Nissan X-Trail SUV: economical and better built

Price: £22,995 - £30,995

Pros: Economical diesel engine, seven-seat option, well-built interior

Cons: Big wheels spoil ride, just one engine option, Honda CR-V more frugal

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4.2/5, Car Buyer "The new Nissan X-Trail is the latest SUV to be launched by

Nissan

. It looks very similar to the new Nissan Qashqai, but it's slightly bigger to accommodate an optional extra pair of seats in the boot. Unlike the old model, the new X-Trail is a modern SUV that focuses on offering decent road-going manners rather than significant off-road ability. It feels just like a normal big hatchback to drive, and, while it's not much fun, it's perfectly competent in corners, as there's plenty of grip and minimal body lean. Clever electronics mean the X-Trail also rides well at speed, although bumps can disturb the passengers at low speeds. An obvious weak point in the X-Trail is that there's only one engine – a 1.6-litre diesel that's slow and noisy under acceleration. It settles down at a cruise, though, and should be cheap to run thanks to fuel economy of up to 57.6mpg. It's a well equipped

car

, too – even if you go for the most basic Visia model, you get electric windows, cruise control and a Bluetooth phone connection."

4/5, Auto Express "The Nissan X-Trail has ditched its predecessor's upright styling and mud-plugging focus and followed the lead of the road-biased Qashqai crossover. It looks much more sophisticated, has a far higher-quality cabin that can be crammed with technology, and it's one of the most spacious cars in its class.”

4.0/5, Honest John "The Nissan X-Trail has always been an old-school SUV with a boxy shape and a big 2.0-litre diesel engine. But now Nissan has ditched that approach with the latest model, which has an altogether more modern, crossover appearance much improved refinement and a mightily impressive 1.6-litre diesel.”