Test Drive Nissan X-Trail 2001 - 2003 SUV

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One of the few premieres of the recent Moscow Motor Show-2001 is an Nissan X-Trail SUV. You can even say, the premiere of the European, since last year in Paris the car debuted in the concept of the concept, and in the spring of this year in Geneva - in the form of a pre-production sample. Now we are the conveyor version, at the time of the test - the only thing in Russia. To meet the car, Yuri Samoilenko helped us, head of the company Nissan ...
 
Introducing Last year in Paris, then the concept of X-Trail, Patrick Pelata, Vice President Nissan Motor Co., said: (previous) Xterra SUV won popularity (in the US) because it absolutely accurately corresponded to the expectations of buyers, combining excellent permeability and affordable price. When creating X-Trail, the same approach was used, but taking into account the somewhat other needs of the Japanese and Europeans.
 
Note: Some other needs. Although the company reports that the X-TRAIL is intended for all continents - this is probably the first Nissan SUV, created mainly for the European, and not the American market (sales in Japan began in November last year, in Europe - in October of the current one, and When the car fears the Americans and will wait at all - unknown). Therefore, it is constructed other than traditional Nissanov SUVs.
 
The continuity is saved only in appearance: there is a certain box of shapes in the X-TRAIL from Patrol models (remember Safari, Mistral, Rasheen, Pathfinder, Terrano ...) and so obvious in Xterra. But there is nothing wrong with that; First, the Nissan X-Trail exit marks the half-century anniversary of the company's SUVs, secondly, a slightly rude appearance additionally highlights this car from a number of more playful competitors.
 
Nobody expects special features from parquet SUVs away from the highway, but they need to look convincing. With this task, the X-Trail copes, perhaps, it is better than Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV-4 - it can argue with him that Land Rover Freelander can. By the way, the serial sample of the X-TRAIL externally does not differ from the Paris concept, which happens not so often. Is that the roof looks simpler - the concept in the back of it was attended by a very interesting sustayul. But if you embed to the roof of a hatch (by the way, he is almost twice as much as competitors) ...
 
Interior under the exterior. Salon, perhaps not the most elegant, but in thought and practicality he will not refuse him. Leather (optional) Seats are quite comfortable - wide enough, with reasonable lateral support. High landing provides a good overview, racks do not interfere. The steering column is adjustable, and you can not worry that the ram will block the appliances, - there are no them before the driver! The dashboard is located in the middle of Torpedo - fashionable, but unusual, it is necessary to mow (devices, however, large and deployed to the left - read perfectly). But before the driver there was a small glove box with 12 in the outlet, there can not only be stored, but also recharge the cell phone.
 
Another unusual is the lids on the sides of the music, under them small cavities connected to the heating system-cooling-ventilation of the cabin. Everyone climbs on a standard jar with a drink, which can be heated in winter or cool in summer ...
 
From behind, everything is almost like everyone else - a three-bed sofa with a folding (60/40) back with a changing slope. If you remove the pillows and fold the back, it turns out a decent size of the luggage compartment with a flat floor. Not like everyone else - the ability to change the angle of the backrest. Not like everyone else - the floor covering panel made of rubber-like plastic. It is not only easy to wash (remember how much effort is required to spend the traditional fearful coating), but also easily removed. Practically - you can sit somewhere on babe ...
 
Our Nissan X-Trail was equipped with 2 liters with a gasoline engine (140 hp, 192 nm) and a 4-speed automatic box (5-speed mechanical can be installed). The second option is 2.2 liters of Common Rail Turbodiesel (114 hp, 270 nm), it is equipped with only 6-speed mechanics.
 
We do not know how the car behaves with a diesel power unit, but the petrol liked. With calm movement in the city of power reserve and torque, there is enough for the eyes, the reaction to the electronic gas pedal is adequate, the motor does not annoy the noise, the work of the box - without comments. We emphasize, with calm movement - attempts to go aggressively the engine reacted not too willingly, in any case, not on its 140 horses. Especially on Nizakh. The reason, apparently, in the Japanese-European adjustment - not at the maximum return, but under economics and environmental friendliness ...
 
The behavior on the solid coating is completely passenger. Steering is clear and accurate, with good feedback. For non-interference amplifier, you have to pay a slightly heavy steering wheel when parking, but it is much better than an empty steering wheel at high speed.
 
Brakes are excellent. All disk (rarity for vehicles of this class) are equipped with a 4-channel ABS, an electronic force dispenser and the BRAKE ASSIST dashing system. It is also worth noting the system of stabilization of the course stability (not just an ESP, and ESP with a plus), which in interaction with the ABS optimally distributes traction and brake efforts on wheels.
 
The suspension without complaints - moderately rigid to ensure good controllability and at the same time quite comfortable ...
 
And what on off-road (moderate, of course)? For the tests found the semblance of the village with the abundance of puddles, the benefit for this, even for the city did not have to go. And it's time to tell about the transmission X-Trail, which is called All Mode 4x4 ...
 
There are 2WD, AUTO 4x4 and Lock buttons on the car panel. When you press the first torque, it is supplied only to the front wheels - this is the usual, most economical mode of movement along a good road (with the corresponding front-wheel drive behavior of the machine).
 
If the wheels appeared the cape or asphalt became slippery, it is worth pressing the AUTO button, and an electronically controlled inter-control clutch is turned into operation. It acts as usual - when the front wheels are slipped smoothly connects the rear. But it makes it much faster than similar to the appointment of a system of competitors - before connecting the rear wheels, the front manage to slip only a few degrees.
 
Well, if the road deteriorated finally, you can turn on the Lock mode. At the same time, the mid-space clutch is blocked, and the torque is distributed between the front and rear axle in the ratio of 57:43. You can not think about the shutdown of this mode: if the speed exceeds 30 km / h, the transmission itself understands that the car has already got out of the dirt, and unlocks the coupling ...
 
In practice, everything happened in the same way as in theory. According to a sufficiently deep puddles with a clay bottom X-TRAIL, even in AUTO mode, it was calm, and after pressing the Lock button - in general, Aki Dye. Even uninteresting. Of course, in those places where a reduced series of transmission would be needed, it is better not to obey, however, not too big road clearance of the car you will not allow this.
 
After overcoming puddles, it was very pleasant not a trifle: the thresholds remained clean! Thanks to the design of the lower part of the doors and located there with rubber strips in the coming (and somewhere that has already come) to slush the owner of the X-Trail will be able to keep the cleanliness of the trousers ...
 
What is the result? Nissanovs, perhaps, slightly raised on the ball of parquet SUVs. But already assessing should pay attention to the new guest - and it is dressed as it should, and the manners stand out. It seems that the collection of real SUVs Nissan X-Trail would have looked quite appropriate.
 

Text: Mikhail Vasilyev
 
 
 

A source: Magazine Motor [№11 / 2001]