First-Drive: 2023 Nissan X-Trail in the UAE
The new fourth-generation 2023 Nissan X-Trail has been completely refreshed and was recently launched in the UAE and the rest of the GCC. The new model has a bolder design and features lots of new technology and safety features. Starting at just AED 99,900, it is positioned as an urban crossover in a very competitive compact segment. Like its predecessor, the fourth-generation trims come with a 7-seater option as well. It follows Nissan’s new design language, which we have seen already on the new Pathfinder that was released last year.
Nissan X-Trail off-road capabilities
Arabian Automobiles by AW Rostamani Group had organised a mini-adventure across Dubai for the automotive media crew to showcase various features of the new X-Trail. We were asked to push the car in sandy conditions to test its off-road capabilities. We switched it to “off-road mode” and were pleasantly surprised at how well it handled the soft sand, albeit mostly flat conditions. There were a few times we had to put more throttle, but we pretty much powered through the mini off-road course.
The fact we didn’t even deflate the tyres indicates it can handle even tougher conditions, but at the end of the day, the car is geared more towards the tarmac. We would recommend staying on the flat planes and not going over big sand dunes due to the limited ground clearance and lack of a proper skid plate.
Ride Comfort & Handling
Even though the fourth generation is using the same 2.5-litre 4-cylinder engine & X-Tronic CVT transmission from its predecessor, they’ve tweaked it ever so slightly to improve responsiveness and efficiency.
The majority of the time, you’re better off being on the Auto-Mode and letting the onboard system decide the best Drive-Mode for the environment. However, switching to the Sport Mode does give you a minor boost in throttle responsiveness and would stay at higher RPMs longer.
The suspension is tuned on the comfort side, so it soaks minor bumps quite well. The AWD model we were driving had decent traction around the corners during some spirited driving.
Interior, Technology & Safety
In line with NISSAN’s new design language, this fourth-generation X-Trail is a complete overhaul inside and out. Much like its bigger sibling, the 2022 NISSAN Pathfinder, the X-Trail is equipped with Nissan’s latest technology and safety features, such as PROPILOT ASSIST and SAFETY SHIELD® 360, to ensure a much safer driving experience.
The 2023 X-Trail SL trim has a 12.3-inch instrument cluster display and an infotainment system with a 9-inch touchscreen packed with the latest Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth to ensure your car is in sync with all the notifications from your mobile devices. A wireless charging pad is also available as well.
The interior sees a massive improvement from its predecessor, with higher quality materials used throughout. We were in the top SL trim, which had leather with stitching wrapped around the seats, upper dash, upper door panels, centre cubbie and next to the gear shifter – really upping the premium feel inside.
The Verdict
The 2023 Nissan X-Trail has caught up to its rivals in pretty much every way. Personally, we like the new design language Nissan is following with their SUV lineup. The bigger interior and the more refined engine add to the package. With prices starting at AED 99,900 and the full options model topping out at AED 148,000, the new X-Trail is competitively priced and should be a popular model choice in the region for families.
THE SPECS – NISSAN X-TRAIL SL
Engine: 2.5-litre 4-Cylinder
Power: 181 hp
Torque: 244 Nm
Transmission: CVT
Arabian Automobile Prices As of March-2023:
- S @ AED 99,900
- SV @ AED 124,000
- SV+ @AED 133,000
- SL @ AED 148,000
Comments
S3_S@V@GE
Well it seems like Nissan still holding on to CVT for many of its original models. Exterior & Interiors are refreshed tough. We should be able to see more of X-trails in coming months on the UAE roads. Good Job Nissan !!!