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Nissan X-Trail

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    artdechoartdecho Member Posts: 337
    Of course, Nissan doesn't want to sell us a vehicle with the possibility of overtaking the CR-V in sales........they'd sooner foist upon us the gas-guzzling, primitive X-Terra (maybe they should change the name to X-Tincta) and the glass-sculptured Morono (mis-spelling intentional)
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    artdechoartdecho Member Posts: 337
    Isn't it interesting that there are over 200 posts for a vehicle Nissan doesn't sell here (and doesn't even appear to want to sell here). Combine that with the fact that there are only 130 or so posts for the Morono (that is just months away from launch) and half of those are X-Trail-related anyway. Too bad nobody at Nissan seems to be paying attention....
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    kajkokajko Member Posts: 70
    Howdy,

    I too am/was very excited about the X-Trail. Emailed Nissan, and got the Morono speech (isn't there a StarTrek edition for 2004..?... :-P..). I think we should go ahead and buy our Foresters and CR-V's for now and not wait for Nissan to grace us with the X-Trail. Then again, i do live close to Mexico...

    Did anyone ever get a better response than post #20? When is a good time for Nissan to "feel that it is in its best interest to market X-Trail in the U.S." ??!!

    aaaahhhhhhhhh....the frustration.
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    daveghhdaveghh Member Posts: 495
    I am a proud owner of the crv but I could have been a proud owner of the Xtrail if they brought it to the US. So I emailed them today and this is their response....

    "Dear Dave,

    Thank you for contacting Nissan North America, Inc. and allowing us the
    opportunity to be of assistance.

    We apologize but confirmation of exporting the X-trail to the U.S. has not
    been released for distribution. At this point we can not confirm this
    information.

    If you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to e-mail
    us.

    Sincerely,

    Daniel Montoya, Sr.
    National Consumer Affairs"

    GOOD NEWS!!! MAYBE??!!!???
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    kklosekklose Member Posts: 3
    I love my 2002 RAV4 and am looking for a stable-mate for it with a lift-up tailgate (for weekend lumber projects, plants, etc.). I couldn't believe it when I discovered that Nissan is already making the absolute answer to my needs for an economical small ute, is selling it in every market on the planet except (wouldn't you know) in North America!!! The Forester seems OK but is still to low and still somewhat homely. I wouldn't touch the Vue! Escape/Tribute still too crude and loud. I did e-mail Nissan today, but it doesn't look like I'll get a real response.
    Incredibly frustrating!!!
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    cb70cb70 Member Posts: 226
    Found these pics on a European website. Wake up Nissan, you will sell a ton of these in the U.S.


    http://www.nissan.co.at/MODELLE/XTRAIL/Diashow.html

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    storytellerstoryteller Member Posts: 476
    A frequent contributor to the Subaru boards just reported seeing a pair of X-Trails in New Mexico. The speculation is that they are part of a Nissan field test here, possibly with an eye to introducing them to the US market sometime in upcoming months. Of course, there's no way of knowing.
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    boredbored Member Posts: 300
    On the Australian Website. The front-end clip looks like a redesigned Kia Sportage IMHO.
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    tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    The speculation is that they are part of a Nissan field test here...

    So close to the start of the model year, I'd think field testing would have been completed long ago. I might guess they're getting shots for promotion and advertising.

    tidester
    Host
    SUVs; Aftermarket & Accessories
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    daveghhdaveghh Member Posts: 495
    Here is a link comparing the XTrail to the New CRV.


    http://www.europeanhonda.demon.nl/2002crv_news.htm


    I am not going to sit here and say that the CRV is better because I have no idea because I have never seen more then pictures and desrciptions of the X-Trial. I think we can safely say that the CRV and X-Trail are in the same league.


    As long as the X-Trail is priced around the CRV then the X-Trail would have a real good chance of outselling the CRV. I have a feeling they are going to charge more for the X-Trail and it would discourage a buyer like me. Look at the overpriced Toyota RAV4. You get a lot more bang for your buck for the CRV.

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    diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    You do, but they're so hard to get. I just couldn't deal with the dealers anymore, so I bought a RAV4. Love the car, but it wasn't my first pick.
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    cb70cb70 Member Posts: 226
    Safety -- Honda 8/10, Nissan 8/10
    Both cars are destined for US and European markets and so their makers have had to plan for extensive NCAP crash performance tests, though for New Zealand neither car has side airbag protection despite having seemingly everything else and featuring such equipment overseas

    Destined for the U.S.? Is the author stating bs or does he know something we don't know? Time will tell.
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    daveghhdaveghh Member Posts: 495
    Diploid,
    I ended up with the 2002 CRV but I would have seriously considered the RAV4 if the price was closer to the CRV. The RAV4 is an attractive vehicle and I am sure it is fun to drive as well.

    If the XTrail was in the US market at the time, and assumming I liked the test drive and it was priced similiarly for similiar options, I would have had a hard time between the CRV and the XTrail.

    cb70,
    That is an interesting comment from the review. I think the XTrail will hit the US market.
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    varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    That's actually a reprint of a rather old article. Thanks for the link, though. Edmunds had the story in their news section, but the copy is no longer on-line.

    Anyway, I wouldn't make bets on the remarks about coming to the UK and USA. We discussed it here about 8-10 months ago, so those comments are quite old.
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    varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    Fans of the X-Trail may be interested in the OSA crash data.


    http://www.osa.go.jp/anzen/html2002e/as122.html

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    cb70cb70 Member Posts: 226
    Nissan of America has some top notch brass, don't they?
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Anyone want to compare notes?


    Nissan Murano vs Nissan X-Trail



    Steve

    Host

    SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

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    kajkokajko Member Posts: 70
    Just read storyteller's post from last month, and living in NM, i would think that there is a good chance that the X-Trails were from Mexico. We get a steady flow of cars from Chihuahua, Sonora, León, etc... the other possibility, of course, is that somebody started smuggling them from Mexico (:-P

    Nissan might be waiting for the market to split: the Ford/Mazda duo falling out due to quality issues, Rav4 due to size/price, and Forester going for the rally performance (Turbo coming in '03-'04). More room once the CR-V sales cool off.
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    cb70cb70 Member Posts: 226
    Kinda like hopping on the bandwagon after the wheels have already fallen off.
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    kajkokajko Member Posts: 70
    I agree completely. The sarcastic comments are meant to poke fun at the Nissan's "marketing team".
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    varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    Like a fine wine, they are letting it age before bringing it to market. =)
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    cb70cb70 Member Posts: 226
    Hopefully it is getting hotter at Nissan of America.


    http://reviews.motornet.ie/cars/nissan_xtrail_20020815_dc.htm

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    fooeyfooey Member Posts: 3
    It's a shame you don't get the X-trail over there, but then again, we haven't gotten a 2.5 litre engine in the Forester until this new model!
    I don't understand the minds of marketing people..

    I've been shopping around and comparing the X-trail and Forester. It's really line ball as to which one but I think I'm leaning towards the Forester. CR-v, RAV, etc.. don't even figure in my equation..
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    cb70cb70 Member Posts: 226
    in the mini-ute category when they have a vehicle that competes so well against the likes of the RAV-4, CRV, Tribute-Escape, VUE, Forester, etc. It could be a supply issue as was talked about long ago near the beginning of this thread or the more likely reason is that NOA execs are morons. After talking to their customer service reps many times I would have to say it is the latter.
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    artdechoartdecho Member Posts: 337
    ...in this category, anyway. A "preview" in the Toronto Star this weekend pegged the price at around 10 grand less than the Volvo XC90,which means it'll be priced around 45 grand plus up here. It WAS a favourable preview, btw, although apparently they can't really say anything about the Murano until after Nov. 1st. Still, while 45 grand makes the Murano a bargain over the Lexus (@52 G's), you can get a V6 AWD Highlander for 36 G's. And in my price range (26-30 grand), you can't get anything by Nissan.....no sport wagon, no CRV competitor,
    i.e. no X-Trail. Pity!
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Any new rumors about driving one of these north of the border?

    Steve, Host
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    ttlttlttlttlttlttl Member Posts: 24
    there's a report on X-Trail on its sales on Financial Times.
    title: "X-Trail to shake SUV market in RP"
    Date: July 31, 2003

    X-Trail is being described "rapid acceleration, taut handling and true sedan-like ride." I hope Nissan USA will consider bringing it over to North America.
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    scnamescname Member Posts: 296
    in Houston, at the corner of Richmond and Dunvale. Certain Hispanic person parked it outside the public laundry there. Looks like a smaller Isuzu Trooper with Volvo taillight. Plain looking.
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    fryingbolognafryingbologna Member Posts: 85
    To get this up here, or you will lose me to a Subaru Forester! ME! You know, the guy that has his friends buying Nissans now.
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    wheelz4wheelz4 Member Posts: 569
    I think we'd better give up on Nissan....seems they have no interest in the affordable car-based SUV market. The xtrail has had a freshening...new dash + front/rear bumpers, grill but still zero indication that they are even remotely interested in bringing it out here. If and when they do, it'll already be dated and old-looking. Best to consider a CR-V, Forester, RAV-4 or Outlander(now looking better with 160 hp for 2004). Time has passed you by in this market, Nissan.
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    ttlttlttlttlttlttl Member Posts: 24
    Nissan likes to sell something a little different from the mainstream. The mid-sized Altima is a little bigger than Accord and Camry. Murano looks a little different from the other mid-sized SUV/crossovers. Sentra’s engine is the largest in its class. Xterra has a non-flat roofline. X-Trail is just another small SUV. It has nothing very special to make it stand out from the crowd. Maybe Nissan NA wanna keep their “a little different” strategy. Any thoughts?
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    fryingbolognafryingbologna Member Posts: 85
    It looks like I'll be getting a Subaru Forester for my next vehicle, and there is basically no competition for what it offers. Topping out at just under CDN$40,000, AWD, SUV utility with Wagon handling, leather interior, excellent safety, adequate power (with optional turbo engine), good gas mileage and good resale. The X-trail, a 4cyl Murano, an Altima wagon, any of these would meet what I think is a rare hole in the market, and I would gladly spend my $$ at a Nissan dealer first if there was a model there for me.

    It just seems odd to me that the Pathfinder and Xterra hit the low CDN$30000 price point, and then there is a sudden jump to the Murano nearly CDN$10000 higher, with no utility anywhere inbetween. There is such a fine line between the Altima and Maxima; you cannot tell me Nissan couldn't shoehorn another model into the off-road/utility webpage if so desired.

    image
    That would be exactly where the X-trail would fit in.
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    cb70cb70 Member Posts: 226
    to bring over the X-Trail. I have driven one in Europe and can attest to how nice they are. True, the X-Trail doesn't stand out in any one way against the CRV, VUE, Escape crowd. It's just the fact that in every individual feature that is examined, I found the X-Trail better than anything else. We are reluctantly probably going to get a VUE. I'd prefer an X-Trail but after a couple of years of waiting, I doubt it is going to happen.
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    tbcreativetbcreative Member Posts: 357
    I just saw an X-Trail this morning, in Gilbert, Arizona! I couldn't believe it! I thought it was the Mitsubishi Outlander at first, but then I saw the Nissan grill and insignia, and X-Trail on the side. I don't know how they got one, because they were pulling out of a parking lot as I drove by, and I didn't try to flag them down to ask.

    I'd have to say, while I think it would be ideal for Nissan to bring it to the US market, I thought the down side was that I did momentarily mistake it for the Outlander. I thought it was better-looking though. I need a truck that's a bit bigger, so I'm anxiously waiting to see how close the re-designed Pathfinder is to the DuneHawk.
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    wheelz4wheelz4 Member Posts: 569
    X-Trails are available in North America if you want to trip on down to your friendly Mexican Nissan dealer. Anyway, any X-Trail sighting is a good thing.......maybe there's still hope....
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    kajkokajko Member Posts: 70
    Yes, very likely. I've seen them here in NM a couple of times, but always with Chihuahuan license plates...
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    cmrolercmroler Member Posts: 3
    I've been doing some searching and found that Nissan makes a couple of vehicles outside the US that I think would do great here. The Narada sold in the UK and the Cube(similar to the Honda Element but nicer). The heads of Nissan marketing in the US should be rolling. They don't have a clue as to how to keep up with or ahead of the competition. I guess the powers that be at Nissan think that the American public will be satified with whatever they put in front of us, and not realizing that we have computers and can search the internet worldwide to see what we are missing. Do some searching and send some e-mails to let them know we're not happy.
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    cmrolercmroler Member Posts: 3
    Sorry, that's Nissan Navara.
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    You have 30 minutes to make any changes or fixes after you post a message. Just click on the Edit button that follows your message after you post it.

    Steve, Host
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    wheelz4wheelz4 Member Posts: 569
    http://www.autoindex.org/news.plt?no=613#

    Drawing is pretty "out there" but I like the concept of a small, 6 passenger (2+2+2) crossover
    which could turn out something like the Kia Slice
    concept or Nissan's next generation Almera Tino concept or Evalia concept.(Loose the "chopped" roof though, we want some headroom). Give it the Altima's 170hp four banger and X-Trail's All-mode AWD and price it WELL under the Murano (in line with CR-V's RAV-4's etc. and it would be on my list for sure. Subaru has been rumoured to be testing reaction to a tall, six passenger Impreza-based crossover, so maybe Nissan will beat them to the punch.
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    wheelz4wheelz4 Member Posts: 569
    Just read over at a Nissan forum that I probably can't mention here (something like "ripe metal", if you know what I mean) that Nissan Canada will begin selling the X-Trail in May 2004 but it won't be coming to the US. Maybe there's hope yet, although the 6 pass. small crossover, if it's priced well below the Quest, may now be more to my liking. Still, it would best the CR-V, RAV-4, Forester, Outlander etc. in hp.....180 vs. 160/165 and has probably the best AWD system of the bunch. Priced to compete with the aforementioned competition, I think it would do extremely well. With the Murano going for 40 large and up, a dated Pathfinder and gas-guzzling X-Terra both well north of 30 large, a well-priced, fuel-efficient, car-based, practical ute would be just what Nissan's Canadian customers could use.
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    wheelz4wheelz4 Member Posts: 569
    Maybe I should change the name of this thread to Nissan X-Trail (I want it!) as everybody else seems to have given up on it. The day after I read in another forum about the Xtrail coming here in May 2004, there was a piece on the Xtrail in a local daily....no Canadian info specifically but a positive article....coincidence? Anyway, I still think the xtrail stacks up well against it's competition in the sub-$30,000(CDN)car-based SUV market. CR-V is has a nice balance of fuel economy and performance and good room but still has that awkward rear door / spare tire combo. Ditto the Rav-4 (with even less space to boot).
    Escape/Tribute, Vue and Santa Fe have weak 4's and OK V6's but at the expense of fuel economy + spotty build quality/reliability. Forester is maybe too carlike + has a cramped backseat. Outlander has respectable power now but luggage compartment is somewhat small. The Xtrail has a 180 hp 4 (same as the Altima's), repectable fuel economy, good interior space, some novel interior features, the best AWD sytem http://www.nissan.com.sg/lookfor/xtrail/mode.html
    ,a somewhat scrubabble interior and decent looks.
    Here's hoping the Canadian availability rumour is true.
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    wheelz4wheelz4 Member Posts: 569
    Where's my buddy cb70?? I guess I should check the Vue forum.....if you ended up buying one, maybe you're hanging out there. Still just a rumour that we're getting the xtrail by next May...
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Actually saw three, but only saw one parked where I could eyeball it a little bit. Was traveling last week in Mexico and there are a few around. First impressions were quite favorable; side lines sort of like a Cherokee, very Nissan front grill treatment, and seemed roomy for ~5 without being too tall. Looked easy to load canoes or plywood on top.

    The interior I looked at (or tried to through tinted windows) was basic with appealing two tone seat treatment.

    Steve, Host
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    wheelz4wheelz4 Member Posts: 569
    http://autonet.ca/AutonetStories/Stories.cfm?StoryID=10439
    All I can say is it's been a long time coming!
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    joeboumpsjoeboumps Member Posts: 8
    Anyone know if it will be available in the USA when it comes to Canada?
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    wheelz4wheelz4 Member Posts: 569
    Haven't seen any USA info....one of the Nissan forums had the CDN info a month or two ago but it was just a rumour at that point. You'd think it would be worth their while to sell it in the States too......
    Maybe we need to change the tagline of this topic to Nissan X-Trail (Canada's getting it, USA wants it!)
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    wheelz4wheelz4 Member Posts: 569
    Still waiting for the list of what is appearing at the Toronto autoshow.....hoping the X-Trail is there. Both a Nissan forum and Autonet.ca reported that Canada is getting the X-Trail this May, although it was reported at different times and the source could've been the same (a Canadian dealer). In the meantime. I ran across a review (although not in English) as well as no less than 37 pictures (click on Bildergalerie). Judging by the pix, the X-Trail is more than capable off road.
    http://focus.msn.de/D/DL/DLB/DLBE/DLBEA/dlbea.htm?snr=310
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    artdechoartdecho Member Posts: 337
    It seems like all the recent rumours of the X-Trail coming to Canada are true. According to an article in the Toronto Star's Wheels section, it'll be at the Toronto Auto show in Feb. and will be for sale early this summer.
    http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/L- ayout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1073603408014&call_- pageid=968867497088&col=969048871196
    Doesn't seem like the US is getting it, though.
    As the article mentions, there are fundamental differences in the US and Canadian car markets and automakers are finally waking up to that fact.
    We buy more compact cars (Civics, Corollas, Proteges) while Americans but more midsize (Accords, Camrys etc.) We but more minivans (cheaper, more fuel efficient) while Americans buy more SUV's. And when we DO buy SUV's, we tend to buy ones that are compact, car-based and more fuel efficient. Although cars prices up here may seem like a bargain to our US neighbours, we have much less disposable income and are literally taxed to death, so the Canadian market is very price-sensitive. Add to that higher gas prices (again, mainly because of taxes) and you can see where the appeal of smaller, lest costlier, more fuel-efficient vehicles lies. Anyway, can't wait for the X-Trail (I'll check it out at the autoshow for sure) and hope Nissan will price it in line with the CR-V, RAV4, Tribute/Escape, Outlander, Forester etc.
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    tommy38tommy38 Member Posts: 32
    http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/040109-10.htm
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