Review of the new Nissan X-TRAIL 2.0 Petrol

Inbuilt redundancy is a concept that takes some getting to grips with. Just as we wear diver's watches that are water resistant to 200m but take them off to get into the shower, we'd also think nothing of buying a pair of £100 boots resistant to every noxious substance known to man only to don a pair of old sneakers to do the DIY. It's the same with 4x4 cars. We like to know that what we buy can best the Wadi Rum without breaking sweat, but know deep down that it'll probably never see anything more arduous than a soft verge. Luckily the Nissan X-TRAIL 2.0 petrol model scores on all levels.

This latest X-TRAIL is an impressive car - but it also comes at an impressive price now that Nissan no longer offers a two-wheel drive variant. All versions bar the entry-level 2.0-litre petrol model we're looking at here retail at well over £20,000. Only this 2.0-litre remains to offer a viably priced alternative to an up-market family hatchback.

So if that's the case, what will you be getting by opting for the Nissan? Well, 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.

"Few rivals cost as little as the model we're looking at here"

Like all X-TRAIL models, this entry-level version is 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.

Though there are exterior styling changes with this latest generation model, more important are the improvements wrought inside. Nissan knew that to compete against rival products like Land Rover's Freelander2, the latest Honda CR-V and Toyota's MK3 RAV4, they would have to up their game in terms of cabin fitment and this they've certainly done. The rather icky plastics of the first generation car have been replaced with more soft touch finishes, metallic highlights and tonnes of auxiliary storage space.

Nissan claims an extra 50 litres of oddment stowage around the cabin with various bins, boxes cubby holes and cupholders never more than a few centimetres away. The designers have resisted the temptation to lever a useless pair of seats into the car's boot, the X-Trail remaining resolutely a five-seater only. It would have been thoughtful to have allowed the rear bench to slide to and fro, prioritising luggage or passenger space at will but perhaps that's a job for the 2010 facelift. As it stands, there's a rather neat 40/20/40 split system for the rear bench.

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.

Whilst the 2.0dCi diesel version of the X-TRAIL is probably the better bet if you do intend to take your shiny Nissan mud-plugging, you'll probably struggle to make back the diesel version's considerable price premium in improved fuel economy if you cover the sort of relatively low annual mileage common to this type of car.

The 140bhp engine isn't too punishing on fuel, returning a presentable 32.5mpg on the combined cycle, the payback being its ability to hit 60mph in 11.1 seconds en route to a fairly academic 114mph. It's a sweet engine, but the five-speed gearbox fitted to the X-TRAIL is about as slick and polished as John Prescott at the dispatch box. Road manners are pretty near the top of the compact 4x4 tree. Roll is well suppressed and wind noise is also agreeably muted although the tyres will make an infernal din on poorly surfaced motorways.

The peak torque of 196Nm is respectable but don't think that makes this car an accomplished offroader. Faced with a rather daunting off-road course, the omens for this X-TRAIL didn't look particularly good even in 4x4 form. Here was a car that had a sweet purr at idle, a drive system that defaulted to front-wheel drive and a decidedly smooth on-road ride. Surely any serious off-roading would soon show the X-TRAIL up for the poseur it was? As the front wheels began to slip when ascending a mild but slippery incline, it looked as if the Nissan had been cruelly found out, but with just a slight slur of the rev counter drive was diverted to the back wheels and momentum was restored. The front and rear departure angles aren't the greatest, the exhaust tip catching when cresting sharp edges, but otherwise the X-TRAIL acquits itself well.

If you decide to go for the 2.0-litre 16v engine in your X-TRAIL, you'll have to choose TREK trim. It features Bluetooth phone integration, 16" alloy wheels, full body coloured bumpers, climate controlled air conditioning, a full suite of airbags - driver, passenger, side and curtain, plus a CD / radio with 4 speakers.

With the possible exception of gearshift quality of the 5-speed manual box, it's difficult to point to one area where the X-TRAIL is markedly deficient. But then with the kind of competition now around in this class, it needs to be good. Few rivals however, cost as little as the model we're looking at here. For the money being asked, this variant might just be better placed than its more expensive stablemates when it comes to mopping up sales from undecided buyers.

TOP 3 X-TRAIL DEALS

The results below show the top X-TRAIL deals on buyacar

Nissan X-Trail 2.0 dCi 173 Tekna 5dr Diesel Station Wagon
Price £24,699 Read X-Trail Reviews	Save £4,866
Nissan X-Trail 2.0 dCi 173 Acenta 5dr Diesel Station Wagon
Price £21,279 Read X-Trail Reviews	Save £4,486
Nissan X-Trail 2.0 dCi Tekna 5dr Auto Diesel Station Wagon
Price £25,954 Read X-Trail Reviews	Save £4,986
VIEW MORE DISCOUNT X-TRAIL DEALS