With the launch of the fourth-generation X-Trail, Nissan hopes to take share of the seven-passenger SUV market from the likes of Hyundai’s Santa Fe and Kia’s Sorento.
Like its predecessor, the X-Trail, this new model can be seen as an upsized version of the Qashqai, but with an extra seat in the trunk and a bulkier, muscular variation on the Qashqai’s styling. So, like its smaller model, this new X-Trail copies much of the Qashqai’s look, like the arrowhead headlights and rotating “V-Motion” grille, but with height, width and a sort of glowing creatine supply. is adding. In front of you.
The interior also boasts a digital instrument panel (including a background texture that Nissan says is a nod to traditional Japanese “kiriko” cut glass), an infotainment screen (currently 12.3 inches, and compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is on board and comes with most of the switches and buttons, and a large head-up display that projects driving information onto the windshield is also available as an option. I’m not throwing away a nice button.
But there’s more room than the Qashqai, with the second row seats split in a 60:40 formation that slides forward and backward to maximize legroom, prioritize trunk space, or take up more room You can People sitting in the third row.
That third row is ‘available’ for now, but could come standard on Irish market cars. Nissan says the seats are “designed to accommodate passengers up to 160 cm tall”. This one is really just for kids.Nissan claims the third row space is “the most generous in its segment.” The seats on the outside of the second row fold forward, making getting in and out a little easier.
With the third row of seats folded down, you get a spacious 585-liter trunk, but if you choose the five-passenger version, you can adjust the trunk floor.
The base version of this new X-Trail is available with a 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol-turbo engine developing 163hp and is offered exclusively in front-wheel drive with a CVT automatic gearbox. The mild-hybrid system slightly reduces CO2 emissions, makes the stop/start system more usable around town, and allows him to give a small boost of 6Nm of torque when accelerating.
Even more interesting is the e-Power partially electric system. Coming soon to the current Qashqai, it is effectively an electric car with a small battery that is constantly topped up by a petrol engine. There’s no option to plug into mains to charge, but Nissan has previously said the e-Power setup makes for a better electric/combustion compromise than his traditional plug-in hybrids.
Energy is supplied by a 1.5-liter petrol engine with variable compression, and the total system output via the electric motor is 204 hp. Nissan believes this will bring the smooth, instant acceleration of an EV, the convenience of a hybrid, and the (nearly) reduced CO2 emissions of his plug-in hybrid without having to actually plug it in. Using a battery rather than a plug-in hybrid helps keep overall weight down and improves interior packaging. This e-power unit replaces diesel power in the X-Trail line-up.
There are many neat touches to the e-Power, including what Nissan calls “linear tuning” of the engine. This makes sure the engine sounds like it’s running in a “natural” way, makes sure it’s revving at the right speed for road speeds, and makes sure that a conventional hybrid engine can handle under hard acceleration. It is intended to avoid the “rpm up” effect of It’s also said to be very sophisticated, with Nissan saying it has reduced interior noise by 8 decibels at 40km/h compared to its competitors.
The X-Trail e-Power will also be equipped with the e-Pedal step braking system developed by the second generation Nissan Leaf. This basically uses the mechanical drag of the electric motor to slow the car down, braking his X-Trail with just enough 0.2 g to turn on the brake lights, and reduce the speed to a “creeping” speed. slow down. Full stop. Nissan claims this will make urban driving more relaxed and EV-like.
There is also a two-motor four-wheel drive system called e-4orce, which has 213 horsepower and can sprint to 100 km/h in just 7.0 seconds. Due to the fact that the system uses two electric motors instead of driving the rear wheels from a petrol engine, there is no transmission hump in the cabin, freeing up extra legroom for passengers in the rear seats.
Will all this e-Power shenanigans affect Irish car drivers? Will we? We’ll start to find out in December, when the first X-Trails start rolling into Irish front yards.
