Nissan X-Path e-Energy overview 2023

Make and model: Nissan X-Trail
Description: Large seven-seat SUV
Price range: £32,030 to £47,155 (plus options)

Nissan says: “Muscular and modern design with advanced technology”

We say: The new Nissan X-Trail is a worthy family five- or seven-seat SUV that’s much nicer to driver than your average hybrid.

Introduction

Here we have the fourth-generation Nissan X-Trail.

Like similar vehicles (Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V), the X-Trail has evolved considerably from fairly agricultural origins to become a large family SUV with seating for up to seven people.

The model we’re reviewing here is the e-Power hybrid version. Except that it’s not really a hybrid. It’s more of a petrol-powered electric car. Confused? Read on…

What is it?

The Nissan X-Trail is a large SUV that sits above the Qashqai and is the largest model in the current Nissan line-up. It’s available with either five seats or seven, with the optional third row seats folding down flat when you don’t need them.

Unlike the Qashqai, the X-Trail isn’t built in the UK and is imported from Japan. Nissan had originally pledged to build it here, but later changed its mind (using Brexit as a bit of an excuse).

Customers get a choice of three powertrains, which are:

• 1.5-litre petrol engine with mild hybrid assistance
• e-Power 2WD single motor
• e-Power 4WD (called e-4orce) twin motor

Each powertrain is available with a choice of five trim levels – Visia, Acenta Premium, N-Connecta, Tekna and Tekna+ – which seems about a couple too many to me, but Nissan presumably knows what it’s doing.

Who is this car aimed at?

The new Nissan X-Trail is aimed directly at middle-class families who need more room than is available in a Qashqai or similar-size vehicle. Like most family SUVs, it gives all the right signals about being able to go anywhere, anytime, with all your lifestyle gear – even though we all know that the farthest it’s likely to venture from the tarmac is onto a gravel path to the average family-friendly campsite.

It will also attract buyers who want seven seats but can’t afford a Land Rover Discovery, or want a family SUV with at least some attempt at eco credentials.

Who won’t like it?

Badge snobs who won’t even consider it because it’s not from a premium German label, or anyone suspicious of Nissan’s unique interpretation of a petrol-electric hybrid motor.

First impressions

Like the previous model, the new Nissan X-Trail is based on its smaller sibling, the Qashqai. But while the last model looked like a slightly larger Qashqai, this time around Nissan has put more effort into distinguishing the X-Trail. It’s a more rugged-looking vehicle harking back to the squared-off styling of the original X-Trail from 20 years ago.

Step inside, however, and the new X-Trail is nothing like the creaky plastic cabins of the original generation. It’s every inch the modern family SUV, blending familiar cues from the Qashqai with inspiration from the all-electric Ariya.

Space is good in pretty much every direction – with the usual exception of the third-row seats, if you order them, which are best suited to kids on shorter journeys.

We like: Interior is both comfortable and functional
We don’t like: More trim levels than really necessary?

What do you get for your money?

Once we’ve got the first impressions out of the way, it’s time to look a bit harder at exactly what you’re getting for your money with the Nissan X-Trail.

The range kicks off with the Visia 1.5-litre petrol engine for £32K. Looking at the spec levels, this certainly appears to be a price-leader model and not one you’d really want to buy. Going up to Acenta Premium for an extra £1,700 brings a useful bump in equipment levels, such as a proper central infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a reversing camera, front parking sensors, and dual-zone air-conditioning.

As with a lot of models, the N-Connecta spec is probably the sweet spot of the range. Starting at £36.5K, you get a fully digital instrument panel, larger central infotainment screen, 360-degree cameras (helpful for manoeuvring a large SUV around shopping centre car parks…), privacy glass to keep the kids in the back shaded, and a few other assorted bits and pieces.

Tekna and Tekna+ models add a decent amount of extra kit, but prices are starting at £40K and £42.5K respectively so they’re a fair chunk more expensive than the headline starting price. If you’re coming out of a premium-brand SUV when buying a Nissan X-Trail, you may appreciate some of the extra luxuries, so balance the payments against what you need and want.

Tekna gets ‘synthetic leather’ (vinyl?) seats, a panoramic roof, semi-autonomous driving assistant, head-up display, wireless charging, power tailgate and larger 19-inch alloy wheels. The top-spec Tekna+ model goes even bigger with 20-inch wheels, as well as a Bose stereo and quilted leather seats from actual cows.

Once you’ve decided on your trim level, you need to pick your powertrain. All the prices above are for the 1.5-litre petrol engine, which comes with mild hybrid assistance for mild fuel economy improvements.

Step up to Nissan’s clever e-Power hybrid unit and it will cost you about £3,500 more. If you want the more powerful e-Power unit with all-wheel drive (with the painfully awful name of e-4orce), that’s a further £2,200 above the regular e-Power option. Adding the extra two rear seats is also a £2,200 extra.

We like: Sensible progression from practical features to luxurious extras as you move up the range
We don’t like: Entry-level model seems little more than a price-leader

What’s the Nissan X-Trail like inside?

At the European launch, all the cars were Tekna+ models so they gave a good first impression. But let’s look at things in more detail.

The front seats are comfortable, with decent headroom and legroom. Visibility is decent in most directions. There’s plenty of space and the overall ambience is better than the smaller Qashqai, if not as luxurious as the all-electric Ariya. Various storage spots are dotted around the cabin so everything can stay tidy, and clearly some thought has gone into how the car is likely to be used – for example, the centre console lid opens to both sides so it’s easy for both front and middle-row passengers to access. A small detail, but intelligent.

The middle row seats are also pretty comfortable, with enough space for a fully-grown adult to sit behind a fully-grown adult driver. Because this is an electrically driven car, there’s no need for a tunnel running through the middle of the car, which provides more legroom in the middle row (especially if you’re in the centre seat).

This row slides fore and aft by 22cm so you can allocate more or less legroom depending on whether there’s anyone in the rear seats. There are also nice touches like built-in sunshades on the door windows.

Like most seven-seaters, the optional rear row is very much a kids-only affair. Anyone who has reached their teenage years will find it uncomfortable for anything more than a very short journey.

The bootspace is a decent 575 litres, assuming you don’t have the third row seats or they’re folded down. You’ll find a few estate cars and SUVs with moore boot space, but it will be enough for most households.

We like: Interior is a big improvement, and combines touchscreen with actual buttons for crucial controls
We don’t like: Third-row seats are really only suitable for kids

What’s under the bonnet?

This is where things get interesting, and differ from any other version of a hybrid car.

The X-Trail e-Power system, whether in two-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive ‘e4orce’ format, uses an electric motor to drive the car. So it’s an EV, right? Well, sort of…

The X-Trail also carries a 1.5-litre petrol engine. So it’s a hybrid, then? Yes and no.

The petrol engine exists purely as a generator and is not connected to the wheels in any way. It converts petrol into electricity, which is sent either to a small battery or directly to the electric motor depending on how urgently its needed.

Basically, the Nissan X-Trail e-Power is a petrol-powered EV. That might sound ridiculous, but it works well and provides a better driving experience than most hybrid cars, which use both a petrol engine and an electric motor at different times.

The e-Power system is simpler in operation than a conventional hybrid. Rather than having a petrol engine and an electric motor that work in parallel (one or time or both together), the e-Power system works in series – the petrol engine charges the electric motor, which drives the car.

This means there’s no chopping and changing between the two power units, so you get the smooth, powerful feeling of an electric car all the time. The petrol engine is less intrusive when it switches on and off because it’s not connected to the wheels, which means less noise and vibration.

If you have the optional all-wheel-drive version, there’s an additional electric motor at the back to drive the rear wheels when extra grip is needed. In most circumstances, it won’t feel any different to the front-wheel-drive version, but it can help maintain traction in slippery conditions.

The X-Trail e-Power isn’ not necessarily’t really any more fuel efficient than a normal hybrid car, but the driving experience feels a lot more refined than most regular hybrids or plug-in hybrids.

We like: e-Power is a smarter way of blending petrol and electric power than traditional hybrids
We don’t like: Fuel economy is not as good as you might hope

What’s it like to drive?

A large, seven-seat family SUV is never going to set pulses racing with its driving dynamics. Nevertheless, the X-Trail feels controlled and well-balanced in normal day-to-day driving.

Like most modern cars, there’s no particular feeling through the steering wheel, but the X-Trail responds well to changes of direction without wallowing around like a lot of large SUVs. It feels like it’s at least a size smaller than it is, which gives the driver confidence that it will go exactly where it’s pointed rather than somewhere in the general direction.

Acceleration is probably better described as brisk rather than blistering; it’s perfectly adequate for most driving, but with the whole family on board you’ll have to think carefully before pulling out to overtake.

The ride is generally pretty comfortable most of the time, despite our high-spec Tekna+ models coming with large 20-inch wheels. Cheaper models come with smaller wheels (18-inch on entry-level Visia and mid-spec N-Connecta, 19-inch on Tekna), which will provide a bit more comfort, especially on rougher roads. If you regularly venture away from tarmac, the smaller wheels will also tend to give better impact absorption to reduce your chance of punctures.

Our driving was in late autumn and didn’t require the services of the all-wheel-drive set-up apart from on a dedicated off-road experience stage, so you’d be hard pressed to know that the rear wheels were doing anything most of the time. On icy winter roads, however, the extra traction may well come in handy.

We like: Smooth, quiet, refined, EV driving experience
We don’t like: Performance is adequate rather than amazing

How safe is it?

The latest Nissan X-Trail was awarded a top five-star safety rating by Euro NCAP in November 2022. It has an excellent set of scores all round, which compare very favourably with anything else at any price.

Most of its scores are shared with the smaller Qashqai, since the X-Trail is structurally an extension of its smaller sibling. Some additional tests were conducted where the two vehicles differ.

All models get the full suite of usual safety features, while the Tekna and Tekna+ also get Nissan’s Pro Pilot assisted driving system, which combines advanced cruise control with active lane-keeping to provide semi-autonomous on roads with clear lane markings.

Summary

The fourth-generation Nissan X-Trail is a significant step forward from its predecessor in most ways, especially in terms of passenger comfort. But the most noticeable evolution is Nissan’s unique petrol-electric e-Power drivetrain.

The e-Power system produces a car that drives like an electric vehicle (which it is) but is powered by a petrol engine, meaning that you fill it up with petrol every few hundred miles like any normal petrol car.

Best of both worlds? Well, it’s more like a halfway house between a petrol car and an electric one. It is more fuel efficient than a normal petrol car, with economy that is similar to a regular hybrid SUV. But the driving experience is much better than a hybrid SUV, with the petrol engine kept firmly in the background rather than fighting with the electric motor to decide who’s in charge all the time.

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