Nissan X-Trail long-term test

The Car Nissan X-Trail Tekna+ e-4ORCE Run by Jonty Renk, senior videographer

Why it’s here To prove that you can still buy an SUV that is both sporty and utilitarian

Needs to Offer a versatile and practical space for camera gear and triathlon equipment, be more frugal than a petrol-engined SUV and carry up to seven people comfortably.

Mileage 1208 List price £48,095 Target Price £43,317 Price as tested £50,240 Official economy 42.8mpg Test economy 39.5mpg  Options fitted Two-tone champagne silver with black metallic roof (£1145), seven seats (£1000)

11th October 2024 – Putting the U in SUV

Back in 2007, at my friend’s 10th birthday party, his Dad drove us all to the SnowDome in Milton Keynes in his brand new Nissan X-Trail; six 10-year olds and one Dad all piled into the car and off we went, with me in the third row.

Being the first rearmost seat I ever sat in, I’ve had a soft spot for the X-Trail ever since. I remember looking forwards from the back, seeing the front row somewhere in the distance, and thinking “how could a car be this big?”. Well, 17 years later I now lead a lifestyle that really is suited to a big cars.

You see, not only am I a senior videographer for the What Car? YouTube channel, which requires me to transport all my filming gear and often many people, but also in my spare time I need a car that can carry a bike and act as a changing room when parked in a field for a triathlon. When it came to choosing my next company car, then, the latest Nissan X-Trail was an obvious choice – but which version would suit me best?

I've opted for a high-end Tekna+ model, which comes fully loaded with 19in alloys, roof rails, heated leather seats, a heated steering wheel and windscreen, a Bose sound system and, importantly, privacy glass – to conceal my camera gear, and my decency when getting into a wet suit or some running shorts.

Having decided on my trim, it was now time to choose the engine. There’s a choice of a mild hybrid setup or Nissan’s so-called e-Power option.

The latter is essentially a full hybrid, but it seems a particularly interesting blend of the petrol and electric worlds, because the car's 1.5-litre petrol engine never directly powers the car, but is rather used to keep the battery topped up. On the face of it, the official fuel consumption is better than the mild hybrid alternative, and while it costs more as a cash buy, it’s in a lower BIK tax bracket for company car buyers. So that’s what I went for.

Next was a toss-up between two- or four-wheel drive. This turned out to be an easy choice, because I definitely wanted seven seats, and those are the only models available with four-wheel drive. And to be honest, when parking up in slippery, muddy fields for various triathlon events I’ll probably be grateful for the extra traction.

The extra two seats add £1000 to X-Trail's total cost, but I wanted them no only to relive the third row experience of my younger years, but because I can genuinely foresee them for trips with the extended family and for ferrying around the wider What Car? team on big video shoots.

All that remained was a handful of options to examine. The interior colour scheme was a choice between black and tan (I stuck with black), I kept the standard 19in wheels rather than spending £430 on bigger ones, and I have unapologetically chosen two-tone Champagne Silver paintwork with a black metallic roof for £1145, despite already being told by folks at the office that I look like a showoff.

Having already done a few miles in my X-Trail, I can tell that we are going to get along. The seats are incredibly comfortable while being almost infinitely adjustable too. This leads to a commanding driving position with great all-round visibility, making driving around town and on the motorway a calming and relaxing experience despite the car's rather large footprint.

Even with all seven seats popped up, I am surprised by how much I can fit behind the third row, but with them folded into the floor and the second row slid forward I have acres room for all my triathlon kit – including my bicycle. 

Up front, the software integrated into infotainment screen and driver displays is very intuitive and easy to learn, while physical buttons are a refreshing change from everything being controlled by touch or voice, as it is in some of the Nissan's rivals.

I am excited to get to know my new car even more as a city cruiser, motorway muncher and mobile office. In a competitive market surrounded by the higher priced and bigger Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento, I think my X-Trail has more appeal not just from a value point of view but, with the e-Power system, perhaps running costs too – only time will tell.

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