Well, the engine got detuned. If it came with a proper lift hatch, I would pick it over the CRV. Now anyone tell me its other advantages?
More interesting, we in Canada might get first shot at the Nissan Cube. Since we are not getting Scion anytime soon. We got the Echo hatchback. Nissan would have the small box Canadian market. I hope they bring the six passenger Cube Cubic. My wife would look cute in that.
It does come with a proper lift hatch, so score one for the X-Trail. Interior is more scrubbable than anything outside of an Element. AWD is one of the more sohpisticated on the market, more like Honda's on the MDX as opposed to the CR-V. It will operate solely in FWD (for best fuel economy when you don't need AWD), it's Auto setting will transfer power rearward when you accelerate (even if there's no wheel slippage) and it has a Lock setting as well. Cargo area is over a metre long (longer than most small SUV's), despite the detonation, power and torque should be more than competitive....I'd wait to see final hp/torque figures from Nissan anyway, rather than going with what the autoscribes say), seats are supposed to be very comfortable and accomodating (lifted from one of Nissans better Japanese luxo-sedans). If they price the base FWD to compete with the FWD Santa Fe, VUE, Tribute/Escape, we're looking at a low 20's starting point. Hopefully nicely equipped, AWD models will be well under 30K, with the luxo/leather version in the low 30's.
Well if its got that much space in the back they should have optioned 2 extra seats. This reminds me of the Highlander. Should have had 7 seats to begin with. Too many me toos on the market to get my attention.
Looks like Nissan is making the re-designed Pathfinder their 7 seater along with the gargantuan Pathfinder Armada, as even the Murano, which is larger than the X-Trail, is only a 5 seater. Anyway, The X-Trail will fill the sub-$30,000(CDN) void in Nissan's lineup that currently has no car-based compact SUV's, sport wagons, mini-minivan's or sport hatches of any sort.
OK the trans is good but really it does look dated next to the CRV. I don't even like the look of the front of the CRV (looks like the Civic front end which is no accident). The rear of the CRV looks much more refined than the X-Trail's. X-Trail interior is interesting. The model fills a gap in Nissan for sure but needs a big styling update. Why has the Pathfinder gone so cushy? Remember the first one?
Actually, the Pathy has gone back to a truck frame instead of unibody, but yeah, it does look a lot more upscale. I guess if you don't want cushy, buy an X-Terra, and if you don't want a two ton gas guzzling truck, then maybe an X-Trail will do. It IS pretty conservative looking...I'm hoping it looks a bit better in person. I like the Element-like scrubbable interior...power and torque look good...hope the fuel economy is up there.....
I bet you $100 ($76 CA) that the C-Note will get a name change if it gets beyond the prototype stage!
I guess everyone saw the 150,000 unit prediction for global X-Trail sales the other day? (Yahoo) Sounds like a lot, but it's only 10,000 units more than last year's production.
Sorry to rub it in.....Maybe Nissan USA will see the light eventually. X-Trail info is up on the Nissan Canada website. http://www.nissan.ca/en/ms/futuremodels/xtrail/index.html#mainFla- shContent I'm going to see it in person at the Toronto Auto Show. As long as they price it competetively, I think it will be a winner.
Did you catch the new roof rack shown on another site? Its thick and got lamps in it. I must say Nissan sure does implement nice macho racks. The rack and tires make a SUV. The Xterra signature is that rack its got. Xtrail looks good in silver but its still a generation behind in Nissan styling. If this works out in Canada the next gen Xtrail should do well in the states.
America, I bought a VUE anyways. Good news for you Canadians, too bad they wouldn't have the diesel/6 speed option that they have in Europe though. One of you Canadians want to do a road test and report back to us Red Headed Stepchild Americans on how well you liked the X-Trail?
Haven't seen you around these parts for awhile! Will definitely do an X-Trail road test when they become available......don't know an official date yet....they're just saying "spring 2004" at the moment. I wonder if Nissan Canada really WAS listening, or it was their intention to bring it here all along. Anyway, hope you're enjoying your Vue.....hope you didn't buy the one with the CVT!
CVT has had way too many problems for me to consider. The V6 gets good mileage for a 6 cyl 22-25 mpg in the summer. Maybe I'll buy a used X-Trail from Canada in a few years. My sister lives in Seattle so I could always take a trip to Vancouver from her place, eh?
I took an x-trail on a 20 kilometer test ride today. The thing is spunky from a dead stop but starts to fade after 100 kph. It is quieter then my 03 Mazda Tribute but rides a little harsher. Fit & finish is good but interior materials are a little cheap looking. It revved at 2600 rpm at 110 kph. This was an AWD with an auto-stick. Nice ride but needs a little more hp. I guess my Tribute has spoiled me. For $29K Canadian I would buy one if I did not have to tow my 2400 lb boat or my 2 snowmobiles!
We are about to buy a new vehicle and were almost sure to get a CV-V but decided to wait and try the X-trail.
Went last night to look and try the X-trail and have been quite impressed by the vehicle :
Pro X-trail : - Very comfortable seats (my wife and myself really find the CR-V incomfortable, especially the front passenger seat and leg room (we cannot stretch our legs and I am not even 6 ft tall; dont know why the rails of the seat do not go further towards the back of the vehicle) - better four wheel system (and you can choose on which mode you want to operate it) - smarter tailgate opening (upwards rather than sideway towards the sidewalk where you always have to walk around to get to your vehicle) - much more comfort and convenience in general (armrest on the manual model, opening in the back seat for skis and other long objects, neat storage, including one with 12V power for a cell phone behind the wheel drive, hot-beverage holder), 6 spearkers on the base model, etc. - also comes with more included equipment on the XE model (remote keyless entry and lock, antitheft system, block heater, heated mirror)
PRO - CR-V - reliability (our actual car is a Corolla that we kept for 12 years and 330000 km without problem) - rear passenger leg room (children growing up!) - more baggage space
Both XE four wheel X-trail and CR-V LX) are selling at the same price.
We test drove both of them in the same evening to make sure that we could make a good comparison and on the road itself, we could not see much difference, maybe a bit smoother ride on the X-trail..but we might have been biased by that time.
I guess we will have to choose between proven reliability and more fun!
Levo, thanks for posting. We're planning on test drving the X-Trail this weekend too. We're looking at the CRV EX (without leather) and the X-Trail SE AWD... they have roughly the same MSRP. We'd get more for our money with the X-Trail (the huge sun-roof, the heated seats, the block heater, anti-theft system, etc).
Don't know about the safety and reliability of the X-Trail. With the CRV, I can look up the crash tests and reliability information in Consumer Reports. I haven't really been able to find this type of information on the X-Trail.
One good thing is that it's not really a new vehicle because it's been on sale in other countries... if it was new, I would not be purchasing it.
We went to test drive the X-Trail and the CRV again in the same afternoon. Here's my list.. comparing the 2005 X-Trail SE to the 2004 CRV EX (without leather)
Pro X-Trail - MSRP is $29,600 - more comfortable seats - better AWD system - 16 inch wheels - comes with more standard features for the money such as the engine block heater, brake assist, sun-roof - noticeably less road noise - more quiet ride
Con X-Trail - interior has way too much plastic and looks cheap - little storage areas everywhere, but not well thought out and some just plain silly.... e.g. a storage area above the glove compartment is really tiny and I would not use it, there's also a storage area above the stearing wheel that's petty useless - there are 2 cupholders in the front that are ON either side of the dash - don't like this design - there are 2 cupholders in the rear but are close to the floor; not a good design - cargo space is not very big - more difficulty in getting out of the back seat; not 100% sure why..if it's because the doors don't open that wide or what
Pro CRV - MSRP was $29,000 now reduced to $28,100 - more cargo space - more legroom in the rear - interior looks better - can get more information regarding safey and reliability - we know it has a 5 star crash test rating and Consumer Reports recommends it
Con CRV - road noise - tailgate opens sideways - spare tire hangs outside the vehicle
If we choose the X-trail it is because we will accept to take some guess about reliability because we much prefer the comfort of the car.
You probably know this website : www.autooninfo.info/RelPerNissanCharts.htm" My understanding is that they simply compile results from several years of Consumer Reports Reviews. It has tons of charts. In short, Toyota and Honda are in the "Reliable Two" while Nissan is in the "Top four" (Toyota, Honda, Subaru and Nissan). The CR-V obtains very impressive ratings (the best possible quote).
We went back to the Honda dealer to have a closer look at the CR-V and we could probably "live" with it. I really do not understand the passenger seat. I am not that tall (5ft11.5) and my wife is 5ft10 and we cannot stretch both of our legs (there is some space towards the left to stretch the left leg but both feet do not fit in this space + seat too short + lack of back support); this might be a problem on long trips (which is a fair part of our mileage). I also find it noisy on the road which is also important.
I would also miss all the little extra that I mentioned in my previous post. If I were to pay to have them on the CR-V, I would have to pay 1500-2000$ than for the X-trail (for a similar vehicle).
But then I feel more confident about the reliability of the CR-V and I like the extra space. I also heard that the X-trail interior scratch easily, but this is not so important for us.
I guess we will simply give the X-trail a second and closer look as we did for the CR-V and then decide. If we still feel that we are much more comfortable in X-trail, we will go for it. Would have liked to wait a year to hear comments from Canadian customers but this is not an option for us (I read that they had to make more than 400 modifications to adapt the vehicle to the Canadian market).
Hi Levo, I see you're still undecided too. The CRV has about 3 more inches of legroom in the back so at least you can move the driver and passenger seat back to get more legroom in the front. Also, if you think you'll have adults in the backseat, you should sit back there and then try to get out... you'll notice what I'm talking about when I say that exiting from the back is not easy to get out of the back... you really have to swing your body around because the opening is small and the door seems to be in the way. The other thing you should notice in the backseat is that the actual seat itself is shorter in the X-Trail ... I noticed my legs were sticking out over the seat much more in the X-Trail.
I wanted to edit my last post because I missed a couple of pros and cons, but for some reason, I'm not getting that option so I'll list them here:
Con X-Trail - the seats don't fold down that nicely, e.g. you have to remove the headrests and flip the top of the seat off (strange)
Pro X-Trail - the salesman told me the maximum payload is 1200 lbs; I read that the maxiumum payload of the CRV is only 850 lbs
Pro CRV - side airbags on the model we're looking at
We're going to go back and look at the X-Trail one more time. I think with us it will come down what is more important to us ...
1) more interior space and cargo space, proven safety & reliability of the CRV
versus
2) the nicer exterior looks (personal preference), better ride, and huge sun-room (I'm a sucker for that huge sun-roof) of the X-Trail
I don't think the AWD is going to play a big role in our decision; maily because we live in Toronto and we may get a maximum of 10 winter days where driving conditions are very bad, it would be driving in FWD most days. Also, the Suburu Forrester has AWD and we aren't even considering that one because it's just too small. I haven't heard any complaints about the CRV's RT AWD, it should be sufficient for us.
I had no idea they made so many modifications to the X-Trail for the Canadian market.. wonder what they were?
Let me know what you decide or if you get more information on the X-Trail. We've decided to wait until September to buy so we can see what the 2005 CRV's have to offer... although, the 2004's are already cheaper, the MSRP of the SE (w/o leather) was $29,000 and now it's on sale for $28,100... by the time September roles around, they may go down further since the 2005's are supposed to be out in August.
Thanks for posting that website for me, I'm going to take a look.
On a final note, while were in the Nissan showroom on Saturday, they sold the red, fully loaded one they had in the showroom, they put a SOLD sign on it while were were leaving!
I guess the X-Trails are slowly starting to filter into the dealerships. A local dealer had one a week ago or so available for test drives but it was only there one day (I guess a few dealers were sharing it). I'm anxious to check one out in person shortly, although we won't be buying anything until summer 2005. As far as reliability goes, I think the X-Trail should be fine (it has been on sale for 2 or 3 years now elsewhere) and they're made in Japan as opposed to Nissan's Smyrna plant. Mileage ratings are very nearly class-leading as well....something like 26-27 city and 35 highway. The only thing that concerns me about the above reviews is getting in and out of the back. One thing that turned us off Foresters was the fact I had to twist my feet (size 10's) sideways to get out...shoes kept getting stuck between the seat bottom and the door. Sounds like the X-Trail might be similar. The upper "glove box" on the right hand side houses a DVD player on the Japanese model....guess it's been adapted for extra storage for us. While the size/shape may not be completely practical, I'm sure it can be put to good use. Pretty hard to beat the CRV for back seat room(except maybe the Equinox) but the tiring road noise, small wheels & tires, awkward rear hatch/door/spare tire would turn me off. Styling wise, although the X-Trail is a bit conservative, I prefer it to the "too much black plastic" CRV. Like the easy to clean interior of the X-Trail as well. Anyway, we've got over a year to make up our minds, so it should be interesting. (Hope they have more/better colour choices for the X-Trail by summer 2005).
We went to test drive the X-Trail last Saturday, and then I try to offer $400 less from MSRP which include rubber floor mat ,hood deflector and 4 in 1 protection package on LE. Then sales manager return and refuse to include the protection pack and only less $100 from MSRP with rubber floor mat and hood deflector.
Not even sure how many are on the lots, tanka but there's lots of competition and more coming. The roomier Equinox, the newly-aggressively-priced CRV and the upcoming Hyundai Tuscon to name a few. I think we'll see some better deals down the road a bit.
Every manufacturer is in the compact, car-based /suv segement (except for Volkswagen, maybe). Autoweek, in their review of the new Hyundai Tuscon, says it's the fastest growing segement in the industry. And now, with gas prices heading even further north, it may grow even faster. And yet Nissan USA still doesn't want to be apart of this market? At least Nissan Canada saw the light....no doubt helped by the fact that the compact SUV market is about 44% of the total SUV market in Canada, but I still think the USA needs the X-trail too. They are losing sales to the CR-V, a revamped Escape and Tribute, a revamped RAV-4, Outlander, Santa Fe & Tuscon, Sorento, VUE, the new Equinox, Forester etc. etc. etc. Nissan's loss, I guess.
I've test driven the X-Trail at the local dealership (Ottawa), and it suits my needs nicely. But I'm still holding off buying, because I'm hoping that Nissan Canada sees fit to bring the diesel powered version into the Canadian market.
Any news / rumours of possible introduction of the diesel powered X-Trail into Canada? (For that matter, any news / rumours of introduction of the diesel powered CRV into Canada? First manufacturer to import a light diesel SUV into this country will get my money!)
We're seeing a lot of these around Ontario these days, and we join the club this week with our own M5 AWD. Gas economy looks great and its a nice peppy powertrain for a fourbanger SUV.
Does anyone know if/when they will be introduced to USA? Reason I'm asking is there's a darth of aftermarket accessories for X-Trail; hidden hitches, fender flares, rack kits etc.
Wake up! Bring this thing to the states, you're missing the opportunity to get into a hot market with 25/36 mpg. on a 165 HP Altima platform. So it's got a funky dash, so what! I see these all over Tucson coming up from Mexico. It can't be that difficult to get it to pass emissions! Bring it....soon. Done ranting, Happy Thanksgiving. http://www.nissan.ca/en/vehicles/xtrail/
Well over the past weekend I got to see one in person and talk to the owner from Vancouver about thier X-Trail, they're in Tucson for the winter. It seemed very well built, but I think the center mounted gauges would be too radical for us Americans to get past, kind of like the Quest. I really would like to know what market study they did to determine this wouldn't go in the states, I would take this over the CR-V and RAV4 anyday.........Nissan?
I read a quite a few comparing reviews after the test-drive of x-trail and cr-v, so what's the result guys? Did you buy the x-trail or the cr-v? Anybody want to share with us? Thanks!
I have just gave the down payment this morning for an X-Trail LE (basic model) not enough money to get SLX leather, I have been in love for the look of this SUV for years and finally, I will have it delivered next wednesday, I will let you now how does it feel after a while of driving it.
I happen to wonder why X-Trail is not for sale in the USA for a moment make me hesitate to buy it, Is there any particular reason whey Nissan USA is not selling the X-Trail? Is is safety features?
Please allow me to now what you all know about is, I will keep in touch.
One theory I've heard is that buyers in the USA don't want small SUVs (unlike Mexico and Canada - CanadianDriver says that small SUVs make up 44% of their market). We don't seem to like small minivans here either, or small trucks for that matter.
Canada, I think, has similar safety and environmental standards as the USA so I don't know that safety would be a reason not to sell them here. Maybe Nissan is afraid the X-Trail will take sales away from the Xterra or Murano.
I hope the Wilma rebuilding effort continues to pick up steam.
Sorry if this is irregular,,,just joined, I have a question: we are going to Italy this fall and have almost decided to rent an X-Trail but are concerned about luggage space for me, my wife and 2 grown daughters. Our granddaughter has a Honda CRV and it has plenty of space. Is there that much luggage space in the X-Trail? Many thanks.
I am a US citizen living in Mexico. I want to buy a 2006 X-Trail. If I decide someday to return to the US to live, will I be able to bring it in and register it in a US state? Will it pass emission/safety regs? Has anyone done this?
Sounds like the vehicle must meet US EPA and safety standards, per this link. (foreignborn.com).
I don't know if the X-Trail does; it might and it may be an economic decision by Nissan not to sell them in the US to avoid cannablizing other Nissan SUV sales. Canadian standards are similar to the US I think and they sell them up there.
"News of the crash-test program was reported by Xinhuanet, which said the first vehicle to be tested will be the Nissan X-Trail, assembled locally by Dongfeng Automobile."
I purchased a Nissan X-Trail SE in March(I live in Winnipeg, Canada where it snows 80% of the year), and upon visiting my sister in Minneapolis I found it quite odd that they did not sell these vehicles in the states, glancing over this forum I want to answer some of the questions and concerns other have expressed. I believe the only reason they don't offer X-Trails in the US is because it would cause a belly-flop in sales of the Nissan XTerra, its a great vehicle and for the cost its a great value.
Just off the top of my head to answer some questions, those who wonder about its cargo abiility and interior space, the vehicle has much more interior space than the current Honda CR-V( I previously owned one in 2003) and the new RAV4, the step in height is relatively low which makes entrance very easy. The one great thing you'll notice is the low beltine in which the windows begin which gives a clear view of the road, and the driver seat is height adjustable which gives you a commanding view of the road. Head room and leg room is ample(compared to the Honda CR-V which had my knees hitting the dashboard), and where the vehicle really shines is in the backseat were there is there is plenty of legroom and the back seats can recline using the locking mechanism. My friends who are over six feet fit comfortably into the backseats, and reclining feature is always an added bonus.
The cargo capibilities of the car are great, it has more storage area than the CR-V, and about as same as the new RAV4, and a useable feature it has is a washable cargo area that when it gets dirty you can hose down. The seats fold flat, and as well with the 60/40 folding rear seat has a pass through capability.
I'll just highlight some pros and cons of the vehicle off the top of my head.
Pros: -Its a good looking SUV which doesn't have the toy truck look of the RAV4, and you don't have to pay extra to get rid of the plastic molding on the CR-V, it comes with chrome door handles fog lights and in a way looks like a X-Terra with some Land Rover styling ques.
-On the SE and LE models(XE, SE, and LE trims) you get a huge one touch openning sunroof.
-The audio system is actually really good you get a 6CD in-dash CD changer, and the sounds quality is much better quality than I expected and the sound really fills the cabin well.
-Everyone fits in the car, with room for five adults(I carpool 5 full size passengers to school and back).
-The cargo area is good for its size, and the washable cargo area is very useful.
-You get a very commanding view of the road in this vehicle with such a low beltline for the windows and even more viewing area since the gauges are mounted in the center of the vehicle.
-The fenders are bendable so its good for when you accidently nips your vehicle
-The fabric for the seats can really take a beating(I've been on numerous campingand kayaking trips), and are very hard to stain(as proven by my 1 year old niece).
-The 4wd drive system works great in the winter with auto and full time 4 wheel locking options(just look up Winnipeg, Manitoba its covered in snow 3/4 of the year). And during the summer the 2wd option is great for saving gas.
-You get good fuel economy, pretty much identical to that of the other vehicles in its class.
-The engine and transmission are great, theres plenty of torque from the engine at a low 2500 RPM, and unlike the other 4 cylinder engine offerings from the Honda and Toyota you don't get the underpowered feeling from a lack of torque. The transmission is smooth(not quite as smooth as the CR-V but it doesn't buckle like the Toyotas when you push the car).
-The car has a very nice ride, almost identical to that of the CR-V's(which is very car-like) but when you push the car it handles well and the sterring gives you more feedback than that of CR-V and the RAV4's (which can put you to sleep).
Cons: -The center mounted gauges are hard to get used to at first, once you get comfortable with them there fine but switching back and forth from a Infinity G35 back to the X-Trail is little tiresome.
-Side airbags do not come standard nor does traction control/stability system, but ABS and vented breaks come standard as well as brake assist.
-The fit and finish quality of the vehicles interior isn't as good as the RAV4 or the CR-V, its good but not quite up to the other manufactures standards.
-The ride is smooth and car-like but in a positive and negative way the steering gives you more feedback than the Honda's or Toyota's which compared to those may even be considered a little harsh(I like it, but I drive my Infiniti hard so I'm accustomed to it).
-There's plenty of power in this car for everyday driving conditions, but it doens't offer a V6 like its Toyota and Hyundai counterparts for added performance.
-The engine vibrations when idiling aren't the greatest especially when stopped at an intersection.
-The car doesn't offer an auxilary jack for MP3 players, nor does the CD player support MP3 or WMA music.
-The cup holders are on the opposite sides of the dash, and are tiny, only small drinks(i.e pop cans) fit in it, and if you decide to get a large coke good luck trying to fit it in, plus on taller drinks the most common problem is hitting the A-pillar of the front windshield.
-Orange lighting for the gauges and the dash aren't for everyone.
-The suspension is good, but for off-roading it won't exactly soak up the bumps like a RAV4 or Hyundai Sonata as its a little firmer and gives more feedback than either.
-Oh yeah and when you purchase one all your neighbours are going to want one(which for people living in the US is an added bonus since its not marketed there), and your friends are going to stick their heads out of the massive sunroof embarassing you, and the odd time you forget to close your sunroof admidst a weather storm you'll be spending alot of time cleaning up.
I definately recommend this vehicle as you can see by all my postive reviews its not perfect but its a great value, heck my barber just bought one because of all my gloating.
I will get pics as soon as I get a digital camera(I know it's sad).
Thanks very much for the great review. You really calmed my fears for traveling in Italy in October with my wife and 2 adult daughters that our luggage might not fit inside the vehicle. You mentioned no power port for an mp3...is there a lighter or some way to power the hand held GPS scheduled to arrive today by UPS??? Again, thanks for the detailed and glowing review...I look forward to the pics...
Comments
More interesting, we in Canada might get first shot at the Nissan Cube. Since we are not getting Scion anytime soon. We got the Echo hatchback. Nissan would have the small box Canadian market. I hope they bring the six passenger Cube Cubic. My wife would look cute in that.
It will operate solely in FWD (for best fuel economy when you don't need AWD), it's Auto setting will transfer power rearward when you accelerate (even if there's no wheel slippage) and it has a Lock setting as well. Cargo area is over a metre long (longer than most small SUV's), despite the detonation, power and torque should be more than competitive....I'd wait to see final hp/torque figures from Nissan anyway, rather than going with what the autoscribes say), seats are supposed to be very comfortable and accomodating (lifted from one of Nissans better Japanese luxo-sedans). If they price the base FWD to compete with the FWD Santa Fe, VUE, Tribute/Escape, we're looking at a low 20's starting point. Hopefully nicely equipped, AWD models will be well under 30K, with the luxo/leather version in the low 30's.
http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=6774
I guess everyone saw the 150,000 unit prediction for global X-Trail sales the other day? (Yahoo) Sounds like a lot, but it's only 10,000 units more than last year's production.
Steve, Host
http://www.nissan.ca/en/ms/futuremodels/xtrail/index.html#mainFla- shContent
I'm going to see it in person at the Toronto Auto Show. As long as they price it competetively, I think it will be a winner.
Will definitely do an X-Trail road test when they become available......don't know an official date yet....they're just saying "spring 2004" at the moment. I wonder if Nissan Canada really WAS listening, or it was their intention to bring it here all along. Anyway, hope you're enjoying your Vue.....hope you didn't buy the one with the CVT!
It's on sale this month in Canada. One of the features I like the most is the HUGE sun roof.
My husband went to a Nissan dealership on Tuesday and they had just arrived the day before there.
Went last night to look and try the X-trail and have been quite impressed by the vehicle :
Pro X-trail :
- Very comfortable seats (my wife and myself really find the CR-V incomfortable, especially the front passenger seat and leg room (we cannot stretch our legs and I am not even 6 ft tall; dont know why the rails of the seat do not go further towards the back of the vehicle)
- better four wheel system (and you can choose on which mode you want to operate it)
- smarter tailgate opening (upwards rather than sideway towards the sidewalk where you always have to walk around to get to your vehicle)
- much more comfort and convenience in general (armrest on the manual model, opening in the back seat for skis and other long objects, neat storage, including one with 12V power for a cell phone behind the wheel drive, hot-beverage holder), 6 spearkers on the base model, etc.
- also comes with more included equipment on the XE model (remote keyless entry and lock, antitheft system, block heater, heated mirror)
PRO - CR-V
- reliability (our actual car is a Corolla that we kept for 12 years and 330000 km without problem)
- rear passenger leg room (children growing up!)
- more baggage space
Both XE four wheel X-trail and CR-V LX) are selling at the same price.
We test drove both of them in the same evening to make sure that we could make a good comparison and on the road itself, we could not see much difference, maybe a bit smoother ride on the X-trail..but we might have been biased by that time.
I guess we will have to choose between proven reliability and more fun!
Don't know about the safety and reliability of the X-Trail. With the CRV, I can look up the crash tests and reliability information in Consumer Reports. I haven't really been able to find this type of information on the X-Trail.
One good thing is that it's not really a new vehicle because it's been on sale in other countries... if it was new, I would not be purchasing it.
Pro X-Trail - MSRP is $29,600
- more comfortable seats
- better AWD system
- 16 inch wheels
- comes with more standard features for the money such as the engine block heater, brake assist, sun-roof
- noticeably less road noise - more quiet ride
Con X-Trail
- interior has way too much plastic and looks cheap
- little storage areas everywhere, but not well thought out and some just plain silly.... e.g. a storage area above the glove compartment is really tiny and I would not use it, there's also a storage area above the stearing wheel that's petty useless
- there are 2 cupholders in the front that are ON either side of the dash - don't like this design
- there are 2 cupholders in the rear but are close to the floor; not a good design
- cargo space is not very big
- more difficulty in getting out of the back seat; not 100% sure why..if it's because the doors don't open that wide or what
Pro CRV - MSRP was $29,000 now reduced to $28,100
- more cargo space
- more legroom in the rear
- interior looks better
- can get more information regarding safey and reliability - we know it has a 5 star crash test rating and Consumer Reports recommends it
Con CRV
- road noise
- tailgate opens sideways
- spare tire hangs outside the vehicle
I guess we are in a very similar situation.
If we choose the X-trail it is because we will accept to take some guess about reliability because we much prefer the comfort of the car.
You probably know this website :
www.autooninfo.info/RelPerNissanCharts.htm"
My understanding is that they simply compile results from several years of Consumer Reports Reviews. It has tons of charts. In short, Toyota and Honda are in the "Reliable Two" while Nissan is in the "Top four" (Toyota, Honda, Subaru and Nissan). The CR-V obtains very impressive ratings (the best possible quote).
We went back to the Honda dealer to have a closer look at the CR-V and we could probably "live" with it. I really do not understand the passenger seat. I am not that tall (5ft11.5) and my wife is 5ft10 and we cannot stretch both of our legs (there is some space towards the left to stretch the left leg but both feet do not fit in this space + seat too short + lack of back support); this might be a problem on long trips (which is a fair part of our mileage).
I also find it noisy on the road which is also important.
I would also miss all the little extra that I mentioned in my previous post. If I were to pay to have them on the CR-V, I would have to pay 1500-2000$ than for the X-trail (for a similar vehicle).
But then I feel more confident about the reliability of the CR-V and I like the extra space. I also heard that the X-trail interior scratch easily, but this is not so important for us.
I guess we will simply give the X-trail a second and closer look as we did for the CR-V and then decide. If we still feel that we are much more comfortable in X-trail, we will go for it. Would have liked to wait a year to hear comments from Canadian customers but this is not an option for us (I read that they had to make more than 400 modifications to adapt the vehicle to the Canadian market).
I wanted to edit my last post because I missed a couple of pros and cons, but for some reason, I'm not getting that option so I'll list them here:
Con X-Trail
- the seats don't fold down that nicely, e.g. you have to remove the headrests and flip the top of the seat off (strange)
Pro X-Trail
- the salesman told me the maximum payload is 1200 lbs; I read that the maxiumum payload of the CRV is only 850 lbs
Pro CRV
- side airbags on the model we're looking at
We're going to go back and look at the X-Trail one more time. I think with us it will come down what is more important to us ...
1) more interior space and cargo space, proven safety & reliability of the CRV
versus
2) the nicer exterior looks (personal preference), better ride, and huge sun-room (I'm a sucker for that huge sun-roof) of the X-Trail
I don't think the AWD is going to play a big role in our decision; maily because we live in Toronto and we may get a maximum of 10 winter days where driving conditions are very bad, it would be driving in FWD most days. Also, the Suburu Forrester has AWD and we aren't even considering that one because it's just too small. I haven't heard any complaints about the CRV's RT AWD, it should be sufficient for us.
I had no idea they made so many modifications to the X-Trail for the Canadian market.. wonder what they were?
Let me know what you decide or if you get more information on the X-Trail. We've decided to wait until September to buy so we can see what the 2005 CRV's have to offer... although, the 2004's are already cheaper, the MSRP of the SE (w/o leather) was $29,000 and now it's on sale for $28,100... by the time September roles around, they may go down further since the 2005's are supposed to be out in August.
Thanks for posting that website for me, I'm going to take a look.
On a final note, while were in the Nissan showroom on Saturday, they sold the red, fully loaded one they had in the showroom, they put a SOLD sign on it while were were leaving!
The roomier Equinox, the newly-aggressively-priced CRV and the upcoming Hyundai Tuscon to name a few. I think we'll see some better deals down the road a bit.
tidester, host
http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat- _code=carnews&loc_code=index&content_code=07523468
I see X-Trails alot in San Diego with Baja California plates on them. Nice alternative for that market segment.
Anyone in Canada or Mexico?
Anyone anywhere but the US apparently.
Steve, Host
Any news / rumours of possible introduction of the diesel powered X-Trail into Canada? (For that matter, any news / rumours of introduction of the diesel powered CRV into Canada? First manufacturer to import a light diesel SUV into this country will get my money!)
http://www.canadiandriver.com/testdrives/05x-trail_le.htm
Does anyone know if/when they will be introduced to USA? Reason I'm asking is there's a darth of aftermarket accessories for X-Trail; hidden hitches, fender flares, rack kits etc.
Steve, Host
http://www.nissan.ca/en/vehicles/xtrail/
The Nissan X-Trail over here in England is rated as one of the best along with the Honda CR-V.
If you go on either of these site:
www.nissan.co.uk
www.channel4.com/4car
www.whatcar.com
You will find lots of info on the X-Trail e.g. specs, performance etc etc..
Hope this helps anyone whos looking for information!!
...James..
Nissan X-Trail: Prices Paid & Buying Experiences
Steve, Host
I have just gave the down payment this morning for an
X-Trail LE (basic model) not enough money to get SLX leather, I have been in love for the look of this SUV for years and finally, I will have it delivered next wednesday, I will let you now how does it feel after a while of driving it.
I happen to wonder why X-Trail is not for sale in the USA for a moment make me hesitate to buy it, Is there any particular reason whey Nissan USA is not selling the X-Trail?
Is is safety features?
Please allow me to now what you all know about is, I will keep in touch.
Marco Berges
One theory I've heard is that buyers in the USA don't want small SUVs (unlike Mexico and Canada - CanadianDriver says that small SUVs make up 44% of their market). We don't seem to like small minivans here either, or small trucks for that matter.
Canada, I think, has similar safety and environmental standards as the USA so I don't know that safety would be a reason not to sell them here. Maybe Nissan is afraid the X-Trail will take sales away from the Xterra or Murano.
I hope the Wilma rebuilding effort continues to pick up steam.
Steve, Host
Thank you very much for you answer I will keep you posted in regards the performance of my new SUV soon.
Cancun has is already getting tourist and hopefully we will be 100% recovered in Jun 2006.
At least that is the tentative date to reopen the hotel I work for.
Best Regards">
The Nissan Canada site (link) compares the X-Trail's interior capacity to the Liberty, Tribute and RAV4.
Mtnpelican
I don't know if the X-Trail does; it might and it may be an economic decision by Nissan not to sell them in the US to avoid cannablizing other Nissan SUV sales. Canadian standards are similar to the US I think and they sell them up there.
There may be some help in the Importing Canadian Vehicles to the U.S. discussion too.
'Breaking' News: China To Begin Vehicle Crash Testing (Inside Line)
Just off the top of my head to answer some questions, those who wonder about its cargo abiility and interior space, the vehicle has much more interior space than the current Honda CR-V( I previously owned one in 2003) and the new RAV4, the step in height is relatively low which makes entrance very easy. The one great thing you'll notice is the low beltine in which the windows begin which gives a clear view of the road, and the driver seat is height adjustable which gives you a commanding view of the road. Head room and leg room is ample(compared to the Honda CR-V which had my knees hitting the dashboard), and where the vehicle really shines is in the backseat were there is there is plenty of legroom and the back seats can recline using the locking mechanism. My friends who are over six feet fit comfortably into the backseats, and reclining feature is always an added bonus.
The cargo capibilities of the car are great, it has more storage area than the CR-V, and about as same as the new RAV4, and a useable feature it has is a washable cargo area that when it gets dirty you can hose down. The seats fold flat, and as well with the 60/40 folding rear seat has a pass through capability.
I'll just highlight some pros and cons of the vehicle off the top of my head.
Pros:
-Its a good looking SUV which doesn't have the toy truck look of the RAV4, and you don't have to pay extra to get rid of the plastic molding on the CR-V, it comes with chrome door handles fog lights and in a way looks like a X-Terra with some Land Rover styling ques.
-On the SE and LE models(XE, SE, and LE trims) you get a huge one touch openning sunroof.
-The audio system is actually really good you get a 6CD in-dash CD changer, and the sounds quality is much better quality than I expected and the sound really fills the cabin well.
-Everyone fits in the car, with room for five adults(I carpool 5 full size passengers to school and back).
-The cargo area is good for its size, and the washable cargo area is very useful.
-You get a very commanding view of the road in this vehicle with such a low beltline for the windows and even more viewing area since the gauges are mounted in the center of the vehicle.
-The fenders are bendable so its good for when you accidently nips your vehicle
-The fabric for the seats can really take a beating(I've been on numerous campingand kayaking trips), and are very hard to stain(as proven by my 1 year old niece).
-The 4wd drive system works great in the winter with auto and full time 4 wheel locking options(just look up Winnipeg, Manitoba its covered in snow 3/4 of the year). And during the summer the 2wd option is great for saving gas.
-You get good fuel economy, pretty much identical to that of the other vehicles in its class.
-The engine and transmission are great, theres plenty of torque from the engine at a low 2500 RPM, and unlike the other 4 cylinder engine offerings from the Honda and Toyota you don't get the underpowered feeling from a lack of torque. The transmission is smooth(not quite as smooth as the CR-V but it doesn't buckle like the Toyotas when you push the car).
-The car has a very nice ride, almost identical to that of the CR-V's(which is very car-like) but when you push the car it handles well and the sterring gives you more feedback than that of CR-V and the RAV4's (which can put you to sleep).
Cons:
-The center mounted gauges are hard to get used to at first, once you get comfortable with them there fine but switching back and forth from a Infinity G35 back to the X-Trail is little tiresome.
-Side airbags do not come standard nor does traction control/stability system, but ABS and vented breaks come standard as well as brake assist.
-The fit and finish quality of the vehicles interior isn't as good as the RAV4 or the CR-V, its good but not quite up to the other manufactures standards.
-The ride is smooth and car-like but in a positive and negative way the steering gives you more feedback than the Honda's or Toyota's which compared to those may even be considered a little harsh(I like it, but I drive my Infiniti hard so I'm accustomed to it).
-There's plenty of power in this car for everyday driving conditions, but it doens't offer a V6 like its Toyota and Hyundai counterparts for added performance.
-The engine vibrations when idiling aren't the greatest especially when stopped at an intersection.
-The car doesn't offer an auxilary jack for MP3 players, nor does the CD player support MP3 or WMA music.
-The cup holders are on the opposite sides of the dash, and are tiny, only small drinks(i.e pop cans) fit in it, and if you decide to get a large coke good luck trying to fit it in, plus on taller drinks the most common problem is hitting the A-pillar of the front windshield.
-Orange lighting for the gauges and the dash aren't for everyone.
-The suspension is good, but for off-roading it won't exactly soak up the bumps like a RAV4 or Hyundai Sonata as its a little firmer and gives more feedback than either.
-Oh yeah and when you purchase one all your neighbours are going to want one(which for people living in the US is an added bonus since its not marketed there), and your friends are going to stick their heads out of the massive sunroof embarassing you, and the odd time you forget to close your sunroof admidst a weather storm you'll be spending alot of time cleaning up.
I definately recommend this vehicle as you can see by all my postive reviews its not perfect but its a great value, heck my barber just bought one because of all my gloating.
I will get pics as soon as I get a digital camera(I know it's sad).