The X-Trail is the middle of the range SUV in the Nissan model line-up, fitting above the Qashqai and below the Pathfinder. I recently drove the ST-L N-TREK special edition, which gets some added features above the standard ST-L variant.
The ST-L has a 2.5 litre, four cylinder petrol engine that produces a modest 126kW of power and 226Nm of torque and my X-Trail was a 2WD variant paired with a lack lustre CVT gearbox. In the 5 seat model I drove the official fuel consumption is 7.9L/100km and for the 7 seat X-Trail it is 8.1L/100km.
Around town the X-Trail has a comfortable ride, but not great acceleration and the 2WD system would be adequate for soft-roading adventures with your family. If you wanted to discover the more inaccessible areas of Australia then the 4WD X-Trail would be a better option. The towing capacity of the X-Trail with a braked trailer is 1,500kg and 750kg for an unbraked trailer.
The exterior N-TREK features on my ST-L included 19” wheels, bonnet protector and weather shields and on the inside there was an 8-speaker Bose premium audio system. Standard ST-L features include removable carpet mats that would make vacuuming out the X-Trail easier. You also get a 7.0″ colour touch-screen display that has satellite navigation with traffic monitoring, but the X-Trail does miss out on Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.
The black leather-accented seats are easy cleaning, comfortable and heated in the front too. The driver gets a 6-way power-adjustable seat with lumbar support and the passenger has 4-way power adjustment, neither have memory positions. I liked the sporty looking flat-bottomed leather-accented steering wheel but I didn’t like the foot operated park brake.
There are plenty of storage areas in the X-Trail including good sized drink bottle storage in the door cubby and a deep storage cubby under the arm rest that has a 12V outlet and two clips for your pens under the lid – I really like this feature as it saves you searching for a pen when you need one. At the front of the centre console there is a ledge for smart phones and here you will find one 12V outlet, one USB port and one AUX inlet. Other media options in the X-Trail include AM/FM, DAB, CD, MP3, iPod, and Bluetooth.
The rear seats can slide and recline and have ample leg and head room for adults. The centre seat folds completely down to reveal two rigid drink holders and this gives through access to the boot, which my children thought was a lot of fun. There are only two ISOFIX/rear tether child seat restraint points and passengers only get rear air vents with speed control and no USB or 12V outlets.
Where the five seat X-Trail comes into its own though is the flexibility of the hard plastic lined boot. It may only have manual open/close, but the size is adequate for a small pram and the weekly shop. The boot also has a removable carpet mat and a false carpeted floor that can be removed to reveal a hard plastic lined space that would be ideal for carrying a dirty bike or a dirty dog. Under this floor is a space saver spare tyre and you also get a 12V outlet and four tie down points in the boot.
Driver safety aids that come as standard on the ST-L X-Trail include forward collision warning, intelligent emergency braking, blind spot warning and rear cross traffic alert, but it only comes with standard cruise control. In addition you also get a 360o rear view camera with predictive path technology. Passive safety includes front, front-side and side curtain SRS airbags. All petrol variants of the X-Trail have a 5-star ANCAP safety rating (2017).
All new Nissan vehicles come with a 5-Year Unlimited Kilometre warranty and five years of 24-Hour Roadside Assistance. Nissan Capped Price Servicing is also available for the first six services according to your vehicle’s service schedule.
The leather-accented trim, removable carpet mats and hard plastic lined boot of the X-Trail ST-L N-TREK are all great features for an adventure ready family SUV. There are currently drive away offers available on the X-Trial range, with the standard 2WD ST-L starting at $38,490 drive away. At the time I tested the N-TREK special edition its drive away price was $43,106. Visit your preferred Nissan dealer before 30 June 2020 to learn more about the special deals currently on offer.
| Pros | Cons |
| Hard plastic lined boot | CVT gear box |
| 360o view reversing camera | Foot operated park brake |
| Nice looking interior | No Apple CarPlay/Android Auto |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.