By Malusi Msomi

The Nissan X-Trail is the second largest SUV sold by Nisan in South Africa and sits under the ginormous Patrol. The X-Trail is now in its fourth generation and with that comes new styling (inside and out), and new tech.

Outside the Japanese SUV now has a more modern design, with the front-end taking inspiration from the Nissan Qashqai and Juke. From the side it has muscular wheel arches at the front and rear give the X-Trail presence on the road. Nissan has chosen to be less adventurous at the rear keeping it pretty simple. The X-Trail is available in 10 colours as well.

Inside is completely new which Nissan says sets a new standard in the segment. You get a new 12.3-inch drivers display and an infotainment screen of the same size. Coming standard as a 5-seater, buyers have an option of a 7-seater model. Whether it’s the 5 seat or 7 seat configurations, the rear seats can be folded to avail more cargo space.

When it comes to powertrains the new X-Trail is powered by the brands e-Power system. The whole system is a bit complex. In the words of Nissan themselves, “The new X-Trail’s e-POWER system is comprised of a high-output battery and powertrain integrated with a variable compression ratio petrol engine, power generator, inverter and 150kW front electric motor. This unique powertrain means that power to the wheels comes only from an electric motor, which results in instant, linear response to the accelerator.

To meet the typical demands of European consumers and their daily drive, the e-POWER installation has been significantly upgraded for the new X-Trail. The application in the Japanese Note featured a 1.2 petrol engine charging the battery unit, with a final power output of 106hp. For Europe it has been upgraded to a 1.5-litre Variable Compression Ratio turbo petrol engine, with a final system power output of 150kW (204PS).”

For the European market, Nissan is offering the e-4ORCE which is powerful dual e-motor system that has a total output of 157kW (213PS) thanks to the rear 94kW motor which allows for a 0-100km/h sprint time in 7 seconds.