I drove the Nissan X-Trail 2.5 L Tekna this morning, and was mightily impressed indeed. The X-Trail is a good looking SUV, and is one of the more popular models from Nissan. This one was from the Mark White Nissan dealership, and was Orange in colour. Not one of my chosen favourites, I must say that it photographed particularly well. This SUV is family oriented, and can be turned into a proper 7-seater. This obviously reduces boot space, but that is what trailers are for. It has room for your dogs, as that boot really is large, and a special attachment for the older or more rotund canines is available for them to waddle up to the boot.

Exterior.

The outside is dominated by the new V motion grille & bumper, with the revised headlights and signature daytime running lights. The Tekna has 19 inch alloys which really look great in side profile.

The fog lights in front are great and the rear has LED boomerang taillights. The rear bumper looks very integrated. And the aluminium roof rails give it the rakish look it needs. It is a 5-door, and the boot opens electronically from the key.

Interior.

The Tekna is the top of the range, and features a double sliding roof, with sun-roof as well. Leather seats and quite a bit of soft touch materials abound in the side doors and dash area. Built in nav is there, and a veritable array of knobs and buttons for control are situated either on the sporty steering wheel, or close to hand. There is a new gloss black trim with metallic accents. Seats are ultra-comfortable, with electric control switches.

I liked the high ride position, and it gives maximum visibility. Space in the front and rear is ample, and certainly not cramped at all. Thanks to the X-Trail’s flexible seating system, the second row is as plush as can be. The 60/40 split seat slides forward for easy access and adjusts to provide more cargo space as well as more legroom. The seats also recline. The third row provides additional versatility and folds down completely to make a flat cargo floor.

Nissan Approved Accessories are designed to make your family adventures bigger and more enjoyable, enabling you to take all the essential gear for a memorable getaway. These accessories include weather shields, a tow bar, hard wearing rubber floor mats, a bonnet protector, headlamp protectors, boot storage bags and more.

Being a consummate crossover, the X-Trail has intuitive 4×4 drive capabilities which make it ultra-responsive and adaptable in all conditions.

Technology.

The X-Tail comes with cutting edge technology, modern design, superb safety, phenomenal 4×4 capabilities & premium features. Some of the Intelligent Mobility features are:

Intelligent Blind Spot Intervention – alerts the driver to the presence of vehicles in blind spots diagonally behind the car.

Intelligent Lane Intervention – alerts the driver when it detects that the X-Trail is straying from its lane.

Intelligent Cross Traffic Alert – when backing out of a parking space, this feature can detect and warn the driver of vehicles that are approaching behind the X-Trail.

Intelligent Emergency Braking – uses radar technology to keep an eye on your speed and proximity to the vehicle in front of you, and will alert the driver before engaging the brakes.

Intelligent Forward Collision Warning – helps alert drivers of an impending collision with a slower moving or stationary car.

Intelligent Auto Headlights – automatically changes between high and low beams when it detects oncoming vehicles at night.

Intelligent Around View Monitor – with moving object detection – a support technology that assists drivers to park more easily by providing a better understanding of the vehicle’s surroundings.

Engine.

The X-Trail comes with a 2.5 L petrol engine with 126kw of power and 233 Nm of torque. It has an auto CVT gearbox that is surprisingly smooth, and doesn’t hunt and whine unnecessarily. Fuel economy is claimed 8.3l/100km on the open road, but we got more than this, probably closer to 9,8l It has a 60 L tank and should get you 740 km far.

Safety is Euro Ncap 5

I really enjoyed the run to Harties and back, and it’s certainly a car for the open road, with all of its space and comfort. So pop into Mark White Nissan situated adjacent to the Fourways mall in Princess Crossing for a test drive. They appear to have a special going currently at R475 000.00

The new Nissan X-Trail comes with Nissan’s class-leading 6-year/150,000km warranty, a 3-year/90,000km service plan and 24-hour roadside assist.