No “hand” is big enough to cover the sun. And that’s an opportunity for newcomers like the Nissan X-Trail to emerge and dominate the market.
Formally launched in the Vietnamese market in late September 2016, shortly after the appearance of the Mitsubishi Outlander, the Nissan X-Trail became the newest player in the mid-size SUV segment alongside established names like the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, and the Korean twins KIA Sportage and Hyundai Tucson.
Appearing later than its competitors in the crossover segment, many believed that the Nissan X-Trail would struggle to find a place in the market. But I have a different view. As I mentioned in the introduction of this review: “No ‘hand’ is big enough to cover the sun. And that’s an opportunity for a newcomer like the Nissan X-Trail to emerge and dominate the market.” Now, let’s analyze together.
When the Vietnamese automobile market was booming, most niche segments already had established leading players. Simply put, Honda, Mazda, and Hyundai were able to easily secure leading positions because they arrived first. And when they took the lead, their products like the CR-V and CX-5 gained significant advantages in the minds of customers. Because psychologically, consumers usually remember the first things.
The challenge for latecomers in the crossover segment like the Nissan X-Trail is how to win over customers when there are already dominant players in the market. The typical answer is to “create a better product than the leading one. Customers will recognize the better product and it will win.” Unfortunately, that strategy rarely succeeds.
However, there is a way to make a mark. Psychologically, customers never want to be limited in their choices to just one brand. Consumers are afraid of exclusivity, afraid of depending on just one manufacturer. That’s why when new brands enter the market, consumers tend to support them.
But in order to gain customer support, the X-Trail not only needs to be “better” but also needs to be “different.” Realizing this opportunity, Nissan has been very serious about researching and developing the product to create a competitive and accurate response to the needs of Vietnamese customers. Let’s take a closer look at how the X-Trail is “different” in terms of exterior design, interior, and performance.
Design: Different through simplicity
I have to say that the Nissan X-Trail 2017 looks much better on the outside than its predecessors. Joining the Vietnamese market when the product life cycle had already entered the 3rd generation, the Nissan X-Trail 2017 has shed its rugged appearance and taken on a sleeker look. This change is both timely and relevant in a context where customers are increasingly inclined towards compact SUVs with a fashionable design and many features and technologies.
I like the front of the car better, when Nissan introduces many new elements here, while still retaining the “Nissan character.” That is the chrome-plated V-motion grille which is eye-catching. It includes the seamlessly designed front lights with a hexagonal shape and daytime LED lighting. The lower fox-eye air grilles are separated from the upper grille, painted in dark color with a thin chrome strip on the front bumper as an accent. The diamond-shaped fog lights are also a modern feature of the X-Trail.
The rear of the X-Trail is relatively simple. The lines are decisive and not complicated, especially with the three-tier LED tail lights divided into two compartments, the main compartment slightly leaning towards the side, mounted high on the rear windshield to facilitate observation from a distance. The reflective lights positioned low on the bumper help with identification when driving at night. The low exhaust pipe underneath the car blends harmoniously with the overall design.
Interior: Increased convenience
Car users in Vietnam are becoming more practical. They need a vehicle interior that is convenient and comfortable for traveling. Therefore, the Japanese carmaker has no reason to create a complicated and aesthetic interior design. They focus on upgrading technology.
First, let’s look at the cabin (the driver’s position). The steering wheel is wrapped in leather with integrated control buttons and has 4-way adjustment for a comfortable driving position, voice-controlled modern features. The auto-dimming rearview mirror is also very useful when driving at night. In addition, the ADAD driving support screen also provides much-needed information to the driver.
The X-Trail is equipped with a 6.5-inch screen and an Android operating system as the central control panel, integrated with Radio, MP3/AUX/USB, with 6 speakers. The driver can also adjust the operating space of the speakers around the car. For example, if driving alone, only the driver’s position speakers are turned on. In addition, the car has 2 power outlets, which are very convenient if passengers forget to charge their electronic devices at home or at the office.
The X-Trail also features a smart key and push-button start, a feature found on many modern cars that customers would immediately notice if it were missing. The driver’s seat is gravity-free and electrically adjustable in 8 directions, supporting the spine according to the research of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), providing a comfortable and relaxed sitting position. The front passenger seat is also electrically adjustable in 4 directions. I have driven about 1,200 kilometers in this car, and I am very satisfied. Sitting for a long time but not feeling tired, back pain, or numbness.
The X-Trail’s air conditioning system is operated automatically in 2 independent zones with dust filtering function and air vents for the rear seats, making the cooling process quick and pleasant in the car. With the increasing sunny days in Vietnam and the fact that Vietnamese families often travel together to their homeland, this is obviously a plus point.
The interior door handle of the X-Trail is also chrome-plated for a luxurious look. The car is highly appreciated for having a dual Panorama sunroof. The usefulness of this cost-effective feature is that it allows more light to enter the cabin, creating a more spacious feeling. It provides a comfortable feeling for the driver and the rear passengers to fully enjoy the beauty of nature.
The second-row seats are comfortable for adults with a high ceiling space, can be folded in a 40:20:40 ratio, and can be slid up and down to share legroom with the third-row seat. The third-row seat is quite small and only suitable for small children. This position seems to be suitable for short trips, but it is also an advantage compared to 5-seat SUV models.
The third-row seats can be folded flat in a 50:50 ratio. Besides the advantage of 7 seats, the Nissan X-Trail also appeals to passengers with its spacious luggage compartment compared to its competitors. When the third-row seats are used, the car has a cargo space of 135L, increasing to 550L when the third-row seats are folded. It is 147L larger compared to the 403L of the Mazda CX-5 or the 488L of the Hyundai Tucson. An interesting point is that the trunk can be opened by touch.
Performance: Worth driving
All achievements or impressive statistics about the X-Trail will become vague or only for “listening pleasure” if you don’t personally drive the car. “A hundred hearsay is not as good as seeing once, and a hundred times seeing is not as good as trying once.” And indeed, it was only after I had the opportunity to drive the Nissan X-Trail for about 1,200 km on a variety of mixed roads that I understood why this car was highly rated for its practicality. That’s why the X-Trail’s strategy of focusing on technological enhancements to make it more attractive in terms of performance has been proven successful.
First, let’s talk about its capability in urban driving. The driver’s seat provides a wide field of view. The electric power steering creates a light and precise steering feel at speeds below 50 km/h. In addition, the support of the Around View Monitor system helps the driver easily determine the position and distance from obstacles, allowing for more accurate steering maneuvers. However, the surround view technology takes time to get used to the fisheye effect. I believe that if this technology can’t be improved, an excellent traditional reverse camera is all you need.
On the highway, the Nissan X-Trail provides a comfortable and smooth feel in each accelerator pedal action and acceleration, but lacks a “surge.” The reaction from the engine and CVT gearbox is not really sensitive at the initial throttle, but if you continue to press the accelerator when needing to overtake slow-moving trucks, the X-Trail easily reaches speeds of 100 and 120 km/h. However, this is not a limitation of the X-Trail because the CVT on this model also has a 7-speed manual mode that somewhat satisfies the driver’s sporty driving feel.
In addition, the car is equipped with cruise control, which is not new but its convenience cannot be ignored. Trying this feature on the highway was quite “boring,” but trying it on mountain passes and slopes showed its true value. The road from Ngoc Lac (Thanh Hoa) to Tan Ky (Nghe An) has a good road surface, but many continuous bends and speed limit signs of 40 km/h are the perfect conditions for the X-Trail’s Cruise Control to “shine.” I set it at 40 km/h and the X-Trail automatically “stepped on the accelerator” to allow me to relax and just rest my foot on the brake pedal to be prepared in case of emergency. When going downhill, the Cruise Control actively reduces speed, and when going uphill, it does the opposite, “supplementing” the accelerator to maintain the set speed. Driving now became simpler than ever.
In Quang Binh, if you don’t “try” the “specialty” of the sand, it would be a waste. The next day, we decided to conquer the sand hills along the Dong Hoi coastline with the Nissan X-Trail. Although a small-sized SUV, the Nissan X-Trail has the ability to conquer diverse terrains, even the most difficult ones. It is a versatile terrain vehicle that always goes hand in hand with many modern features appropriate to satisfy even the most demanding drivers, and this has been proven in practice. It is no coincidence that the X-Trail crossover has been welcomed and trusted by over 2 million customers in more than 190 countries.
To “dance” with the vehicle on the hills of golden and white sand, we slightly decreased air pressure in the 4 tires, turned the drive mode knob from front-wheel drive (2WD) to Auto mode by turning the knob to the right. At this time, the Auto icon will flash on the instrument panel. Auto mode is similar to 2WD mode, but the car will automatically activate the rear-wheel drive when the sensors detect a loss of traction in the front wheels. In this mode, we initially experienced some slipping, but gradually the X-Trail was able to climb up the hills.
However, when faced with sinking sand or high sand dunes, we had to switch to the 4WD LOCK mode by turning the knob to the right. At this time, the pulling force is evenly distributed between the two axles. The traction decreased, and the vehicle felt stronger, more “agile,” making it easier to climb sand dunes. Thanks to the intelligent distribution of power between the wheels, whenever one wheel loses traction, the other wheels immediately provide assistance to push the car forward. After a while, the wheels seemed to be familiar with the sand and the driver became accustomed to each steering maneuver, and the car glided and danced on the white sand hills.
In addition to its performance capabilities, the X-Trail also has strong safety features. In addition to standard features such as anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic brake force distribution (EBD), and emergency brake assist (BA), the X-Trail also has electronic stability control (ESC), active engine braking control (AEB), and active steering control (ATC). All of these features help me easily control the speed and keep the car on the correct trajectory, increasing its grip on the road. I continuously drove on the stretch at a speed of 80 km/h. At this speed range, if I continued to accelerate when needed to overtake long trucks with slow speeds, the X-Trail could easily accelerate even though it was equipped with a CVT gearbox.
Driving from Ngh? An to Qu?ng Bình and not “testing” the sand “specialty” would be a waste. The next day, we decided to “conquer” the sandy hills along the coast of Ð?ng H?i with the Nissan X-Trail. Although a small-sized SUV, the Nissan X-Trail has the ability to conquer diverse terrains, even the most difficult ones. A versatile terrain vehicle always goes hand in hand with many modern features appropriate to satisfy even the most demanding drivers, and this has been proven in practice. It is no coincidence that the X-Trail crossover has been welcomed and trusted by over two million customers in more than 190 countries.
After nearly a year of distribution in a market of 90 million people, the X-Trail has turned the crossover segment in Vietnam into a three-horse race full of competitiveness.
X-Trail 2017 is different in terms of design, technology, and performance to “score points” in the eyes of users. The cleverness of following a 5+2 Crossover design style while applying new features and technologies… has gradually enabled the X-Trail to establish its position in the segment.
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