailgate in the X-Trail.

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Driving the Nissan X-Trail 1.5L Turbo-Petrol CVT

1.5-litre, 3-cylinder turbo-petrol engine has Nissan’s patented variable compression technology and is mated to a CVT automatic. It produces 161 BHP @ 4,800 rpm and 300 Nm @ 2,800-3,600 rpm and powers the front wheels only:


Nissan is super hyped about this engine as it is the world’s first production variable compression ratio engine. It uses a multi-link system that varies the piston’s top dead centre (TDC) and bottom dead centre (BDC) positions which changes the compression ratio as per the requirement of power or efficiency. In simple words, a higher compression ratio helps in better combustion and greater fuel efficiency and a lower compression ratio helps in getting more power. In this Nissan engine, the compression ratio can be varied from 8:1 under full load to 14:1 under light load. For reference, the Hyundai 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine has a compression ratio of 10.5:1.



Typically with turbocharged engines, manufacturers lower the compression ratio to reduce the chances of knocking or detonation due to high compression. However, when cruising, when the engine is off boost, the engine is still on a lower compression ratio. Theoretically, this cruising period can be used to gain more efficiency as the power demand is low. Thus a higher compression ratio would help in extracting more efficiency. That’s exactly what Nissan has done by modifying the conventional piston-connecting rod system. Instead of a single connecting rod, you have a multi-link system that is further connected to an actuator which decides the ideal compression ratio of the engine based on the throttle input. To make this happen, there are various other components as well that need to be specifically designed. There’s a wide-range turbocharger and electric wastegate. It allows for control of the boost pressure and reduces the turbo lag. The valves also are specifically designed for introducing the optimum air-fuel mixture.



With the technical bits out of the way, let’s get to the driving part. At idle, the engine is quite refined and you don’t hear it inside the cabin or even on the outside. You’ll probably forget that there’s a 3-cylinder engine purring under the bonnet. Shift into D and the car gets off the line smoothly. Being a CVT, it gets up to speed quite smoothly. The throttle response is good and you get a linear delivery of power. This is an 8-step gearbox. The upshifts are quite smooth and so are the downshifts. Even the response from the transmission to throttle inputs is quick and not like your typical CVTs. All the tech that sounds good in theory and works well in practical life as well. The engine, despite being turbocharged and mated to a CVT, isn’t dead at low revs. You can get up to speed without feeling that the unit is strained. You go up and down the steps of the CVT quite seamlessly and driving around in the city is pretty effortless. The car is also responsive enough for quick overtakes and you will enjoy driving it.

Get on the highway and flex your right foot to build up some revs. Knowing that this is a 3-cylinder engine, the expectations weren’t high, but the way it performed was surely surprising. Outright performance is good and the engine has a strong mid-range. Overtaking on the highway won’t be an issue. In Sport mode, the engine revs nicely till 6,000 rpm before the transmission shifts to the next step. You’ll also appreciate that the engine isn’t dead at the top end. While it does flatten a bit in the upper reaches of the power band, it isn’t dead like you see in the case of some of the turbo-petrol engines in the market. This is where the variable compression works brilliantly. Surprisingly, the exhaust also sounds nice when you rev the engine. It doesn’t sound strained or coarse. Cruising is also a comfortable affair in the X-Trail and you will see the engine revving at a comfortable 1,500 rpm at 100 km/h and 1,750 rpm at 120 km/h in the 8th step of the CVT.

The third generation XTRONIC CVT has 8 steps and is very nicely coupled to this engine. In terms of behaviour, it has some traits of a torque converter as well as a dual-clutch. It is quick to respond to throttle inputs like a dual-clutch and it is smooth at slow speeds like a torque converter. But being a CVT, it does have the rubber band effect when you floor the accelerator. It’s not as pronounced as some of the budget CVTs that you might have seen, but it’s still there. You also get paddle shifters to move in between the steps and they’re not gimmicky. You can use them for upshifts and downshifts, although they aren’t as intuitive as in dual-clutch gearboxes. There is also an S mode which is activated when you pull down the transmission selector once when in D. In this mode, the transmission holds on to the steps for a bit longer and only upshifts when the revs reach 6,000 rpm.

There are three drive modes available –

• Eco Mode: This is where the engine and transmission are in the most economical mode. The throttle response is dull and the transmission upshifts early to reach the highest step for enhancing fuel economy. However, it’s not a complete dud and you can drive around in the city quite comfortably in Eco mode. There is enough power on tap for quick overtakes and keeping up with traffic. The A/C, however, keeps cutting off from time to time for efficiency.

• Standard Mode: Not much of a difference from the Eco mode. The throttle response improves slightly and the engine feels like it has a bit more pep. The A/C doesn’t cut off randomly and you can drive around the city or on the highway in this mode.

• Sport Mode: As expected, this is where all the parameters get amplified. The throttle response is sharper and the steering gets a bit more heft (it's still light though). The transmission holds on to the steps longer in this mode. You’ll want to use this mode when you are pushing the car hard on some empty twisty roads. Surprisingly, Sport mode isn’t too spiky and you can still drive around normally in it.

All in all, the performance of this powertrain is good. The technology does translate from theory to practicality quite nicely and delivers. However, in terms of outright performance, it is nowhere close to the Skoda Kodiaq 2.0L turbo-petrol DSG. It is not slow though and will do the 0-100 km/h sprint in 9.6 seconds, which is fast enough for most drivers. Where this powertrain excels is providing a smooth and linear power delivery that is very much usable in daily driving conditions as well as on the occasional highway trips.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

The refinement levels of the X-Trail are good and you barely hear the engine in the cabin at idle. Even on the outside, the engine is relatively silent. The engine has a nice exhaust note and doesn’t sound strained at high revs. Wind noise is well controlled when driving at 120 km/h. Our test car’s Michelin Primacy 4 tyres kept the road noise well in check.

Mileage & Fuel economy

The Nissan X-Trail is equipped with a mild hybrid system with a lithium-ion battery for better fuel economy and reduced emissions. There’s also an idling start-stop system for better fuel economy. The car has a 55-litre fuel tank and a claimed fuel efficiency is 13.7 km/l. We will have to wait for some ownership reviews to get the real-world fuel efficiency figures.

Recommended fuel for the X-Trail is 95 Octane and it is not E20 compatible:

Suspension

Ride Comfort

The X-Trail is equipped with an independent strut suspension at the front and you get a multi-link independent rear suspension. This is a good setup mechanically and you can feel it while driving as well. The suspension is quite absorbent and can take small to medium-sized potholes with ease. It works silently as well. The biggest concern, however, are the 20-inch wheels with 255/45 section tyres. While the suspension is absorbent, the big wheels and shorter tyre sidewalls make the ride feel stiff. Unfortunately, there is no variant with a smaller wheel size. Over bad roads, the suspension feels a bit busy as there is always some body movement. The ride feels better when on the highway as the expansion joints and road undulations are handled effortlessly.

Handling & Dynamics

The Nissan X-Trail is a predictable handler. Straight line stability is good and you don’t realize the speeds that you are doing. It feels very composed and not bouncy. The vertical movement at high speeds is well controlled. This is a good trait for long-distance cruising.

In terms of dynamics, the X-Trail is neutral and isn’t much of a corner carver. The multi-link rear suspension helps in keeping the car stable in the corners, but it’s not a vehicle that you would enjoy pushing hard in the curves. There is body roll and if pushed hard, it feels a bit top heavy. This is when you would back off the throttle. Our test car was equipped with Michelin Primacy 4 tyres which provided excellent grip.

Steering

The steering is light at city speeds which makes driving and parking this SUV pretty easy. It weighs up on the highways, but not as much as we’d have liked. Some more heft at high speeds would have been appreciated. There is an option to increase the steering weight through the MID, but even in the Sport setting, it is still light. The lightness of the steering is one of the reasons why you will be backing off the throttle in a corner. While the steering feels direct, its lightness doesn’t inspire confidence while pushing hard. The X-Trail has a turning radius of 5.5 meters.

Braking

The X-Trail comes with an all-wheel disc brake setup. The brakes do a good job of bringing the car to a halt without any drama. The pedal feel is consistent and the brakes are easy to modulate.

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Nissan X-Trail Exterior Images

Face is very traditional Nissan and follows the same design language as some of the other international models. V motion chrome radiator grille looks bold and immediately catches attention:


Rear is pretty straightforward. You get a Nissan logo on the tailgate along with the X-Trail badge:


Viewed from the side, you can see that the front portion of the car is crossover-like and as you go towards the rear, it becomes more conventional SUV-like. 20-inch wheels look nice on the car, but they do make the ride stiff:


Overall build quality and fit and finish are satisfactory. The X-Trail feels solidly built:


The X-Trail measures 4,680 mm in length, 1,840 mm in width and 1,725 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 2,705 mm and unladen ground clearance of 210 mm:


LED DRLs at the top with LED headlamps below. Both the lighting elements have a sharp design and look good. Unfortunately, the LED DRLs don’t double up as turn indicators. The turn indicator is a cheap halogen bulb located right below the DRL strip. DRL dims when the turn indicator is turned on:


Front camera for the 360-degree view system is placed just below the Nissan logo. Air dam at the bottom has a faux skid plate:


You get air curtains on the sides to aid aerodynamics:


There are even wind deflectors in the front of tyres for aerodynamics. The Nissan X-Trail has a drag coefficient of 0.311:


Bonnet doesn’t have any creases except for the shoulder lines that extend on the sides:


The Nissan X-Trail isn’t equipped with ADAS, but there is a dummy camera on the windshield for lane keep assist:


Healthy amount of underbody protection. This also helps improve the aerodynamics of the car:


Both front doors get request sensors:


20-inch diamond cut alloy wheels have a nice design. Some might find it a bit busy, but they look good on the X-Trail IMO:


All-wheel disc brake setup. 20-inch wheels are shod with 255/45 section Michelin Primacy 4 tyres:


Chrome strip runs on top of the window line giving a floating roof effect. Also, notice the prominent character line on the rear door and body panel:


Nice detail on the running board. In the international model, this is finished in brushed silver on the higher trims:


Panoramic sunroof is of a good size. Silver roof rails are not functional:


Nissan seems to have taken the aerodynamics seriously for improving the fuel efficiency of the X-Trail. You get a big spoiler at the rear with an integrated stoplight:


LED tail-lights get nice boomerang-shaped detailing on the inside. Unfortunately, just like the front, the turn indicators at the rear are also halogen bulbs. Sequential turn indicators would’ve looked more premium:


Nissan and X-Trail badges on the tailgate. Rear camera is placed below the X-Trail badge. Ideally, anyone would assume that the boot opening button is placed here, but that is placed below the number plate:


Rear bumper gets faux skid plate:


Big exhaust can is transversely mounted with its tip is on the left-hand side. The exhaust is well hidden and it sounds good when the engine is revved:

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2024 Nissan X-Trail Interior Images

In the cabin, everything seems functional. The design isn’t outlandish with a massive touchscreen or swooping lines. Instead, everything is proportionate and simple. Dashboard has an all-black theme complemented by dark brown elements and some good quality materials used at various places:


Flat-bottom steering wheel is not as chunky as you see in some recent cars. This is a thin steering wheel and feels good to hold. The buttons on the left spoke are for the multimedia and those on the right spoke are for cruise control. These buttons have a nice tactile feel to them:


Paddle shifters are placed behind the spokes. They’re surprisingly good to use for a CVT. Steps are well defined and it behaves very similar to a conventional automatic:


While the A-pillar isn’t very thick, I found the placement of the ORVMs to be a bit high since I like to sit low while driving:


Not something you see in a Japanese car - the turn indicator and light controls are placed on the left stalk, while the wiper controls are placed on the right:


Behind the steering wheel, you get a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster. The display is clear and the font is easy to read:


Display is customizable and you can control a lot of the vehicle settings like traction control from here. You can even see the variable compression ratio while driving to see how it reacts to throttle input. Parking sensors pops up an alert whenever someone gets too close to the car. ECO mode for the A/C can be switched off through the MID and you can even change the steering effort:


Side A/C vent which gets a piano black surround. Below, you get the button for auto start / stop and a headlamp leveller. Even lower down, you get the brightness button for the instrument cluster. Plenty of dummy buttons for a premium car:


Dashboard theme continues on the door as well. There’s a fabric insert near the door latch and the top part gets soft-touch plastic. The door pocket can hold a 1-litre bottle with ease:


Neat switch panel for window and mirror controls. The buttons have a nice feel to them and all the windows get one-touch up & down:


Front seats offer good overall support. The side bolstering, however, might be too tight for people with a heavy build. Notably, you only get fabric upholstery and since the driver seat has an airbag on the left side, you cannot put a seat cover on it. Further, the front seats aren’t powered and you don’t get seat ventilation either:


Dead pedal is narrow. I wear UK10 size shoes and I felt the top part of the dead pedal didn’t have enough space:


ORVMs are wide and provide a good view of the rear:


Note the triangle on the end of the mirror which is used for blind spot alert. However, since the X-Trail doesn’t get ADAS features in India, this is blank and doesn’t work:


The auto-dimming IRVM covers most of the rear windshield but the view is obstructed by the rear headrests:


Thick D-pillars and a small rear windshield don’t give good rearward visibility. It’s best if you rely on the 360-degree view camera while backing up:


The centre console is slightly tilted towards the driver. Good to see physical buttons for various controls and not everything is integrated into the touchscreen:


8-inch touchscreen gets buttons at the bottom for easy controls and two knobs for volume and tuning. The display is average and the response isn’t super quick. We’ve seen better units in cars from lower segments:


The camera quality of the 360-degree view system is average. You get wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The audio quality is just about okay and you only get the basic adjustments to play around with:


A look at the AC vents and the control panel finished in piano black. You get dual-zone climate control on the X-Trail:


Below you have a 12V socket, a USB type C charging port and a regular USB port. The engine start-stop button is placed next to the charging ports and there’s a wireless charging pad below:


Big cup holders have a rubber base, but nothing to hold small cups in place. Need to be careful:


Nice looking transmission mode selector. It has a rubber top with a piano black surface where the current mode is highlighted. Interestingly, the selector slides front and back to select different modes. In terms of usability, the selector is good to use but doesn’t feel very solid when operating:


Below, the electronic parking brake along with auto hold buttons are placed. The drive mode selector button has been placed even further down:


A look at the very basic Nissan key. Also, note the fake wood finish on the centre console panel. It looks nice in person and feels premium:


The centre armrest is wide and can be used comfortably by both front passengers. It is quite accommodating and has a separate level for keeping coins or the key:


Below the centre console, you have another open storage area. It’s wide and you can keep a lot of things here. Very useful:


The passenger side of the dashboard gets a nice leatherette insert with contrast white stitching. Below you get a brushed silver insert:


When converting the car for the RHD market, Nissan left the fuse box on the left side which eats into the glovebox space. While this works just fine, the international LHD variant gets a much bigger glovebox:


The roof console gets separate buttons for the sunroof blind and the sunroof:


Chunky sun visors for the front passengers. Both get a mirror and a light along with a ticket holder:


The panoramic sunroof brings a lot of light into the cabin:


At the rear, the doors open 85 degrees wide which makes ingress and egress easier. It also makes it easier for someone to install and take out the child seat:


You get 3 adjustable headrests and 3-point seatbelts for all passengers:


Here’s Chetan (5’7”) seated behind his own driving position. He had enough legroom with the middle row pushed all the way back. Under-thigh support could’ve been better and there’s plenty of headroom. Backrest for the middle passenger folds down into a centre armrest for the other passengers. It is set at a comfortable height:


Centre armrest has two cupholders and a smartphone holder. It is wide enough for both rear passengers to rest their hands on:


Here’s a look at the travel range for the middle row of seats. For tall people sitting behind one other, the middle row will have to be pushed back:


Rear passengers get A/C vents and USB charging ports (type-C and regular):


The middle row doesn’t tumble. Instead, it folds partially and slides forward. This is the only area you get to get to the third row


Getting in and out is not for adults. It’s best left to the kids:


The third row of seats is tiny. You get adjustable headrests and 3-point seatbelts:


As mentioned earlier, the seat is best for kids and not adults, that too for short journeys only. You get a quarter glass which prevents you from feeling claustrophobic:


As you can see, there’s no under-thigh support. Also, the legroom that you see in this picture is with the middle-row seat pushed forward. With the middle row pushed all the way back, there is no legroom to speak of. This means that if you have someone seated in the third row, you will be compromising the legroom of the middle-row passenger. Not the best packaging we’ve seen for a 7-seater:


Both third-row passengers get a cupholder and some additional storage area:


With the third row in position, there is barely any boot space. Tailgate is not electrically powered:


With the last row folded, the boot space is 585 litres and with the middle row folded the boot space increases to 1,424 litres:


One annoying bit, however, is that you cannot fold the middle row of seats from the boot. You will have to walk over to the side and pull on this strap to fold the middle row:


Good that Nissan has provided the cargo cover. Some people really like having this in their cars:


You get a plank which makes sure that you have a flat boot floor for easier loading and unloading of luggage:


Below you can store the retractable cargo cover:


Single halogen boot lamp on the right:


Jack is placed on the left:


No spare wheel has been provided. You will have to make do with a puncture repair kit:

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[PrideRed]

Unless this is priced on par with likes of Tata Safari/XUV700 2WD, XTrail will be one of the worst launches in recent times. Car isn't looking great, poor powertrains, no AWD, lacking features and interiors look atleast a decade old. Nissan doesnot have brand recognition and their after sales is not great either.

[Sk8r]

Launching a "Pre-facelift model" that too in H2 of 2024 without E20 compatibility is writing on the wall that they treat India as a dumping ground.

@ Mods - please think off a thread for "worst car launches" of the year, we've a strong competitor. ( Skoda will join the race pretty soon )

[sharmanova]

A car expected to cost ₹40L doesn't get bigger touchscreen, leatherette seats, ADAS, a spare wheel, powered and ventilated seats, ambient lighting, connected car tech, powered tailgate, rear sunshades, wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay. What's up Nissan?

Unless they price X-Trail close to XUV700/Safari, this is gonna be D-O-A!

[bsdbsd]

Thanks for the write up. I am really not sure whats running in peoples mind while launching these kind of half-baked cars. Empty dark triangle in the mirror unit? What to make of it? Is it to remind everytime that you have been offered an inferior product? Why not give ADAS? I think everyone has given up hopes in regards to competing with Hyundai/Maruti. Anyway, good luck to them.

[Cresterk]

Without E20 compatibility, this might as well be dead on arrival. Only saving grace is the surprising 0-100 time of 9.6 seconds which is comparable to the Hycross strong hybrid despite having 20hp less.

[Skorp_Knight]

Like some others who pointed out that any price above XUV700/ Safari would be DOA, I don't think that anyone would choose this over the XUV even. On paper that car is definitely superior in all ways be it performance, features, space, etc. The only saving grace would be global product quality which I'm not sure would be justified to most.

[amoi]

Dead on arrival.

Nissan could not sell the kicks , which had one of the most fun engines in a crossover. How can they possibly hope to compete with the likes of rather established and respected products like the kodiaq / tiguan. Even the jeep meridian, which has better interiors and overall quality (perceived or not) can barely manage to sell a couple hundred units a month.

[ajmat]

The Kicks was a good car spoilt by poor marketing.

X-Trail - I could have mistaken this for a slightly enlarged Grand Vitara / Hyryder - plain interiors etc. If priced similar to a mid-spec Creta, it could win on the metal for money stakes (but there is the Alcatraz)

[sunikkat]

The materials and colour combination used in the seats make it look very cheap, definitely not a 30+ lakhs OTR car. Also not sure who the target audience will be for this.