The refreshed 2018 Nissan X-TRAIL has been launched in the Middle East and is now available with a range of upgrades both on the outside and the inside. Does it matter? Well, Nissan has sold over 835,000 units worldwide in FY16, possibly making X-TRAIL the highest-selling SUV and you may want to consider one while looking out for a convenient city crossover.
Price
The new Nissan X-TRAIL 2018, will have a price ranging between $23,800 to $24,200 i.e. AED 87,000 to AED 88,500 for the 2WD models and $27,800 to $35,200 i.e. AED 102,000 to AED 129,000 for the 4WD models in the region.
Aesthetic Improvements
The new 2018 Nissan X-TRAIL is characterized by a wider ‘V-motion’ grille – it is echoed in the design of the bumper beneath. The visible black plastic gets a smart new gloss black finish. The full LED lamps – perhaps a first for the segment – has greater illumination and a wider high beam. The new rectangular front fog lamps – previously round – have been integrated into the new front bumper. The rear bumper is new too and now has chrome detailing. The rear lamp signature is now full LED. The other change being the addition of a chrome side moulding across the base of the doors.
The rim’s width has been widened – from 34mm to 37.5mm – to provide better grip and there is satin silver detailing on the central spoke which echoes the shape of the car’s iconic ‘V-motion’ front grille.
Six of the existing exterior colours have been carried over and five new shades have been added – Orange, Palatial Ruby, Gold Beige, Blue Pearl and Dark Brown.
Enhanced Practicality
The new 2018 Nissan X-TRAIL can be had as a five or seven-seat crossover. It has been designed to deliver best-in-class front head room and has Nissan’s fatigue-reducing Zero Gravity front seats. There’s a 2nd row that slides and reclines, providing Easy Flex Seating, so you can adjust for maximum leg room or cargo space. The boot’s- VDA capacity is up from 550 litres to 565 litres on the five-seat version. Capacity on seven-seat interiors (445 litres) remains unchanged. Total space with all seats folded flat increases to 1,996 litres. The new Nissan’s innovative Flexible Luggage Board System, which allows for shelves and dividers to be adjusted in any one of nine configurations. These include a hidden compartments. Then there is the Nissan Motion Activated Liftgate – just kick under the rear bumper to open.
Improved Interior Refinement
The refreshed 2018 Nissan X-TRAIL has a new flat-bottom steering wheel which is 17% larger. Tan leather upholstery that’s standard on SL-grade. Other models get leather or cloth in beige or black. They’ve added new leather knee pad on both sides of the centre console. The air vents now feature a new gloss black surface and overall, the new Nissan X-TRAIL has a wider range of interior door trims to distinguish different grades. The central armrest storage area has been redesigned. CVT XTronic automatic models get a restyled gear selector with a new leather-style gaiter.
Depending on the grade chosen, features include an opening panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery, privacy glass, dual-zone automatic air-conditioning and roof rails. A wide range of genuine Nissan accessories are available including, load carrier, cross bars, front and rear under covers, bumper kick plate, dog guard, roof bars, and a fixed tow-bar with electric hook-up.
New Technology
Intelligent Rear View Mirror gives new Nissan X-TRAIL drivers enhanced visibility with a built-in LCD monitor displaying images from a camera mounted on the rear of the vehicle. Change from mirror to display can be done via a simple switch. Nissan’s Front Collision Warning system and Intelligent Emergency Braking (I-EB) can sense the speed and proximity to the vehicle ahead, and warns the driver if needed to slow down or apply brakes if needed. The Auto Hold Switch, which holds the crossover in a stationary position for up to two minutes and works on hills whether facing up or down. It also allows reduces fatigue.
Intelligent Around View Mirror gives drivers a virtual 360° bird’s-eye view of their vehicle, with selectable split-screen close-ups of the front, rear, and curbside views. Moving Object Detection keeps an eye around and can warn driver’s about moving objects detected in the vicinity. The Blind Spot Warning system detects another vehicle in the blind spot area and an indicator appears in the driver’s or front passenger’s door pillar and on the available Advanced Drive-Assist® Display. Then, if the turn signal is on, the indicator flashes with a warning chime.
Engine & Drivetrain
The refreshed 2018 Nissan X-TRAIL comes with the same 24 valive 16-valve 2.5-litre that makes 169 HP at 6,000 rpm and 233 Nm at 4,000 rpm.
The X-TRAIL also comes with an Intelligent 4×4 system capable of adapting to changing conditions. Sand, rain-covered pavement or tight turn, the system automatically sends power to the wheels that need it most. It also gets Intelligent Engine Braking is a system that uses the CVT transmission to apply engine braking while slowing. Intelligent Trace Control can brake each wheel individually to help the driver steer through the turn better and Intelligent Ride Control smooth road bumps by automatically applying braking and adjusting engine torque. We have seen this on the Kicks, but don’t really know useful it is. Hill Start Assist (HAS) is also available.
The new X-Trail gets better audio system featuring two tweeters at the base of the windscreen, a woofer in each front door and a mid-range speaker in each rear door. In addition, the system allows you to connect to Facebook & Google at the press of a button and Bluetooth for audio streaming. The new shark fin antenna improved the overall AM/FM reception.
As standard comes with two airbags, plus side curtain airbags on SL models, driver assistance systems including anti-lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution and stability control. Other standard equipment includes cruise control with speed limiter, Bluetooth connectivity, dual climate control and alloy wheels.
