Review
Our local Nissan dealer found the fault in the control panel and reported the need for a brand new part.
The entire Fleet News team groaned, anticipating a lengthy wait before getting the much-admired X-trail back on the road. But that was not the case at all – within a few days the part had been delivered to Arriva Nissan in Peterborough and the car was fixed.
This is not a vehicle to be judged on first impressions as almost all the testing team had some reservations in the early stages of getting to know it.
But I liked it right from the start and even those at Fleet Towers who were sceptical in the beginning have come round to enjoying this chunky 2.0-litre Sport version.
The real downside is the fuel consumption and, if I was considering this vehicle to join my fleet, I would have to think twice. On recent testing, the X-trail was achieving 26.95mpg and in these ecologically-aware days I would not seriously consider a petrol-driven vehicle returning less than 30mpg. As yet, not one of our drivers has managed the quoted combined fuel economy of 30.4mpg.
I regard the X-trail as a workhorse. Sturdy, spacious, comfortable, easy-clean seats, responsive handling and adaptable. But it's not environmentally friendly – rather greedy in fact. The CO2 emissions are 221grams per kilometre, with its rival, the Toyota RAV4 2.0-litre, managing a slightly more respectable 211.
One of the most striking features of the X-trail 2.0-litre Sport is the extraordinary sun-roof. It is simply huge! It makes the entire vehicle feel light, airy and spacious and, as my colleague put it, 'clear view out front, and a complete panorama through the rear view mirrors'.
So, a mixed view of our X-trail. On the one side you have a car you could spend all day in, that would carry everything plus the kitchen sink. On the minus side are its green credentials. Its emissions are pretty much the sector norm, but in these increasingly green- conscious days I would have to give the petrol-powered X-trail a very reluctant thumbs-down.
However, the diesel-powered 2.2D X-trail, which quotes CO2 emissions of 190g/km and claims a combined fuel economy figure of 39.2mpg, would make the X-trail a real contender on any fleet and a truly attractive proposition to drivers.
