The Nissan X-Trail has been around since 2000 globally.
The Nissan X-Trail has been around since 2000 globally. This was Nissan’s first Crossover SUV. Nissan got it into India in 2005 and in fact the X-Trail was the very first model to be sold here by the Japanese giant. Sold as a CBU, the X-Trail was one of the better 4×4 Premium SUVs then.
Nissan showcased the latest generation of the X-Trail at the 2016 Auto Expo recently. They got the Hybrid version of this SUV which would be launched in the Indian market later this year. If the question is… ‘Why Hybrid’? Then the answer would be… partly because the Delhi Government is banning Diesel engines above 2000cc, so the car makers are either downsizing their engines or shifting to Petrol engines. Nissan is doing something different by getting the Hybrid version, which would return fuel efficiency of the Diesel, yet Go Green. Along with the Nissan GT-R that we drove at the BIC race track, we also got an exclusive chance to drive the X-Trail Hybrid on the same day. Read on to know the very first drive of what would be the first Hybrid SUV for India when launched.
2016 Nissan X-Trail Hybrid Exteriors:
The outgoing X-Trail was a good looker when launched, but with time it looked dated, boxy and flat. The latest generation looks extremely trendy and well-proportioned. The new shape looks well in time and has just the right amount of muscularity in its styling. The front end is primarily styled with the Nissan family V- style grille, surrounded by a honeycomb mesh-styled grille, flushed angular headlights with LED DRLs and projector beams in it, along with the neatly sculpted and muscular looking front bumper.
Fog lamps come with black housing and chrome surround inserts around them. The lower front end gets a wide air dam along with a skid plate styled in chrome. The bonnet gets a pair of soft crease design lines on the extreme outer sides that flow backwards towards the windshield. The sides get a soft creased waistline that flows towards the tail section of the SUV. Wheel arches get a touch of unpainted fiber inserts, and so does the lower section of the doors and the running board. This enhances the off road capability and look of the SUV.
The 5 multi-spoke alloy in silver looks neat and suits the overall character of this machine. The Nissan X-Trail Hybrid comes with made in Japan Dunlop STBO 225/60R100 tubeless tyres. The wing mirrors also get the soft and round design language and come with integrated LED turn lights on them. The door handles get the chrome treatment along with key less entry. There is a thin chrome garnish that runs around the window line along with the blacked out window pillars. The quarter glass looks neat as it is placed at an angle and has a nice edgy cut to it along with the chrome garnish. The roof rails come in silver finish and the radio antenna in black is placed on the rear part of the roof top.
The rear section gets a set of crystal finish, neat-looking tail lamps flushed in the body along with a pressed area on the center of the boot lid reserved for the license plate with a neat-looking chrome strip on it. The boot lid comes with a body colored spoiler with air dams in glossy black next to the rear windshield. The rear bumper is low slung extending the loading area into the boot. The lower section of the boot is unpainted to go with the overall looks of the sides and the front. Overall the Nissan X-Trail Hybrid is a smart-looking SUV, extremely fresh and sporty. With the CBU units built in Japan, the quality and fit finish is very good. And yes, it has a lot of road presence.
2016 Nissan X-Trail Hybrid Interiors:
Just like the fresh-looking exteriors, the interior of the Nissan X-Trail Hybrid also gets trendy and sparklingly fresh. The cabin is in an all-black color theme and the dash gets a multi-layered styled dashboard. The instrument cluster is a round twin pod affair with a LCD display screen in the middle. This is where you see the actual Hybrid work detail (Energy Flow) and also come to know on what power the car is running at that time.
The steering is a 3-spoke design one with silver inserts and multi-function buttons placed on it. The center dash comes with an infotainment system that can play CD, Radio, AUX, USB, Bluetooth connectivity etc. The X-Trail comes with a dual zone climate control in it. The seats get all black leather upholstery while the driver’s seat can be fully adjusted electrically. The front and the rear seats offer good levels of comfort and are well-cushioned.
The boot lid can be opened and closed electrically at a press of a button which is a convenient and much needed feature, the boot can also be opened by just waving your hand under the sensor while having the key remote on you. The overall boot capacity is of 550-liters, which can be further increased when needed, by folding down the rear seats. Overall quality on the cabin is good, the quality of plastics and switches, door pads, seats, dash is excellent and there is tons of place all around for storage etc.
2016 Nissan X-Trail Hybrid Engine, Drive and Transmission:
The Nissan X-Trail Hybrid comes powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine that makes 144PS of power and has 200Nm of torque on it. Being a hybrid you also have an electric motor complementing this Petrol engine. This Electric motor is powered by a Lithium-ion battery that on its own makes 40.8PS of power and has 160Nm of torque on tap. It’s a combination of both the Petrol engine and the Electric motor that together or one by one power the X-Trail, depending on the throttle response and the need. The transmission on this SUV is a CVT type unit with tiptronic drive mode also being available.
On the move, the 144PS + 40.8PS power work together to surge ahead this SUV with sheer pace. Power delivery is good and the engine feels very responsive. It is only when you see the MID display on the instrument cluster that you see what is driving you, engine or the motor. When you need extra power at times, both the units work together to give out maximum power. The CVT shifter has the inherent rubber band effect, but the engine power delivery overshadows it.
Drive with a light foot and the petrol engine shuts off, while the battery unit now takes full control saving lots of fuel. Once the battery charge level goes down, the petrol engine comes to life to power the car, and also charge up the battery… all this while being on the move. While braking too, the battery gets charged. The drive quality is excellent, very typical Nissan and feels very silent.
The suspension is tuned very nicely to absorb all the bad roads and speed breakers with utmost ease. The steering feels nicely weighted and tuned more on the lighter side. The feedback on the steering builds up as the speed increases. The brakes are good with just the right amount of sting on them. Overall, the Nissan X-Trail Hybrid has an excellent and comfortable drive on offer.
2016 Nissan X-Trail Hybrid Verdict:
Nissan plans to launch the X-Trail Hybrid later this year. This will be India’s first Hybrid SUV. This is a very well-built product which would be a full import from Japan so expect it to be priced slightly higher as compared to the rivals of the segment the Hyundai Santa Fe and Honda CR-V. We expect Nissan to price the X-Trail Hybrid between Rs. 35-40 lakhs being a CBU Hybrid.
2016 Nissan X-Trail Hybrid Photo Gallery:
Pics: Ritesh Madhok
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