Nissan X-Trail (2007 - ) - HJ Road Test

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Wed 19 Sep 2007 15:13
HJ Road Test - Twiz
Just read HJs road test of the X-Trail. One thing I'm surprised he didn't mention is the complete lack of rear headroom.

I'm in the market for something similar and the Honda CR-V has been top of the shopping list for SWMBO for sometime now. Pitched up at the local Nissan dealer to look around the new X-Trail and only got as far as sitting in the back of one for it to be written off the list of possibles. I'm not exactly tall (5' 11") and my head was squashed against the roof, which I found astonishing in a car in this class.

Admitedly this was in the top spec model with sunroof - but I can't imagine those without have that much more headroom.
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Wed 19 Sep 2007 15:13
HJ Road Test - Twiz
Ok should read road TEST!!
I'll use preview next time!

{Amended - DD}
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Wed 19 Sep 2007 15:41
HJ Road Test - jase1


I've been noticing this more and more on newer cars -- very poor headroom all round, but especially at the back. Admittedly I'm 6'2" and 20 stone, but the fact that it is getting worse means it was only a matter of time before others started to notice.

I'd put it down to a cynical ploy to shift those horrible little small MPVs like Scenics and Picassos, but if they're doing it on 4x4s as well now.....

Having said all that, I've never been in the back of the X-Trail but the front headroom I found acceptable (nothing bad enough to note anyway), and the car is like a box on wheels so I'm having a hard time working out how they could make the headroom poor on these.
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Wed 19 Sep 2007 15:58
HJ Road Test - Twiz
"and the car is like a box on wheels so I'm having a hard time working out how they could make the headroom poor on these."

Quite - couldn't quite figure it out myself - although it's actually fairly flat roofed for a 4x4 SUV.
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Wed 19 Sep 2007 15:58
HJ Road Test - bell boy
are the engines (diesel ) sorted on these now?
just had one pass me and it sounded like an old york diesel very top end loud
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Wed 19 Sep 2007 15:59
HJ Road Test - Twiz
THey seem to be according to HJs test - I didn't even get that far - non-starter from the headroom issue!!
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Wed 19 Sep 2007 16:12
HJ Road Test - jase1
are the engines (diesel ) sorted on these now?
just had one pass me and it sounded like an old york diesel very top
end loud


Was that the old Di one?

The last of the old Massey-Ferguson type lumps. Very reliable though.

The new one is refined, and that is all the good that can be said about it. Mongrel Renault-Nissan technology that I wouldn't touch with a 20ft pole.
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