Review of the new Nissan X-TRAIL 2.0 dCi Arctix Sports Adventure Special Edition

If you're a keen skier or snowboarder, specifying the ideal vehicle is fairly simple. Four wheel drive is an absolute must to get you round the mountains in winter but you won't want a giant, unwieldy barge on twisty mountain roads. Instead, you want something nimble and agile with enough space inside for loads of gear. You'll also want cruise control to take the drudge out of the 600 mile trip to the Alps, decent fuel economy so you're not broke when you rock up at the lift ticket window and roof rails so you can throw a rack or roof box upstairs for when you need to carry a few passengers. Nissan thinks it has the answer to snow sports fans' prayers with the X-TRAIL ARCTIX Sports Adventure models.

On the face of it, the ARCTIX models do look virtually perfect. As well as standard X-TRAIL specification, the ARCTIX model adds 'eXtreme' roof rails and lamps with side steps for better access. Alternatively you can go for the ARCTIX eXpedition version that adds satellite navigation and colour rear view camera. The product line up starts at £21,995 for the ARCTIX 2.0dCi with the 150bhp engine, while for £22,995, you can have the ARCTIX eXpedition with either the 2.0dCi 150 and automatic gearbox or the more powerful 173bhp 2.0-litre dCi powerplant and manual gearbox combination. I'd probably pay the extra for the 150bhp car with the auto and the sat nav for maximum ease of use. The staellite navigation deserves special mention because it covers 23 countries throughout Europe with even the most obscure locals-only ski resorts being easily accessible.

"The usual 'no friends on a powder day' clause won't apply if you've got a Nissan X-TRAIL ARCTIX"

The eXtreme roof rail lamps are brilliant for turning night into day although don't be tempted to fire them up when it's snowing hard as all you'll see is a myriad of reflecting snowflakes right in front of your windscreen!. Otherwise the trim specification is similar to the X-TRAIL Sport which also features 17" alloys, an upgraded 6-speaker remote control stereo system with a 6 stack CD auto-changer, chrome for the front grille, plus front fog lamps, a large panoramic sunroof, privacy glass, cruise control, reach adjust steering, auto headlamps and wipers and a ski hatch. Available as an option from Nissan dealers is an accessory ski roof rack but it's worth checking to see if some of the wider powder skis now offered will fit the rack.

Both the 150 and the 173bhp engines take the X-TRAIL to the top of its class. Torque or pulling power of 320 or 360Nm (depending on your choice of engine) at 1,750rpm is not to be sniffed at, yet combined cycle fuel consumption sits at 38.2 mpg with CO2 emissions at 198g/km, even with the more powerful unit. As you'd expect, this makes the X-TRAIL dCi rather faster than the original diesel versions with the 173bhp variant recording a 10.0s 0-62mph acceleration time and a top speed of 124mph.

New from the ground up, the latest 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 luggage area, which has increased dramatically in size. With the rear seat in place, the original vehicle had a luggage area VDA measurement of 410 litres up to the lower edge of the rear window: in this latest X-TRAIL, the equivalent figure is 603 litres, an increase of 193 litres (including double deck trunk capacity). Fold the rear seats forward and this increases to 1773 litres.

This has been achieved by rerouting the exhaust silencer from its original transverse position under the boot floor to a north/south location alongside the rear wheel well. This has allowed the creation of an innovative double deck luggage area, with space for a sliding drawer under the floor where valuable items can be stored away from prying eyes. The drawer has partition walls that can be placed in a number of different positions or removed altogether as required. The floor and the drawer can both be removed to increase load space even further. As a result, the luggage area of this X-TRAIL is deeper and wider than the original and, even with the false floor in place, virtually as tall. With it removed, luggage height is increased by 127mm over the original.

All X-TRAIL ARCTIX Sports Adventure models are equipped with Nissan's ALL-MODE 4x4 system. This normally operates in two-wheel drive only to minimise fuel consumption and transfers into four-wheel drive mode as and when the vehicle detects it is needed, or when All-MODE is manually selected by the driver. Road manners remain pretty near the top of the compact SUV tree, certainly far better than average. Roll is well suppressed and wind noise is also agreeably muted, although the tyres make an infernal din on poorly surfaced motorways. Off the beaten track, the Nissan still does reasonably well, although it lacks the fancy hill descent control of the Land Rover. Although most compact SUV buyers are unlikely to venture off-road, it's good to know the Nissan at least has some trousers to back up that shiny mouth. The SPORT and AVENTURA models get an 'ALL-MODE 4x4-i' set-up, incorporating Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Uphill Start Support (USS) and Downhill Drive Support (DDS).

USS is a fully automatic system that activates on any slope that exceeds a 10 per cent incline, holding the vehicle on the brakes until the driver starts to move away. The system also works if the vehicle is reversing up an incline. DDS - operated via a switch on the centre console - operates when ALL-MODE is in lock mode. DDS uses the anti-lock brakes to maintain a descent speed of 5mph allowing the driver to concentrate on steering. Like USS, DDS also works when the vehicle is in reverse.

The fly in the X-TRAIL's ointment has to be the gearchange. The six-speed 'box fitted to the diesel versions is, despite its well-chosen ratios, pretty woeful. Be prepared to develop a left arm of splendid musculature and rehearse a plausible reason why. That's why we'd spring for the automatic.

Is this the perfect vehicle for winter sports fans? It's certainly not too far off that mark. The only trim features beloved by skiers and snowboarders that are conspicuous by their absence are heated seats and a heated windscreen. Otherwise it's hard to see how Nissan could have significantly improved the X-TRAIL ARCTIX Sports Adventure.

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