2014 Nissan X-Trail

4 October, 2014   By: Alex Forrest

Given it plays in what is arguably the most competitive new car segment, the Nissan X-Trail did well to compete so successfully for so long with the old model.

It couldn’t continue forever though, and as such this all new X-Trial arrived in Australian showrooms in March. The new X-Trail ushered in a distinct change of focus for the popular mid-sized SUV, taking it from boxy off-roader to road-biased but family-friendly SUV.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

It’s similar to the change we saw take place with the Pathfinder in October 2013, which went from a chunky light commercial-based wagon to a completely redesigned SUV with car-like monocoque construction.

Apart from the complete change to its looks, the most significant addition for the new X-Trail was the option of seven-seats.

The only drawback is that strangely, you have to go for a two-wheel drive version if you want the seven seats – the four wheel drive models only come with five pews.

Pricing for the X-Trail starts at $31,051 drive away, which gets you the two-wheel drive manual with a 2.0-litre petrol engine.

All the other variants in the range have a 2.5-litre petrol unit coupled to a continuously variable transmission, and this bigger engine is really better for shifting a vehicle this size. These variants follow the existing Nissan nomenclature, comprising the base ST, the mid-spec ST-L and the top-of-the-range Ti.

There was no diesel engine available at launch, but there should be a 1.6-litre oiler available in the X-Trail range by the end of this year.

Positives on the safety front include six airbags and a reversing camera as standard equipment across the range.

In addition to that, the range-topping Ti gets blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning systems, as well as a system Nissan calls Moving Object Detection, which warns of possible collisions during low speed manoeuvring.

The X-Trail has always had good storage and this new one continues the theme, with a convenient wet storage spot under the rear floor in the five-seater models, and plenty of other family-friendly storage nooks throughout the interior.