Nissan X-Trail e-4ORCE drive by Steve Rogers
What
about this for a smart way of driving on electric?
There’s
a petrol engine but it does not drive the wheels. Starting to think I’m talking
nonsense? Don’t blame you.
The
e-4ORCE is Nissan’s novel name for electric four wheel drive but the engine’s
job is to charge the batteries that send power to two electric motors, one on
each axle, that drive the wheels.
This is
where you say ‘why not just buy an electric car’? Not everyone is comfortable
going down the all electric road, so called range anxiety is still a concern,
but the X-Trail is different because it does not need to be charged so no
worries about finding a charging point during a long journey, just fill up with
petrol.
And it
has given X-Trail a new lease of life. It arrived 23 years ago as a
trailblazing off roader that wasn’t afraid to wade up to its wheel arches in
water or mud. Then Nissan pulled a master stroke producing a small SUV that
drove like a family hatchback. It was called Qashqai and X-Trail has played
second fiddle ever since.
Both
cars share the same electric technology but this time X-Trail gets one over its
sibling with all wheel drive. Qash only gets e-power on the front wheel drive
model.
The next
surprise is the engine. Who would have thought a three-cylinder 1.5 litre
petrol would be enough for a big 4x4? That is where the electric motors come in
providing instant power the second the throttle is pushed to the floor
accelerating X-Trail to sixty in seven seconds, quicker than the new Honda C-RV
plug-in hybrid.
Quicker
it might be but X-Trail lags behind on economy, recording 41.6mpg at the end of
a week’s driving when some rivals are hitting the 50mpg mark.
Regenerative
braking is common on the new generation of hybrids and the Nissan goes a step
further with e-pedal. This system brings the car to a virtual stop without
touching the brake pedal harnessing power for the batteries and saving on brake
wear although not quite as efficient as a Volvo which brakes the car to a dead
stop.
With a
new chassis the Nissan is surprisingly nimble given its size with a lot less
body roll than the previous model while the suspension manages to stifle the
worst of our road surfaces.
The big
fella has been given a total makeover to bring it in line with Nissan’s more
modern face while the cabin is a lot plusher. A digital driver’s binnacle
provides a mound of information accessed through steering wheel buttons, a
brilliant class leading head-up display on the windscreen, and there is even
more reading in the central 12.3in touchscreen, but credit to Nissan for
sticking with traditional switches for climate control.
X-Trail
is a car for a growing family so there will be no concerns about back seat
legroom although it can’t quite match the CR-V. An extra £1,000 will buy two
extra seats but these are only suitable for young children. Leg and headroom is
too tight for adults and getting into them is not easy. You will also gain
extra boot space without them.
The top
of the range Tekna+ driven here is packed with equipment, so expect smart phone
connections, heated front and rear seats, heated windscreen, 360 degree all
round camera among a long spec list. You won't even have to unlock or lock the
doors, the hands free i-key does it for you.
There
are more than enough driver safety aids to keep you safe. I am a big fan of
cross traffic alert which is so useful when reversing out of side parking
slots, and it will emergency brake to help avoid a frontal shunt.
In many
ways this X-Trail has come of age, impressively efficient and with lots of
skills in its locker.
Fast
facts
X-Trail
Tekna+ 4WD
£48,375
1.5
litre turbo; 211bhp
0-62mph
7secs; 111mph
42.8mpg
combined
144g/km.
1st road tax £620
Boot:
585-1298 litres
Towing
capacity 1650kg
Insurance group 31
No comments:
Post a Comment