Test Nissan X-Trail e-POWER 2023: capable, comfortable and efficient

At the end of 2022, Nissan presented the fourth generation of its X-trail, whose first units began to be delivered at the beginning of 2023. Currently, it is the largest car, best finished and best equipped that the Japanese brand sells in our country, although it does not cease to be a Midsize SUV with the particularity that it can have up to seven seats. Available from 42.160 euros, which is a very competitive price in its category and in times of inflation. Offered with two versions and three power levels: a gasoline with light hybridization (MHEV), front-wheel drive and 163 CV and another non-plug-in hybrid (HEV) with 204 or 213 CV depending on whether it has one or two drive axles.

On this occasion, I have tried the second one, called e-POWER, with an all-wheel drive system, called e-4ORCE. Also, my unit had three rows of seats and the maximum technological endowment and possible comfort (Tekna+), so there is no more complete configuration of the model. Its acquisition cost is $56.510, although the new hybrid propulsion of Nissan (at least unique) is for sale from 44.460 euros in the X-Trail. For that money you get an "all-terrain" that, in addition to being spacious and generously equipped, is especially comfortable, relatively efficient and surprisingly capable off-road if it is a 4×4.

All the space and functionality you need in less than 4,7 meters

The 2023 Nissan X-Trail measures 4,68 meters in length, 1,84 wide and 1,71 high with a wheelbase of 2,71 meters. Although the wheelbase is a bit shorter than normal for a vehicle of this size For the purpose of improving the breakover angle (which is quite good, like the rest of its off-road dimensions), these are normal exterior dimensions for the market category in which it competes. Despite this, the manufacturer has done a very good job in terms of optimizing the cabin, especially in the rear, where headroom and legroom are plentiful without being best-in-class.

The latter allows to install a 22 cm movable bench which, if required, increases the capacity of the trunk or grants greater clearance to the occupants of the third row of seats in the versions with seven seats (the additional ones should not be used by adults unless they are short). As for the area for luggage transport, its standard volume is 575 liters, which is reduced to 485 in the X-Trail that can accommodate more people if only five backups are deployed. If you use all seven, you will only have 120 liters to load, at most, a couple of hand luggage. Enabling only the two front seats, the capacity is between 1.300 and 1.400 liters. The gate can be electric.

Qualities and technology much closer to luxury than to the "generalist"

Nissan is not a brand that, with few exceptions, stands out for a laudable degree of finishes. However, your new X-Trail It presents some materials and some adjustments between pieces of a remarkable quality and at the level of some of the "premium" manufacturers that lead this segment. We do not dare to say that it is a luxurious cabin, since there are elements that we would rarely see in more expensive and elegant SUVs, but its construction and its presentation are very good considering what the vehicle costs. Of course, it is closer to the pompous than to the simple. In addition, it demonstrates having remarkable sound insulation (not outstanding) and an intelligent and ergonomic control layout He maintains many physical controls.

With regard to equipment, the model range has been structured into four trim levels. From the worst to the best endowed, they are scaled in this order: Acenta, N-Connect, Tekna and Tekna+. The basic one, which cannot be combined with the entry-level MHEV engine or the 204 hp e-POWER, The most important active safety assistants are already standard, rear parking sensors with rear view camera, LED headlights, ISOFIX anchorages in all seats in the second row, five driving modes, keyless access and start, dual zone climate control, two screens (8” touch multimedia and 7” instrumentation) with wireless mobile link, fabric upholstery, 18” wheels, etc. exist several options with extra cost and many customization possibilities.

ECO label, 213 CV and 4×4: hybrid with great performance and low consumption

Being the only one I have analyzed, I will focus this part of the test on the e-POWER propulsion system, which is one of the strangest and most complex I've tried from a technical point of view. Without delving into superfluous details and that most users will not know how to appreciate, it is a non-plug-in hybrid mechanics consisting of a gasoline engine with changing compression ratio and whose function is to generate electrical current to charge a small battery that, in turn, powers the motor (4×2, single front) or the electric motors (4×4, one per axle) responsible for the drive vehicle. That is, this SUV moves thanks to the chemical energy of the fuel, but its movement is constantly electrical.

The previous imbroglio translates into efficiency (no more than that of an equivalent diesel), in obtaining the eco label of the DGT and in a high driving pleasure, because a lot is achieved softness and immediacy in response. The maximum combined power in the version with the e-4ORCE system is 213 CV, but what is most surprising is the torque: up to 525 Nm. Thanks to these figures, the X-Trail in its most performance configuration can accelerate from 0 to 100 km / h in 7 seconds and reach a top speed of 180 km/h, which is electronically limited. It's a plausible performance for an SUV of almost 2 tons in running order that is not intended to convey sportsmanship. Its combined WLTP consumption is 6,5 l/100 km. I have achieved 8,1 in about 500 km.

Driving impressions: a wannabe SUV

If SUVs are already considered by a large part of consumers as the "definitive cars" that are worth almost everything, this is even more so. Nissan has solved in a commendable way the challenge it was facing with the new generation of its X-Trail, a vehicle that had to incorporate disruptive propulsion technology, but that could not be out of tune either in performance or in interior qualities or behavior dynamic against their most pompous rivals, eminently Korean and Japanese, but also European. Not only is it an "all-terrain" with a excellent compromise between comfort and agility, but it proves to be more efficient and safer than most when you go off-roading.

It is not that the countryside is the natural environment for this car, since its structure and chassis are more similar to those of a car than to those of an SUV, but the truth is that performs very well on steep floors and surfaces with little grip thanks to a non-permanent all-wheel drive system that, although it has no physical connection between the axles (neither transmission bar nor differential), works with great precision. My unit had tires with optimized grip and M+S marking, which facilitated progress in difficult circumstances and increased the perception of driving a product designed for adventure.. This pleasant “off road” experience is rounded off by a magnanimous distance between floor and body (21 cm), as well as wide angles of attack and departure.

in any other situation (this is driving on paved roads), the X-Trail is smooth and noble. Due to its weight, does not allow very aggressive driving, but when it is mistreated it does not make it difficult to maintain the trajectory. Once a certain limit is exceeded and even by activating the sport profile on the selector wheel on the center console, the electronic aids stop the driver's abuse, preventing him from fighting with the steering wheel. It is not a car that invites to run, If not the opposite. The steering is as soft and its feel is as adulterated as usual in a family-oriented SUV. In return, the tuning of the suspension, which has a lot of quality, is balanced, although it puts comfort a little more above stability. Filters irregularities well and avoids excessive swinging.

I especially liked the accessibility of the cabin in its rear area, where the doors can be opened at 90º. Also the level of visibility offered, something that has been achieved by studying the width and inclination of the pillars, the glass surface and the panoramic, virtual and overhead view of the vehicle from the infotainment screen (12,3” in advanced trims). Likewise, I greatly appreciate the one-pedal drive function and that, despite its size, it is an SUV easy to maneuver in urban environments. Finally, The front seats have been comfortable and suitable for traveling many kilometers without feeling fatigue. At night, the headlights illuminate great and help delay the onset of fatigue.

Nissan X-Trail e-POWER 2023 prices: a more than successful purchase

don't look, because you won't find a cheaper SUV with these features. In April 2023, which is when this article was written, only the Nissan X-Trail e-POWER can have, among the entire Spanish automobile market, an HEV propulsion system with more than 200 CV, in addition to opting for traction integral and seven seats, in a medium format (less than 4,7 meters long) and for less than 45.000 euros. The unit that I have been able to examine, top of the range, costs 56.510 euros and even so it is around 3.000 euros more affordable than a Toyota Highlander basic, a conceptually similar car, although it is much larger, but not more luxurious or better equipped. Here is the entire price list:

Some alternatives, more or less direct, that could reduce sales to the X-Trail with e-POWER technology are the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions of the Hyundai Santa Fe, the KIA Sorrento, the SEAT Tarraco and the Mazda CX-60. The last two cannot have three rows of seats. Sooner rather than later, the complete update of Honda CR-V which is already marketed, for example, in the United States, although it is also probably a more expensive product. Of course, its measurements are very similar to those of the Nissan in question, whose purchase I consider more than successful.

Conclusion: so complete that it seems cheap to me. Well done, Nissan!

Apart from some sporty model, Nissan's products during the last decade have never caught my attention and those that I have been able to drive have tasted little to me. But the 2023 X-Trail has changed everything, including my overall perception of the brand and its positioning in my mind. It is a round SUV and ideal for a large family, but looking for compactness: spacious, practical, versatile, comfortable, efficient, affordable and well made.. The conception of ePOWE systemR, despite being rare, It convinces me and it doesn't stumble with the ease of use that the average user demands, since it does not require adaptation despite being something very different, almost unprecedented. I only regret that, for some unknown reason, seven seats cannot be ordered in the HEV version with front-wheel drive.