Nissan X-TRAIL T32

In the past, when you want a crossover worthy enough to do the jobs you are facing on such as going for work, fetch kids to school, and whatever's on your schedule, you would always go for the Nissan X-TRAIL because while it may not be the flashiest crossover in the market but it's still a worthy contender. Back when the second-generation model was launched years ago, it looked nearly the same as the first generation model so the confusion sparks in but still looks as tough as a bantamweight boxer. But now, Nissan went back to the drawing board and regenerate the X-TRAIL into something...hmmm...

2014 Nissan X-TRAIL

Well, this is it, the all-new Nissan X-TRAIL T32, the third-generation of Nissan's mid-size crossover that competes with the likes of the Toyota Harrier, Subaru Forester, Mazda CX-5, and the Honda CR-V. It looks kinda bizarre because for this new generation, its machismo-laden design has been thrown away and redrawn into something more...unibody-ish and more...hatchback-ish. I don't know but the new model doesn't look as tough as it used to be. The front looks like it came from a Juke while the back looks suspiciously familiar to the Mitsubishi M_nt_r_ Sp_rt and overall, it's becoming more of a softroader rather than a offroader. What else?

2014 Nissan X-TRAIL interior

On the inside, the new X-TRAIL doesn't look chunky anymore and it's now looking pretty interesting for the new model. The dashboard looks like it came from next year's Teana J33 while the seating's not so bad. Not only you can have the five-seater model but for the first time in this generation, the new X-TRAIL now offers seats for seven people, meaning that if you have a family, this is the X-TRAIL for you and it's so much you can do to take care of you because with seats for the whole family, there's still enough room for your luggage because of its best-in-class max cargo of about 39.3 cubic feet with the seats up. There's even a class-exclusive divide-and-hide cargo system to make your luggages as organized as an office space. Now that's clever science.

If I have a drawback, however, it's the third-row seats because not only because it adds weight to the new model, the legroom's a bit small, meaning the kids in the back will have a hard time squeezing their legs without disturbing ate or kuya. Take note, if you have teenagers in the second-row, this could get really messy.

2014 Nissan X-TRAIL

For the new model, Nissan wanted to focus more on fuel economy and nothing else so for the new X-TRAIL, it now comes with the MR20DD engine lifted from the Nissan Serena C26. The MR20DD engine, complete with idling stop system, is direct-injected. It produces about 147PS of power, 10 more than the previous model's MR20DE engine, and with the XTRONIC CVT gearbox, fuel economy is a best-in-class 16.4km/L calculated in JC08 Mode standards. If you're going to ask what is the fuel economy of this car, here's your answer. Remember; for Japanese cars, fuel economy is measured in JC08 Mode standards. The More You Know so put this in your heads and never forget.

On the CVT issue, it's even more responsive and positive-feeling than the outgoing model because what the new X-TRAIL has is Nissan's next-generation XTRONIC CVT and for this next-generation XTRONIC CVT, it has 7.0 of ratio coverage, 15% fuel efficient, and 40% less friction, making this more responsive than the regular mass-market CVTs.

For 4WD models, the new X-TRAIL still comes with ALL MODE 4x4-i, which constantly optimizes torque to all four wheels for stability on snowy and other slippery surfaces. It has Uphill Start Support, which controls the brakes to avoid rolling backwards when you start off on the hill, and Downhill Drive Support, which controls the brakes to avoid getting too much speed when going downhill.

The new X-TRAIL comes with the world's first Active Ride Control and how does Active Ride Control works? Stop yabbering and watch this clip...



Active Ride Control works by autonomously adopting the brakes and adjusting the engine's torque to help smooth the impact. If you bump into a speed bump or a pothole or something a bit...well, bumpy, this new feature helps you stay composed and comfortable. It feels like nothing happened when you get through a bumpy situation. Aside from the Active Ride Control, it also comes with the world's first Active Engine Braking, which adjusts the engine's torque to slow down while enhancing control and stopping confidence.

2014 Nissan X-TRAIL

In terms of safety, the new X-TRAIL still focuses on the theme of technology and for the new model, new features are added for the first time in a Nissan vehicle such as the EMERGENCY BRAKE and the NO-ENTRY SIGN DETECTION. Well, you know how the EMERGENCY BRAKE works like, right? But in case if there are new to the scene, let me tell you about this feature; it uses sensors to detect an incoming collision and when it goes bee-do, bee-do, bee-do...it brakes automatically but not at all. NO-ENTRY SIGN DETECTION...well, when it detects a sign that says NO ENTRY, it warns the driver with a notification. Wait, what? I already know what a NO ENTRY sign is! Why would they put such a feature that we all know?

Anyway, there are tons of safety support features available on the new X-TRAIL such as the Around View Monitor, the new Intelligent Parking Assist where it lets the car park by itself, Blind Spot Warning, and a feature that detects drowsy drivers.

And now for the verdict. What can I say about the new model? Well, the things I like about the new X-TRAIL is the new CVT's getting more responsive than the old X-TRAIL CVT of yesteryears, it's got seven seats for the first time, it's still made for those who are in their hectic schedules, it's now fuel efficient than the old model, and overall, it gets even more interesting for us. Things I don't like about it is the third-row seats' legroom looks too small, the looks aren't that tough for a crossover, and of course, there's going to be a hybrid version coming next year. Oh dear...

Prices start from 2,249,100 to 2,597,700 Japanese Yen including destination and delivery charges.

Available colors: Brilliant White Pearl, Brilliant Silver Metallic, Dark Metal Grey Metallic, Diamond Black Pearl, Burning Red, Titanium Khaki Pearl Metallic, and Steel Blue Metallic.

Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.