I’m sold on the refreshed Nissan X-Trail’s blend of interior space, hybrid efficiency and rugged vibe

Having been around since 2001, the X-Trail has done rather well for Nissan. The SUV has always been a good bet for anyone wanting space and a rugged edge on the build front, so little wonder it’s such a common sight on US car rental lots. The X-Trail e-4ORCE 213 N-Trek you see here is a little more refined, despite its beefed-up rugged stance – especially now it can essentially be driven as if it were a fully electric vehicle.

The powertrain is an interesting one: a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine generates power for a small battery, which in turn drives twin electric motors providing all-wheel drive. In essence it’s a petrol hybrid which, thanks to the range extender capabilities, means a largely electric driving experience. With 213 horsepower and instant torque from those electric motors, the new Nissan X-Trail is also sprightly, with a 0-62mph time of just over 7 seconds. Not bad for a mid-sized SUV.

It’s still decidedly outdoorsy too. Perhaps more so than ever thanks to chunkier exterior fixtures and an interior that’s been given plenty of nods towards ruggedness. The all-weather interior mats look and feel like something seen in a Jeep, while the overall toughness is enhanced by some neat styling touches. While the Nissan X-Trail e-4ORCE 213 is perhaps the one to go for, Nissan is also offering the new X-Trail as a two-wheel drive for anyone who wants the look without quite so much of the grunt.

The styling

I rather liked my Nissan X-Trail e-4ORCE 213 N-Trek edition, which came with a khaki-esque paintjob and lots of nods towards the great outdoors. The X-Trail definitely looks the part in this beefier format, with some neat touches that helped to give it an upmarket feel. This included the gloss black alloys and plenty of shiny and matt plastic trim components that balanced out perfectly against the beige look of the paint job.

Inside, the feel is one of spaciousness and there was also a solid degree of practicality. My test car had all-weather mats, which would be a real boon for anyone with kids or pets to carry around in the winter. Similarly, the seats felt hardy and durable enough to handle a wipe over with a damp cloth should a spillage occur. While the dashboard layout was a little less impressive, the utilitarian feel worked well enough. Anyone trading up from a Nissan Qashqai would find many similarities with the dials and general controls.

The four-wheel drive version of the X-Trail can be had as a seven-seater, which sounds good on paper although the third row is a bit of a squeeze. Smaller children should find it acceptable, but any adults shown the back seats may well baulk at the thought of going any distance in them. Nevertheless, the format will work well for parents who regularly find themselves ferrying offspring and their friends from one location to another.

I was a little surprised at how limited the boot space was without putting the back seats down, but with some fettling, the Nissan X-Trail was able to handle an old dishwasher without too much fuss. In fact, the decent height of the boot lip made getting the appliance up and on to the flat boot platform very straightforward. Ditto for offloading it at the local tip.

The drive

Although the Nissan X-Trail was quite a chunky thing, it didn’t feel too bad to drive and was a lot more agile than I’d expected. I found parking it to be a breeze, with nicely balanced steering plus cameras and sensors doing a lot of the hard work in tighter spots. Out on the open road, the Nissan X-Trail was a doddle, with a generally silent persona that was only occasionally interrupted by the sound of the engine cutting in to do its thing for the battery replenishment.

While the Nissan X-Trail is a fairly bulky proposition, the e-4ORCE hybrid powertrain setup still seems as impressive as it was when I drove the previous X-Trail. The format is smart, intelligent and driving can be enhanced by using the EV only button as well as the very good i-Pedal options, which could be engaged by pressing buttons down on the centre console. The rectangular shifter was quite nifty too and, as a whole, I thought the Nissan X-Trail e-4ORCE felt meaty enough to get the job done across a variety of road types.

My AWD test car was the more powerful 211bhp edition, which delivered a sprightly 0-62mph time of just 7.2 seconds. The five seat edition shaves .2 of a second off that and both are modestly faster than the 201bhp front-wheel drive five seat car that does the same in 8 seconds. Another big bonus with the latest X-Trail, in any powertrain format, is its 1800kg towing capability that will would be perfect for caravan and camping types.

The technology

One thing that stood out with the Nissan X-Trail was its sensible selection of physical controls, including the much-needed climate options that kept me cool in a recent heatwave. Indeed, there was an impressive smattering of controls throughout the cabin that could be easily tapped or touched to change everyday necessities, including door mirror adjustment and tackling driver alert chimes.

Elsewhere, the tech offered within the cabin of the Nissan X-Trail was okay, boosted on the more expensive trim by Nissan’s N-Connecta that included Google’s latest suite of options including Maps and voice control. This is a dependable collection that has already proved its worth and, as a result, feels like it’s worth moving on up to as it does make everyday life that little bit easier. Anyone with a carload of kids would certainly be glad of it when needing to locate activities and eateries whilst under pressure.

There was a decent enough landscape oriented 12.3in infotainment display, though it felt tiny compared to most examples seen in other SUVs now. Similarly, the 12.3in driver display looked good too, although as is the case with many Japanese cars, the resolution and general design style felt a little on the old-fashioned side. Both displays were good at getting the job done however, proving responsive and working as they should, and that included the navigation.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was an additional option if I fancied using my own resources while power supplies were plentiful too, with a wireless charging pad up front and four USB-C ports proving easily accessible for people in the front or the rear. The higher trim model also benefits from a Bose audio system, which given the large interior space, should deliver an impressive bottom-heavy sound that could almost be too good to be in a relatively utilitarian vehicle.

Nissan X-Trail e-4ORCE verdict

There are plenty of alternatives to the Nissan X-Trail, including the very good Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento or Skoda Kodiaq forming our preferred three rival options. However, the Nissan X-Trail in the all-wheel drive e-4ORCE 213 N-Trek format is a solid proposition and it comes with the benefit of seven seats. Alternatives with the same include the Jaecoo 8 or very good Mercedes-Benz GLB driven recently.

The hybrid powertrain works well enough, which means that, despite its size, the X-Trail can be relatively frugal with MPG numbers into the lower forties achievable. Overall, it’s an impressive bit of kit.

Nissan X-Trail e-4ORCE technical specifications