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Okay, so the transmission and steering aren’t my cup of tea, or in this case, coffee. But, don’t start equating the X-TRAIL to a sissy, for it certainly is not. Beneath that tight, body-hugging tee, hides family blood that’s tried-and-tested as it is famous: the Sentra platform. Before you start going, did he say Sentra on me, read on. Despite what other hooligans say, the X-TRAIL is no Skyline GT-R. Flip it, turn it inside-out, tear it apart, pry off my finger nails—nothing changes this fact. The X-TRAIL, however, benefits from the famed one’s four-wheel drive software technology. So what if it doesn’t behave as it were on rails, the X-TRAIL is controlled, civilized, and quite capable on or off-road. Japanese designers had fun in the X-TRAIL’s lifestyle oriented towards active seekers—sure, you can picture paradise surfers, scuba divers and mountain bikers. But with the interior swathed in water-proof neoprene and faux brushed aluminum, fans of S&M will find their fetishes fulfilled—no whip, just take off your pants and rub yourself against the seat material. All the more, you won’t suffer from friction burn, as it’s as slippery as the Peso-exchange rate. There’s a lack of lateral support, but it’s manageable overall and comfortable enough on long journeys. Lawrence of Arabia won’t suffer from drinking lukewarm Coca-Cola next time he crosses the desert—the X-TRAIL features a built-in drinks cooler that’s powered by the air conditioning unit. I know, it wasn’t the first thing that crossed my mind when I drove it, and I’d bet neither did you, but it’s smart: you cool yourself and your refreshment at the same time. Unfortunately, the rest of the cabin isn’t as smart: the cup holders are flimsy, there’s a lack of cubby holes for your mobile phone or even a stash of bills for the highway toll fee. Accommodations aren’t exactly First-Class Boeing 747. It’s more like Concorde, with just enough space for five burly men, rubbing biceps and all. Seat three and you probably will have a hard time putting enough equipment to film a segment of The Amazing Race. On a good note, there’s enough space in the cargo bay to fit a full-sized Lab—finally, a compact SUV that could! Since the cargo bay is completely removable and washable, there’s no problem if Fifi or Spot decides to use the X-TRAIL’s cargo compartment as his fire hydrant. It would have scored a perfect ten out of ten if not for the security guards being able to tell what brand of shampoo I bought. A cargo cover, standard on some of its competitors, should have been made standard issue. So, I once again go back to my original question: is there room for the Nissan X-TRAIL? As a buyer, I would certainly say, yes—more choices is most certainly better. However, I’m still bothered as to what the main strength of the X-TRAIL is over the rest. Performance? Toyota RAV4. Practicality? Honda CR-V. Handling? Subaru Forester. Traditional? Suzuki Grand Vitara. Toughness? Ford Escape. |
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