Review: Nissan X-Trail 1.6 DIG-T

Nissan’s revised SUV shows petrol can work as a decent alternative to diesel
1/13
Rob Adams|Autocar28 September 2017

It’s good times for the Nissan X-Trail right now. Sales have trebled since this new one was introduced in 2014, and to continue the momentum, a facelifted model is now available in the UK.

It’s sharper on the outside, you can get a new Lamborghini-esque bright orange paint colour and, inside, it’s fancier and better-equipped. Nissan’s even treated the 50 percent of buyers who choose top-spec Tekna trim to Bose speakers, adaptive headlights and heated seats both front and rear.

There’s self-driving tech too. Nissan ProPilot is an adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping system that, promises the firm, will keep the X-Trail within its lane and rolling along with traffic at higher speeds with reduced input from the driver. It’s a tentative first step towards autonomous functionality.

You can get the X-Trail either with front- or four-wheel drive, and we’ve already experienced the 1.6-litre dCi and 2.0-litre dCi diesels overseas. For its UK debut, time to try out the petrol alternative, the 161bhp 1.6-litre DiG-T turbo.

Perhaps inevitably, it proves not as flexible. The 2.0-litre diesel has far more pulling power, so generally feels like it’s got more in reserve. But the petrol is quieter and smoother, albeit also a bit bland. If you’re a city-bound driver, you might well prefer it – and with an average of 46mpg compared to the 2.0-litre dCi’s 50mpg, won’t be penalized too badly for choosing it.

As with other versions, the X-Trail is a solid drive, with a comfortable ride and decent higher-speed stability. It cruises well and should rouse little cause for complaint. Off-road, the diesels are best, as you can get them with four-wheel drive; soft-roading will be a breeze, particularly if you lock the driveline in 4x4 mode.

The petrol, however, is only available with front-wheel drive, and thus inspires less confidence off-road. It loses grip where the all-drive diesels plough on; you don’t notice much difference on road but when you get off it, the reason why you need all-wheel drive becomes clear.

The revisions, overall, will undoubtedly help further enhance the success being enjoyed by the Nissan X-Trail right now. It’s capable, rugged enough and effortless to drive. Refinement and driving engagement could still be better, but the balance is still a strong one. Let the good times continue.

Nissan X-Trail 1.6 DIG-T Tekna

Price £31,350
Engine 1618cc, turbocharged petrol
Power 161bhp at 4000rpm
Torque 177lb ft at 2000-4000rpm
Gearbox 6-spd manual
Kerbweight 1570kg
Top speed 124mph
0-62mph 9.7sec
Fuel economy 44.1mpg
CO2 rating 149g/km

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

MORE ABOUT