X-TRAIL is a genuine 4×4. It is a true compact SUV

“X-TRAIL is a genuine 4×4. It is a true compact SUV with a roomy, practical, and high quality interior. And it has the double bonus of being a great drive on the road and off the beaten track,” says Pierre Loing, Vice President, Product Planning, Nissan Europe.
Nissan’s “secret” Geneva debut was the second generation X-Trail. It might not actually look like it, but this isn’t a facelift but a brand new model. Design apart, if we’d like to sum-up Nissan’s press release that follows we’d pinpoint the fact that the new X-Trail does all that it predecessor did, but a little bit better. More specifically, its longer (+175mm), it has a significantly bigger trunk (410lt vs 603lt), it has an upgraded interior in terms of quality and materials and surprisingly enough -considering the newer SUV competition, according to Nissan it not only retains its predecessors off-road capabilities but it betters them. Available in Europe from this summer with Japan following later on, the new X-Trail will be offered with two petrol engines (140Hp 2.0 & 169Hp 2.5) and two diesel motors (2.0 with 150 & 173Hp).

  All-new chassis and body design
Four engine choices, including:
-Two new powerful DPF-equipped diesels, with…
-…automatic diesel option for the first time
Genuine off-road credentials, with:
- Intelligent ALL MODE four-wheel drive system
- Advanced hill start and descent controls
Greater interior space with innovative double deck trunk
Enhanced on-road performance and comfort
Improved interior quality, fit and finish

“Following a hugely successful car like the original X-TRAIL is not an easy task, especially when customers tell us to leave things as they are. But the all-new
X-TRAIL is the perfect example of evolutionary change: subtle improvements in key areas will appeal to existing owners and new buyers alike.”Carlos Tavares, Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Product Planning, Nissan Motor Limited

The best judges of whether a car delivers all it promises are its customers. Having lived with the car for weeks, months and years, they are uniquely placed to give the ultimate verdict.

At the planning stages of the project to develop the next generation X-TRAIL, Nissan listened to owners of the previous X-TRAIL to hear directly what was considered good and, of course, where the new X-TRAIL could be improved.

“The message coming back was that we changed the X-TRAIL formula at our peril. The original was loved by its owners and many didn’t want us to change a thing. It was a problem, certainly, but a nice one to have,” says Pierre Loing.

In truth, the success of the original X-TRAIL came as something of a surprise even to Nissan. When it was launched six years ago, the company expected sales across Europe to average 23,000 units a year.

That proved to be a slight miscalculation: in its best year, Nissan sold no fewer than 64,000 examples, with average annual sales over its lifespan of more than 54,000. That’s 135 per cent over target. In total, since its launch, a total of 275,000 X-TRAILs have been sold in Europe and globally, that figure has reached 615,000.

Therefore, X-TRAIL has proven to be a winning formula and the challenge Nissan faced in the design and development phase was how to build on that success by taking the new X-TRAIL to higher levels of performance, convenience and off-road ability.

“There is no denying that the first X-TRAIL was an exceptional success. It was the right vehicle at the right time, a hugely capable compact SUV with serious off-road credentials. It also enjoyed a very high degree of customer loyalty with repeat purchases accounting for as much as 30 per cent of all sales.

“So when they asked us not to change anything, we listened,” says Pierre Loing. “But that didn’t stop us improving on the original. The latest X-TRAIL is an all-new vehicle, but one which builds on the considerable success of its predecessor rather than trying to be something different.

“We have taken a highly regarded vehicle and improved it in every area. Although it is all-new, it is an evolutionary rather than revolutionary design, on the basis that we should build on what was already a success and make it even better.”

The result boasts a new chassis and new body, an expanded range of more powerful engines providing better performance and economy, more interior space, a much larger trunk area, greatly enhanced interior quality and comfort.

Yet it retains all the qualities of the original. Although slightly larger than the original, it remains a compact SUV, one that’s comfortable and easy to drive on-road. It continues to be a thoroughly practical and functional vehicle, and it is just as tough as the original.

Importantly, it has even greater off-road ability… and that’s not simply thanks to the adoption of Nissan’s latest electronically controlled ‘intelligent’ ALL MODE 4×4-i system, which now features hill start and descent control systems. However, its prowess on the road has not been compromised – indeed, on-road comfort has been enhanced.

While the advanced traction system undoubtedly helps, the most compelling reason for its enhanced ability is down to Nissan’s expanded 4×4 offering. While some rival SUVs have been ‘softened’ to appeal to a largely road-bound buying public, the recent addition of Qashqai to Nissan’s range caters perfectly for that audience. As a result, there has been no need to comprise X-TRAIL’s acclaimed capability off-road.Being given its public debut at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, the new X-TRAIL goes on sale across Europe in the summer. Such was the success of its predecessor that the new model will be available in Europe before sales start in Japan… the first time in Nissan’s history that this has happened for a model built in Japan.

It offers more interior space than before, greater comfort and refinement, more equipment and, thanks to three new engine options, better performance, economy and reduced emissions. Passenger and pedestrian safety has been enhanced while the new X-TRAIL has more practical and user-friendly features.

New from the ground up, the latest X-TRAIL shares the same platform as the recently launched Nissan Qashqai. The platform features strut-type suspension at the front with a multi-link system at the rear, both ends being mounted on separate rubber insulated sub-frames providing enhanced refinement and isolation from vibrations.

As a result, new X-TRAIL is slightly larger than before: its wheelbase has increased by 5mm to 2630mm, while overall length has risen by 175mm to 4630mm. Much of this extra length can be found in the trunk area, which has increased dramatically in size.

The approach and departure angles of 28 and 23 degrees respectively and a generous 200mm ground clearance enable the X-TRAIL to traverse difficult terrain with comparative ease. It can safely stake its place in Nissan’s 4×4 range alongside such iconic vehicles as Patrol and its big brother, the Pathfinder.
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