Nissan X-TRAIL 2019 Review

The X-TRAIL used to be a chunky, rugged-looking mean machine, with more angles than the Pythagoras theorem. Today it's a different story. The X-TRAIL's iconic blocky shoulders have been rounded off and it now blends into the pack with an inoffensively modern aesthetic.

Less about exploring the great outdoors and more about getting the kids to school, the present-day Nissan X-TRAIL isn't particularly exciting in any respects.

Some owners will wax lyrical about the vehicle's commodious interior and bulletproof engine, which in hindsight are two pretty handy elements to have on your side. Especially when you're about to embark on a 1200km journey around the enchanting island nation that is Japan.

Driving in Japan is a good place to start if you've never driven overseas, for two reasons. Firstly, vehicles drive on the same side of the road as in Australia and, secondly, the Japanese are very courteous drivers.

I'm talking waaaaaay more forgiving than the average self-obsessed Aussie who won't let another person merge in because it will add three seconds to their journey.

If you're looking at driving overseas, you'll need a couple of things first. An open mind, a couple of retinas in working condition and an international driver's license.

After collecting the X-TRAIL, fitting the baby seat and loading our luggage, it was time to head north-west from Tokyo to Hakuba.

The drive to Hakuba, a rapidly-growing snow sports town, was about 260km which should've taken around four hours according to Google maps… but with an infant you can dial that up to about 23 hours with all the nappy changes and feeding stops. Only joshing, it's about 20 hours.

Given the length of the trip we were in no hurry, so I decided to drive the Nissan X-TRAIL like my mum – slowly and smoothly – in order to conserve fuel and take in the sights.

Spoiler alert! After the complete 1200km two-week journey (including a fair whack of mountain driving) I finished up with impressive fuel consumption of 7.0L/100km. There's a few reasons for the low mileage, but more on that later.

Most highways have a maximum speed of 80km/h but I reckon a third of local motorists seemed to blast along at about 120km/h, slowing down only for the occasional speed camera.

I'd recommend a pre-paid wireless ETC (electronic toll collection) card so you whizz through the unmanned toll booths. But another essential is cash. The roadside eateries selling ramen noodles and katsudon usually only take cash.

Deciphering the complex vending-machine style input systems can be interesting and fun (mystery dish anyone?) but there are usually pictures to help.

Driving around the alpine regions at the tail end of winter can be cold work, but the X-TRAIL's heated seats were a Godsend.

The back of the X-TRAIL swallowed snowboard and skiing gear easily and although the drive to the Hakuba 47 resort was short, it paid to switch the all-mode 4WD system to auto, in case the front wheels slipped and needed to transfer power to the rear on steeper roads.

The Japanese-spec Nissan X-TRAIL on test was almost identical to Aussie versions, this one equivalent to a mid-spec jobbie.

But there's one major difference – the inclusion of a switchable LCD camera-fed interior mirror.

When you're wife decides to sit in the middle seat in the back (and has big boofy hair) the latter becomes very useful.

Over the entire trip I found the LCD mirror to be better than the regular glass mirror because it has a wider field of view. It also works well at night, able to reduce headlight dazzle. Carlos, if you're listening from prison, this feature needs to come to Aussie models!

After three days of fresh powder snow and bluebird skiing, we headed 50km east to check out the Zenko-ji temple, its gardens and historical surrounds.

Built in the seventh century and located near Nagano, home of the 1998 Winter Olympics, the Buddhist temples take on a momentous quality on the cold March morning. The chanting of monks and beating of drums gives the place a mystical feel that stokes my appetite.

Round the corner we find a place with hand-cut soba noodles. Score! They were amazing. In fact, all the food in Japan was excellent. Even the onigiri from 7 Eleven stores. The hardest part is settling on one dish.

Back on the road after lunch, the Nissan SUV's cruising attributes come to the fore. Large seats – front and rear – make long hours in the saddle comfortable and pleasant, but it's the small touches like the super-soft padding on the door's elbow rest which improve cabin comfort for the driver.

Achieving record fuel economy figures was never going to be easy with a 1500kg brick like this, but the CVT was a pretty handy partner, ticking over at just 1200rpm at 80km/h on the freeway. The only time I really wound up the wick was on downhill sections.

Pumping out 126kW and 226Nm, the car's 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine is not exactly a fire-cracker but its ability to return impression fuel economy numbers is a positive.

The car had driven more than 800km on the first (60-litre) tank, thanks to some astute hyper-miling. Gently uphill, no over-revving and keeping the eyes up to monitor traffic in the distance.

Driving to Takayama was equal parts painful and captivating. Roughly half of the journey was on 40 and 50km/h signposted roads (possibly due to a map malfunction).

Either way, the lack of highways would be infuriating enough make you sell the car and buy an annual Shinkansen pass!

Luckily I had managed to pair the Bluetooth audio by this stage (my understanding of Japanese is poor) so we had the dulcet tones of Dr Karl Kruszelnicki to keep us company.

The stop-start nature of the driving proved a good test for the adaptive cruise control which was smooth and relatively prompt in keeping the same distance between the numerous micro utes and kei cars that pepper the Japanese landscape.

We stopped for a quick photo op at Matsumoto castle, it's snow-dusted tiered roof an incredible sight, and then the drive got interesting. In fact, it was the most intense drive of the entire excursion.

Getting to Takayama, a city nestled into the mountains and home to striking traditional wooden merchant houses, involves a drive through a mountainous pass that would make world-class Hobbits give up and go home.

As the road climbed higher, the temperature dropped from eight to zero degrees centigrade in about as many minutes. Snow began to cover everything except for the azure blue lakes and colossal dams.

After traversing more tunnels than a rabbit warren, emerging from the gloom into the snowy mountain scape made it an incredible 90 minutes in the car.

This particular SUV didn’t have heated side mirrors but here's a little tip – fold them in for half a minute and the airflow usually defogs them.

Having a 4WD lock mode was pretty handy (I'm glad I didn't opt for the 370Z!) and the Nissan X-TRAIL felt a lot more secure given the falling snow.

The engine lacks a bit of low-end grunt and it feels soulless at times. But to its credit – on a road with more twists and turns than a Dan Brown novel – the steering was light and direct.

It's the kind of SUV that even on sketchy snow-covered roads feel confident and predictable, which is good when the snow begins to really belt down and you've got precious cargo on board.

Finally in Takayama, the super narrow streets made navigation a little dicey here and there but the 360-degree camera gadget (or Intelligent Around-View Monitor with Moving Object Detection in Nissan parlance) came in very handy.

For the record, Takayama is a wonderful place to stay. Great onsens (nude baths), amazing street food, local markets and delectable sake were memorable.

Traditional accommodation was also a highlight, sleeping on futons and sitting on tatami mats while wearing traditional yukata gowns.

Descending gradually on the raised freeways beyond the provincial and agricultural regions of the Gifu prefecture was a great place to test out the Nissan X-TRAIL's active lane-keep assistance system.

It lasts around 15 seconds with hands off and is OK hands-free, but works best by keeping your hands lightly on the wheel. It helped take the stress out of the longer boring stints, allowing you to focus on conversation.

Then it's there, looming, iconic, unmissable. Mount Fuji.

Seeing it for the first time, roughly 60km away, made my heart rate increase. It's almost as if Japan's tallest peak emanates metaphysical power.

At almost 3.8km tall, Fuji-san is everywhere.

Stopped at a 7 Eleven carpark, it's there. Fuelling up for the first time, it's there. Changing a nappy at a roadhouse that sells amazing ramen, it's there.

It's not hard to see why it has inspired countless generations of Japanese to great feats.

Over the next few days we drove around the massive mountain, checking out the lakes, going on hikes to the snowline and of course bathing away the day's adventure in incredible onsens.

Visiting the stunning Shiraito Falls was another highlight, the force of the falls felt physically as well as heard and seen.

After more than a week on the road the journey has to end and one of the world's biggest megacities seems like a good place to conclude. That and the fact the car has to be returned.

Staying in Shinjuku not far from the crazy red-light district of Kabuchiko – a must see! – our room is tiny compared to the massive dwellings in country Japan.

After sampling takoyaki (octopus balls) and okonomiyaki (savoury pancake), and getting fresh sushi from the Tsukiji fish markets for lunch, it’s clear Japan is an awesome place to tour by car, thanks to the people, the culture, the food and, most of all, the courtesy and respect of road users.

As we wave goodbye to the X-TRAIL, it’s quickly apparent that walking long distances is a pain when you have a tiny person strapped to you, which made me reflect on what a great job the X-TRAIL did.

Its massive boot swallowed everything we threw at it, the four-cylinder petrol engine and automatic CVT delivered adequate response and the four-wheel drive system (and heated seats) came in handy when venturing further north.

It's certainly not a class-leading mid-sized SUV these days, but the option of seven seats, sensible packaging, loads of handy storage cubbies and a robust powertrain are some of the reasons why it outsells the Subaru Forester and Honda CR-V in Australia.

If only that LCD mirror camera doodad was available in Aussie models.

How much does the 2019 Nissan X-TRAIL ST-L cost?
Price: $38,700 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 126kW/226Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable (CVT)
Fuel: 7.0L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 192g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP (2017)