Nissan X-TRAIL Ti 2021 Review

Not only was the Nissan X-TRAIL the biggest seller in the brand’s line-up in 2020, it was also the fourth most popular entrant in the mid-size SUV segment, outsold only by the Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5 and dominant Toyota RAV4.

It was a sterling effort – even if sales were down 27 per cent year-on-year – considering the third-generation X-TRAIL has been around since 2014 and is up against much newer opposition.

In fact 2021 will be its final full year on sale in Australia before the arrival of new generation already revealed in America, where it is known as the Rogue.

In an understandable attempt to maintain interest in its most popular model, Nissan Australia has rolled out a model year 2021 update.

Don’t get too excited though. There’s not much here to familiarise yourself with.

The fundamentals stay the same. There are three four-cylinder engine choices (2.0-litre petrol and diesel and 2.5 petrol), manual six-speed and CVT automatic transmissions, front- and all-wheel drive and five- or seven-seat layouts.

Nissan has reduced the range from seven to four models – ST, TS, ST-L and Ti stay, while N-SPORT, N-TREK and TL go. Pricing ranges from $30,665 to $45,965 plus on-road costs, which means rises of a few hundred dollars across the board.

And what gets added for those few hundred bucks? Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, new-generation infotainment systems with a 7.0-inch touch-screen, a digital radio (for entry-level ST and TS) and an intelligent driver alert (for ST-L and Ti).

Here we’re testing the flagship Ti, which comes standard with the larger 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, CVT transmission, all-wheel drive and five seats.

Exclusive equipment includes adaptive cruise control, Bose eight-speaker audio system, a powered sunroof, 19-inch alloy wheels, a motion-activated power tailgate and adaptive and auto-levelling LED headlights.

With the ST-L it shares leather-accented seats, powered and heated front seats (it exclusively gets heated rear seats), dual-zone climate control, satellite navigation and roof rails. Making their way up from ST/TS are features such as intelligent key with push-button start.

A temporary spare tyre is standard across all grades, as is a foot-operated parking brake, reminding us the X-TRAIL has been around for a while.

The 2021 Nissan X-TRAIL is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and five years’ roadside assistance. Service intervals are 12 months or a short 10,000km. Capped-price servicing adds up to $2049 over 60,000km for the Ti.

The intelligent driver alert is the only safety addition for the 2021 Nissan X-TRAIL.

It monitors input patterns during a period of driving to establish a baseline. After comparing subsequent driving characteristics relative to that reference point, the vehicle is able to detect and alert the driver when it recommends the time has come to take a break.

All Nissan X-TRAIL models also come with six airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), three top tethers and two ISOFIX points in the second row, forward collision warning and hill start assist, while AWD models add hill descent control.

ST-L and Ti get a 360-degree camera, moving object detection, blind spot warning and rear cross traffic alert. The Ti alone has lane departure warning.

The X-TRAIL has the maximum ANCAP five-star rating, with a 2017 date stamp.

Mechanically and technically the 2021 Nissan X-TRAIL is unchanged.

The Ti’s QR25DE 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine is a familiar unit that’s been powering X-TRAIL in one form or another since the boxy original appeared in 2001.

It is aluminium, has dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing and a steel timing chain. It runs on standard 91RON unleaded petrol, makes 126kW of power at 6000rpm and 226Nm of torque at 4400rpm. Those peaks are at high revs, reflecting the naturally-aspirated – rather than low-blow turbo – set-up.

Average claimed fuel consumption for the Ti – remembering it comes standard as a continuously variable auto and with all-wheel drive – is 8.3L/100km. That’s a number we were able to replicate, although our testing week included some long freeway runs.

The X-TRAIL is underpinned by the Nissan/Renault alliance’s CMF (Common Module Family) monocoque architecture and independent front and rear suspension. It has electric assist power steering and four-wheel ventilated disc brakes aided by ABS and a limited-slip differential.

The all-wheel drive system runs in three modes. In 2WD it propels the front wheels, only engaging the rear wheels when slip is detected. In Auto the system shuttles drive fore and aft as appropriate. In Lock, the centre clutch splits torque 50:50 front to rear to negotiate more challenging territory.

But let’s be clear, this is a light-duty system. The standard X-TRAIL lacks the ground clearance at 210mm, the low-range gearing and proper tyres to go bush bashing.

Nissan also spruiks three features that it says improve driving performance; intelligent engine brake, ride control and trace control are designed to use engine torque, engine braking and the real brakes to aid ride, cornering and deceleration.

The X-TRAIL measures up at 4690mm long, 1820mm wide, 1740mm high and has a 2705mm wheelbase. The tare weight of the Ti is given as 1562kg and it has a 1500kg braked towing capacity.

By comparison, the Toyota RAV4 is 4600mm long, 1865mm wide, 1685mm high and has a 2690mm wheelbase. The AWD RAV4 Edge 2.5-litre model weighs in at 1705kg and has the same 1500kg braked towing capacity.

The 2021 Nissan X-TRAIL is named as if it’s an off-roader and styled as such, but the reality is it does its best work on the urban beat.

It rides with a soft edge that makes it appropriate for suburban streets and speeds. Its steering is low-effort, which means parking and tight spaces are more easily negotiated.

The rear seat triple splits, slides fore and aft, reclines and provides an ample amount of room for adults, let alone kids.

The boot offers 565 litres of space including some handy under-floor storage bins with lids that can be stacked to create shelving.

Speaking of storage, the X-TRAIL has plenty of it in both seating rows including door bins (big up front), a lidded centre console and dual seat-back pockets. There are also adjustable air vents back there.

Fold the rear seat down and luggage space expands to 945 litres. That doesn’t sound too impressive but it’s enough to accommodate a large mountain bike without having to pull out the front wheel.

So that’s all good. But the X-TRAIL Ti starts to fray when the driving demands are a bit more substantial. At open-road speeds the damping is unable to cope with repeated inputs and the ride becomes jittery. The soft set-up produces lots of cornering roll and the steering is, erm, indistinct.

We did venture onto some gravel roads and there were no issues exposed by the loose surface. We ran in Auto mode and simply let the AWD system do its thing.

The peaky nature of engine power and torque means the engine can be slow to get going. Add the CVT’s tendency to hold revs when accelerating – as opposed to the ebb and flow of a torque-converter auto – and the engine became a bit too obvious in its efforts, overcoming the Ti’s otherwise effective sound-deadening.

Those efforts are, let’s say, pedestrian. It will get you where you want to go and do it quite efficiently. Response is not a strong suit and the CVT’s manual steps seem a waste of time.

As we’ve previously noted, the X-TRAIL Ti is well equipped. The leather seats are sizeable and supportive and the seating position high. The steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake and the controls – new and old – all seem to work appropriately.

The infotainment screen is new to the 2021 Nissan X-TRAIL but the graphics looks familiar from other Nissans. Even now they look a bit old-fashioned. But hey, the addition of CarPlay and Android Auto is good – and overdue, frankly.

One thing definitely out of date was how the sat-nav warned we were about to drive on to an unsurfaced road. Not true in almost every case. Update needed.

While the 2021 Nissan X-TRAIL Ti is the flagship of the line-up, we’d recommend shopping down the range a bit if you are interested in this model.

The primary asset of the X-TRAIL is its space and that’s available in every model. And don’t forget some cheaper versions also have seven seats. The Ti’s trinkets are nice but unnecessary; the same can be said of all-wheel drive.

Considering it’s in its dotage, the 2021 Nissan X-TRAIL is hanging in pretty well. There are better mid-size SUVs out there – we’ve proved that time and again in various comparison tests – but the X-TRAIL still has its merits.

It’s also worth pointing out there are decent run-out drive-away offers already.

Add it all up and the X-TRAIL may not be what you want, but it could be just what you need.

How much does the 2021 Nissan X-TRAIL Ti cost?
Price: $45,965 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 126kW/226Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 8.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 192g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)

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