SA Road Tests

Welcome

This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Most, but not all, the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

My most recent drive is on the home page. Archived reviews and opinion pieces are in the active menu down the left side. Hover your cursor over a heading or manufacturer's name and follow the drop-down.


It’s back to basics with Nissan’s 2015 X-Trail 2.0 XE 4x2 five-seater

Quicker and comfier

Posted: 13 February 2015

Updated: 17 November 2015

The cheat sheet
Price: R327 700
Engine: 1997 cc, chain driven DOHC, 16-valve, four-cylinder
Power: 106 kW at 5200 rpm
Torque: 200 Nm at 4400 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 11.1 seconds
Maximum speed: 183 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 9.4 l/100 km
Tank: 60 litres
Luggage: 550 – 1405 litres                                                                                                           Ground clearance: 209 mm
Braked towing capacity: 1500 kg
Approach / departure / breakover angles: 17.5 / 25.0 / 18.8 degrees
Warranty: 6 years/150 000 km: with roadside assistance
Service plan: 5 years/90 000 km; at 15 000 km intervals

Owing to a misunderstanding over bookings, we were sent a second example of this same vehicle in November 2015. Having already written up the XE diesel as well, we had run out of things to say, so we have just added its off-road specs and a couple of impressions:

The local Nissan X-Trail range has been trimmed to five: A petrol-driven, two-litre, 4x2 six-speed manual in XE trim; a 2.5-litre petrol burning SE with CVT and All-Mode 4x4i; and three 1.6-litre diesels – a 4x2 XE and 4x4s in SE or LE trim. All three diesels use manual ‘boxes. Both XEs and the petrol SE can be specified with five or seven seats, so that makes eight models if you’re pedantic.

Our test unit was a 2.0-litre XE with five seats. Because it’s essentially the same, apart from motive power, as the diesel XE we drove last November, we’ll just concentrate on details that altered with the 2014 model year update.

Apart from dimensional changes and outer appearance that owes more to Qashqai and Juke than to Pathfinder, the 1997 cc MR20DE engine was given direct injection and dual, constantly variable, valve timing and renamed MR20DD. Power and torque increased slightly to 106 kW and 200 Nm; up from 102 kW and 198 Nm, but the biggest bonus was in significantly reduced carbon dioxide emissions. There were some additions to original equipment, and both warranty and service plan were extended.

Beginning with size, the new car is 5 mm longer, 30 mm wider and 80 mm lower on a wheelbase extended by 75 mm. It now measures 4640 x 1820 x 1710 and the axles are 2705 millimetres apart. Despite squatting lower, headroom doesn’t seem to be affected and it stands six mm higher off the ground. Although the fuel tank now holds five litres less, cargo volume grew by 71 litres. Besides granting more interior space, the longer wheelbase is good for comfort.

Allow us to expand a little on what we wrote about rear space in the diesel version’s review: As for interior space, the tall rear-seat passenger declared himself satisfied. Headspace was generous, knee room with the cushions pushed all the way back was almost like being in a limo and foot accommodation under the completely lowered driver’s chair was more than one usually gets. The seats are split in the usual 2/3:1/3 configuration, each section can adjust fore- and aft through about two hand-widths and the backrests are adjustable.

The back rest angles adjust through four distinct clicks and the fold-down armrest with its pair of cup holders goes all the way through to form a loading slot. The seat backs could therefore be described as folding 40:20:40, although the “20” portion slides with the left seat cushion through its approximately four inches of adjustment travel.

Expanding on the “almost like being in a limo” comment, we would go as far as to suggest that, if we were ever to try to popularise SUVs as bridal cars, we would lead the campaign with this one. When it comes to space for big, lacy bridal gowns with petticoats, this car has most fancy sedans licked. The load through would be perfect for keeping Pappy’s squirrel rifle close to hand too. Kidding: Times have changed of course.

Comfort-wise, the X-Trail is at least as comfortable over dirt roads as most sedans (and more so than some), so it would be good for getting to and from the country chapel style of all-in-one wedding venue that’s so popular nowadays. Just saying – not trying to start a trend – no sir, not at all.

As for O/E toys, this basic level offers cruise control, hill start assistance, onboard computer, heated and cooled front cup holders, additional air vents for rear seat passengers and a couple of electronic handling aids that weren’t there before. These are Active Ride Control that monitors the road surface to detect undulations which could potentially upset body equilibrium and alters damping to compensate, and Active Trace Control that monitors speed, steering angle, throttle position and braking effort; then brakes wheels individually, as required, to reduce understeer and assist in negotiating a safer path through bends. It works well on slippery roads.

Available for XE models is a Design Pack with 18” alloy wheels and brushed-metal finish roof rails. If you want a Techno Pack with satnav, 7” touch screen, Nissan Connect with smart phone integration, a surround view monitor, lane departure and blind spot warnings, moving object detection and warmed door mirrors, you will have to spring for an SE or LE to begin with.

Because this is a big, square bus with limited rearward vision, we would have liked parking beepers and a back-up camera as standard equipment, but these could be added quite reasonably by an aftermarket specialist.

Scanning through old and new specifications it appears that final drive gearing and most intermediate ratios were shortened. This would explain its slightly quicker zero to 100 km/h time and the fact that the engine felt more responsive at higher speeds than one might have expected. It turned over at 3100 rpm for 120 km/h in sixth and pulled well in upper gears on inclines.

Summary:
Ample space – Yes
Comfortable – Yes
Acceptable cargo volume – Yes
Acceptable fuel economy – Yes
Usable performance – Yes
Standard features – Acceptable
Quality of materials, fit and finish – Good
Would be nice –A reversing alarm and possibly a camera.                                       Comment: No fireworks; but a good, solid and comfortable daily driver.


Test car from Nissan SA press fleet

To read more about this cars standard features, read about the diesel version here

Our report on the 2013 Nissan X-Trail 2.0 cDi 4x4 is here

What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.
Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material. If I ever place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with that vehicle at least once already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. As quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so they can see I do actually exist.

Comments?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you thoroughly disagree with what I say? If you have a genuine concern, I will be happy to hear from you. All I ask is that you write something in the subject line so I know which vehicle you're talking about.