- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.5i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
135kW, 244Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 7.4L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto (CVT)
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2021)
2023 Nissan X-Trail: DCOTY 2023 – Best Medium SUV
Winner of the 2023 Drive Car of the Year Best Medium SUV
- Excellent engine and transmission combo
- Thoughtful and stylish cabin
- Decent fuel economy
- We're not a fan of 10,000km service intervals
- Hybrid variants on the pricey side
- Small 8.0-inch touchscreen in the base model
The Nissan X-Trail is the 2023 Drive Car of the Year Best Medium SUV.
It’s fair to say that Nissan needed the X-Trail to be good. The old X-Trail was on sale, arguably, long past its expiry date. The wait, it seems, has been worth it, the all-new Nissan X-Trail a standout in almost all key areas against rivals that can more than hold their own in the Medium SUV class.
A family car that moves with the times, the new Nissan X-Trail delivers a comprehensive package for today’s buyer.
Our pricing and specification guide breaks down the Nissan X-Trail range in more detail, but here's a quick reminder of the Australian range. Four model grades are available, priced from $36,750 plus on-road costs. There's no longer a manual X-Trail available. Instead, all petrol X-Trails get a CVT, but there is two- or all-wheel drive.
Model grades include the entry-level ST, then ST-L, Ti and lastly Ti-L. The top two grades will be available only as five-seat models and with AWD. Importantly for the more adventurous family buyers, X-Trail tows a useful 2000kg, up 500kg from the old model.
Nissan has added e-Power hybrid variants since February 2023, however the hybrid was not available in time for testing. It's likely that these e-Power variants, while more expensive than petrol-powered variants, would only have enhanced the X-Trail's Drive Car of the Year-winning merits. But, because we couldn't test it, it is not covered by this award.
Standard features on the well-equipped entry-level model include 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 7.0-inch driver's display, keyless entry and start, cloth seats, a plastic/rubber steering wheel, and rear parking sensors. Also standard is an airbag between the front seats – a key feature among cars that have scored five stars under the latest ANCAP crash-safety testing criteria, including the new X-Trail's rivals from Hyundai, Kia and Haval.
Key details | 2023 Nissan X-Trail ST-L 2WD |
Engine | 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol |
Power | 135kW |
Torque | 244Nm |
Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
Transmission | Seven-speed CVT automatic |
Power-to-weight ratio | 87.4kW/t |
Weight (kerb) | 1578kg |
Tow rating | 2000kg braked 750kg unbraked |
Turning circle | 11.1m |
Judges praised the X-Trail for a thoughtful and practical cabin that offered plenty of space, especially in the second row.
Its dynamism too impressed, the X-Trail handling our chopped-up and decidedly patchy test route with poise, the mid-sizer simply swallowing up the rough stuff with barely a ripple inside the cabin. It’s arguably not as good as the locally tuned suspension found in the Kia Sportage, but we’re splitting hairs here.
The X-Trail’s 2.5-litre petrol engine matched to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) also outshone the opposition, especially the CVT that proved quiet, intuitive and refined. Noted one judge, “the CVT Nissan used in this X-Trail is a very impressive one”.
It also proved the most economical on fuel, and by some margin, posting an impressive 8.5L per 100km over the course of our testing. And with a hybrid variant added to the line-up earlier this year, the X-Trail range looks even more compelling for buyers in the segment.
With a price spread ranging from well under $40,000 for the entry-level two-wheel-drive petrol to a touch over $57,000 for the top-of-the-line hybrid (both before on-road costs), there’s an X-Trail to suit most budgets.
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Judges praised the X-Trail’s practicality in the cabin with plenty of storage options, including the cleverly designed floating centre console that allows for extra storage underneath.
Making life easier for second-row passengers, the X-Trail’s rear doors open wide – 80 degrees – ideal for families needing to securely seat little ones in baby capsules or child seats. Another clever touch from Nissan.
The sum of the X-Trail’s parts added up to a cohesive whole. A thoroughly modern medium SUV with plenty of space for families inside, decent fuel economy, excellent safety credentials, and a simple drivability and comfort on the road that’s hard not to be impressed by. And that’s why the Nissan X-Trail is the Drive Car of the Year Best Medium SUV.
Note: These ratings have been pulled from the most recent Nissan X-Trail review (read it here) and as part of Drive Car of the Year 2023 all finalists will be freshly reviewed in the near future.