New Nissan X-Trail will get hybrid powertrain from Qashqai

• 12.3-inch infotainment
• Hybrid-only in the UK
• Prices and specs due in late 2022

After nearly 10 years on sale, Nissan has finally got around to releasing a new version of the X-Trail. Now in its fourth generation, the Nissan X-Trail sits on the same hybrid underpinnings as the smaller Nissan Qashqai and boasts a bolder design, plus updated technology.

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For now the new X-Trail has only been launched in Japan; however, we can expect to see the new car make its UK debut by the end of 2022. Nissan is yet to reveal UK pricing for the new car, but based on rivals such as the Hyundai Santa Fe and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, we expect the X-Trail to start from around £35,000.

2022 Nissan X-Trail: design and exterior

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The seven-seat Nissan X-Trail will take back its position at the top of Nissan’s SUV line-up, so it’s unsurpring it takes several design cues from the latest iteration of the Qashqai; the X-Trail gets that car’s distinctive split headlight design which runs into the brand’s signature ‘V-Motion’ trapezoidal grille.

Looking at the design overall, however, the X-Trail is much chunkier than its Qashqai sibling. There is more-prominent plastic body cladding along the wheel arches to give the car a wider and tougher look, plus the taller, flatter roofline is something more akin to a dedicated 4x4 rather than a family crossover.

Interior & technology

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The interior of the fourth-generation Nissan X-Trail represents a huge upgrade over the outgoing model. Overall, the new X-Trail’s interior appears a lot more modern and premium than the car it replaces, with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system mounted on the dashboard, surrounded by plush leatherette trim. This is bolstered by another 12.3-inch display in the form of a digital instrument cluster; both screens are configurable to show information relevant to the driver such as media, navigation and engine instrumentation.

Higher-spec versions of the X-Trail are set to be fitted with Nissan’s full ProPilot suite of assistance systems. This includes features such as adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, traffic jam assist, automatic high beams and traffic-sign recognition. 

As before, the Nissan X-Trail will be offered as a seven-seater. However, thanks to the new CMF-C underpinnings, it has been designed to simultaneously house a hybrid powertrain as well. In the front row, the driver and passenger will be pampered by Nissan’s ‘Zero Gravity’ seats, which are designed to enhance comfort on longer journeys. These can be specified in Nappa leather or a water-repellant “Cell-Cloth’.

Engines and powertrains

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The new Nissan X-Trail will only be offered as a self-charging hybrid in the UK; at this stage, Nissan has revealed no plans to sell a standard petrol or diesel model. The X-Trail’s hybrid setup consists of a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, mated to a small battery and electric motor; combined, these produce 184bhp. 

Although Nissan remains tight-lipped when it comes to performance and fuel economy figures, we expect the X-Trail to get from 0-62mph in around nine seconds. Nissan claims the new car will drive much like a full EV thanks to the instant power from the electric motor, plus the brand’s new e-Pedal driving system. This, much like in a fully-electric car, uses the regenerative effect of the electric motor when coasting to recharge the batteries and slow the car down – therefore, one-pedal driving should be possible in the X-Trail.

Like before, the X-Trail will be available with either front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. The latter setup debuts another new system called e-4ORCE which offers several different off-road driving modes and increased capability thanks, once again, to the added torque from the electric motor.

What does this mean for car buyers?

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The third-generation of X-Trail already felt outdated years before it was discontinued in 2021, so this new model is well overdue. Thanks to its hybrid powertrain, the X-Trail should appeal to those wanting to save money on running costs over petrol-powered rivals such as the Skoda Kodiaq. Yet, it is worth noting that the new car will cost significantly more than the outgoing model and the lack of a plug-in hybrid variant means the new X-Trail will have limited appeal to company car drivers.

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