Car Pool - What We're Driving This Week

The Age

Saturday January 17, 2009

Tester Steve Colquhoun

NISSAN X-TRAIL DIESEL TL

PRICE From $39,990

VITAL STATISTICS 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, 127kW/360Nm, 8.1L/100km, 216g/km.

TESTER Steve Colquhoun

WHY WE'RE DRIVING IT

Nissan has added a diesel option to its X-Trail compact soft-roader with two choices - the mid-spec Diesel TS (from $36,990) and the range-topping Diesel TL (from $39,990).

LIKES

Flexible engine pulls hard through the rev range with only a hint of turbo lag. Good fuel consumption of 7.9 litres/100km actually undercuts Nissan's claimed 8.1L/100km. Under-floor storage in the rear, including a pull-out tray, stops items like shopping bags from floating around the tailgate. Outstanding ability to damp corrugations and imperfections on rough, dirt roads. Leather-wrapped steering wheel houses easy-to-use audio and cruise control functions. Nice touches include a panoramic sunroof, electrically adjustable front seats, six-disc CD player.

DISLIKES

Chunky, utilitarian dashboard plastics lend a low-rent feel to the interior. Tall, square body generates a lot of wind noise at highway speeds and compromises handling by leaning excessively in tight bends. Tyre noise and road vibrations reverberate through the plastic-lined storage area behind the rear seats, which disappointingly don't fold flat.

WOULD I BUY ONE?

A single person or couple who throw bikes or surfboards in the back might appreciate the Nissan's no-nonsense interior but for everyone else, the X-Trail's blood-brother, the identically priced turbo-diesel Renault Koleos, is classier in almost every way. However, I'd probably pick the smaller, better-looking and $4000-cheaper Volkswagen Tiguan TDI.

© 2009 The Age

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