Nissan X-Trail 2017 review

Versatile cabin

One of X-Trail’s best traits is its practical, versatile, well-laid-out cabin. Its standard accommodation is a two-row/five-seat configuration, but unlike most of its competitors Nissan also caters for larger families with the option of a two-seat third row for the two-wheel-drive automatic versions.

X-Trail’s wide-opening doors and convenient seat height make getting in and out easy. There’s a surprising amount of room, and some clever packaging creates a variety of flexible cargo options. The EZ Flex Rear Seating system has slide and recline functions with a 40/20/40 split-fold layout, while Nissan’s revised Divide-N-Hide cargo system provides height-adjustable boot space and a hidden storage compartment. And the Ti model’s new Motion-Activated Tailgate also adds to the convenience. 

Well-shaped front seats offer good comfort and support, while the dash layout, with its logically positioned switches and large, clear dials featuring new audio/navigation graphics, is straightforward to use. The awkward foot-operated park-brake, however, is a reminder of X-Trail’s age. Optional tan leather-accented upholstery in our test car was eye-catching but will be a matter of personal taste.

The boxy body provides plenty of usable cabin space. There is a generous amount of front and rear legroom for a vehicle of its size, and even with the Ti model’s sunroof robbing a little space, headroom is good. Tether points for the outer two child seat positions are conveniently located on the rear of the second-row seat but unfortunately the centre mounting is still in the roof. 

Capable on-road performer

On the road, the Ti is a capable performer. The 2.5-litre petrol engine, which is carried over from the previous model, produces a solid 126kW of power and 226Nm of torque. Helped by the well-matched operation of Nissan’s Xtronic CVT, the engine’s good mid-range torque makes light work of everyday driving around the city and suburbs and cruises comfortably at highway speeds. Its fuel consumption, however, is slightly higher than many of its peers. Additional sound-deadening materials around the floor and pillar areas have reduced cabin noise noticeably, but under hard acceleration engine and transmission noise is still obvious.

X-Trail’s long-travel suspension comfortably copes with most road surfaces and delivers surefooted handling. The electric power steering has a light, direct feel with the load varying according to driving conditions.

X-Trail is more capable than most of the competition when the going gets tough. Nissan’s well-proven all-mode four-wheel-drive system allows drivers to easily select between two-wheel-drive, all-wheel-drive and a Lock mode which splits the drive 50/50 front and rear below 40km/h. But if you come to grief on a rough road, be aware that X-Trail only carries a temporary-use space-saver spare wheel.

Nissan’s new adaptive front lighting system on the Ti works superbly – most of the time. On a winding section of patched second-class road, the constant bouncing and moving of the light beam’s sharp cut-off was distracting and a little annoying for driver and passengers.

The verdict

The 2017 Nissan X-Trail is a practical, family-friendly mid-size SUV that’s good in most aspects but does not excel in any. The upgrade has smartened it up and added value for money, particularly in terms of advanced safety features. This keeps X-Trail competitive in a hotly contested category, even with its older but still well-proven platform and running.

• These comments are from RACV’s experienced team of vehicle testers. Check out the full range of RoyalAuto car reviews, news and other motoring information at royalauto.com.au.