38 <strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong> Wednesday <strong>September</strong> <strong>27</strong> <strong>2023</strong> Nissan X-Trail a luxurious ground-breaker Motoring with Bob Nettleton NISSAN’S 4TH generation X-Trail is a groundbreaker. It’s the first sold here with hybrid technology and the first SUV produced under the joint Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Automotive Alliance. There’s a fair weight of expectation on this model compared to its three predecessors. It started life on the back foot with its Mitsubishi twin, the new generation Outlander, beating into the market by almost a year. It’s made the most of this generous head start handed to them by Nissan to become a huge sale success. This latest X-Trail is touted as Nissan’s most technologically advanced SUV and unique in the world of hybrids, by offering an EV-like drive experience without ever needing a plug or fast charger. Unlike conventional hybrids, Nissan’s e-POWER technology delivers a constant EV-like drive, thanks to the driven wheels being powered only by the electric motors. Both the exterior and interior of the new X-Trail are smart, modern and versatile. The exterior is highlighted by signature Nissan design elements such as the floating roof and V-motion grille – while a unique grille treatment applies to e-POWER models. The flagship $66,990 model Ti-L e-POWER with e-4ORCE, supplied for this road test, is the real luxury SUV deal, and it needs to be when its waving that hefty price tag under the noses of prospective buyers. It’s a figure that takes it perilously close to some similar sized Plug-in Hybrids, including its twin the Mitsubishi Outlander. In Ti-L form the X-Trail blitzes it when comes to luxury kit. Heading up an extensive list of owner-pampering creature comforts are a panoramic sunroof, tri-zone climate controlled air conditioning, heated steering wheel, 10-speaker sound system, and hands-free opening of the rear tailgate. Nissan is banking e-POWER with e-4ORCE propelling this latest X-Trial up the sales ladder with its high-output 2.1kWh battery, teamed with a turbopetrol engine, power generator, inverter and twin electric motors with a combined system output of 157kW. All very impressive but still headed off at the power post by the biggest selling Hybrid SUV, the Toyota RAV4, which musters 163kW. When it comes to frugal fuel consumption bragging rights, the RAV4 Hybrid gets its nose in front of the X-Trail’s claimed 6.1L/100km, with a claimed 5.3L/100km. Most hybrid systems use an electric motor and a petrol engine to drive their wheels. Nissan’s e-POWER does things differently with its wheels being powered exclusively by an electric motor. Thanks to the pure electric motor, there’s none of the power-delivery hesitancy associated with an internal combustion engine hybrid set-up. The electric motors and battery are kept charged by a 1.5-litre turbo-charged petrol engine, and the wheels are only driven by the electric motor. Thanks to the pure electric motor drive, there is none of the power lag of an internal combustion engine or traditional hybrid. The X-Trail’s EV Mode allows a near-silent EV-like drive experience at much higher speeds (up to 100km/h) than conventional hybrids. A drive mode selector provides the flexibility of five driving modes - Off-Road, Snow, Auto, Eco and Sport. The powerful dual e-motor system offers nippy acceleration, thanks to the addition of a rear motor, with a zero-100km/h time of just 7.0 seconds. The e-4ORCE twin-motor allwheel-drive system delivers reassuring traction and confident acceleration in all conditions in damp, muddy, icy and snowy conditions. It’s smoother and livelier to drive than most hybrids and its almost instant throttle response can be a bit addictive. It is about as close as you will get to full EV driving in a vehicle that isn’t EV, but does a darn good job of impersonating one. A new-generation Constant Variable Transmission (CVT) delivers better fuel economy thanks to improved ratio coverage. Several upgrades ensure a big step up from the lethargic and indifferent CVT used in the previous model. For a mid-sized SUV this one is roomier than most, with plenty of passenger and load space. A sizeable 575 litre boot has excellent floor length and all important width between wheel arches for bulkier loads. A higher resolution 12.3- inch display screen covers off navigation, entertainment and vehicle settings, and is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. A Head-Up Display projects key navigation, driver assistance and road information onto the windscreen and within the driver’s line of vision. Connectivity extends to all occupants with the console box now offering front and rear USB charging connections. Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility suite of active safety tech has greater capability. Standard functions include predictive forward collision warning, intelligent cruise control with traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning and rear auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection technology. An acoustic vehicle alerting system on e-POWER models lets other road users know an electrified vehicle is approaching, when the X-Trail is operating in near-silent EV Mode. The updated Macpherson Ratings out of 10: Performance 8; Handling 7; Build Quality 7; Comfort 7; Space 8; Styling, 8; Test consumption 5.8L/100km; Value for money 6; Safety – 5-star ANCAP crash rating. Overall points out of 10: 7.5 strut set-up at the front, and rear multi-link set-up, work better than ever in tandem with a new intelligent 4x4 system with direct coupling that reacts faster, allowing for the seamless transfer of power between axles for improved stability and traction. The advanced multi-link rear suspension excels when under siege from sudden direction changes, or different road cambers, and left me impressed with its management of poor and choppy road surfaces The suspension and steering establishes greater interactions between driver, vehicle and road which makes this vehicle a more enjoyable drive than any other X-Trail. It does a fine job of containing body-roll under brisk cornering, and isolating road noise and vibrations from the passenger compartment. This isn’t a serious off-road vehicle. If you are wanting that then you’ll need to look elsewhere. However, it’s perfect for powering it’s way up ski field access roads or reasonably well formed gravel tracks, but its average ground clearance makes excursions over more demanding terrain risky. DELIVERERS WANTED Get fit with part time work delivering newspapers and mailers into letterboxes. • Regular weekly work • No experience necessary • We are a locally owned company • It’s easy, we drop the newspapers/mailers to your door Email: deliveries@alliedpress.co.nz Include your name, address, email, phone number OR SCAN THE QR CODE TO APPLY
Wednesday <strong>September</strong> <strong>27</strong> <strong>2023</strong> <strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong> 39 ALL-NEW NISSAN LEAF from $42,975 +orc* after $7,015 rebate # *Offer available on New Zealand new Nissan LEAF ZE1LE03. Price pf $49,990 includes GST but excludes ORC (which includes initial 12 months registration, WOF and vehicle delivery). # $42,975 is indicative cost after claiming clean car rebate of $7,015 (to be claimed by eligible customers after purchase). Two tone paint colours are additional $600. CHRISTCHURCH NISSAN, 380 Moorhouse Avenue, Christchurch Ph: 03 595 6820 www.christchurchnissan.co.nz christchurchnissan.co.nz