The new 2023 Nissan X-Trail is a roomy seven-seater SUV another great option from a list that already includes models such as the Ford Kuga, Skoda Kodiaq and Kia Sorento.
Update: Since this guide was published we have driven the latest Nissan X-Trail. Click here to read our full Nissan X-Trail Review
Nissan will only sell the X-Trail as a plug-in hybrid (or self-charging hybrid) model – the Kuga and Sorento can also be had as PHEVs – and you can expect the new car’s interior to represent a big step up in terms of infotainment and build quality. Nevertheless, some of the outgoing X-Trail’s defining features – its four-wheel drive and seven seats – remain.
2023 Nissan X-Trail price, release date and rivals
Full prices and specs for the 2023 Nissan X-Trail will be revealed on 6 September, however, you can expect it to cost around £35,000 – significantly more than the £27,000 old model – thanks to its expensive hybrid technology. A high level of standard equipment should make up for the price hike.
The new X-Trail will likely go on sale late in 2022 and it will parachute into a bustling large SUV class that includes models like the sweet-driving Ford Kuga, hugely practical Kia Sorento and Skoda’s consummate all-rounder, the Kodiaq. Pictured in this article is the 2022 Nissan Rogue, which is what Nissan calls the X-Trail in the US and Canada.
2023 Nissan X-Trail: styling and interior
You can expect the new Nissan X-Trail to closely mirror the styling of the Japanese-market model and the US-spec Rogue shown in these pictures, which in turn looks very similar to the new Nissan Qashqai.
Nissan’s trademark V-Motion grille remains but the design is bolder with a blunt nose and distinctive creases above the wheel arches that make it look more like a traditional SUV than the softly styled old model. You can expect to choose from a variety of finishes including moody glossy black exterior plastics and contrast roof shades.
Huge infotainment screens will be the order of the day on the inside and you can expect the system to come hooked up to Nissan’s voice activation system, although Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will also be fitted – opening up the option to use your phone’s apps, intuitive menus and reliable voice activation, on the car’s big screen.
The big screens mean there’s no need for row upon row of conventional buttons, although you can expect to get physical controls for often-used systems like the car’s ventilation and drive select.
Expect the new X-Trail to feel like a significant step up in terms of interior quality, with padded faux leather used for the dashboard, doors and centre console, backed up by glossy-black plastic finishes and brushed aluminium trims.
It’ll still be a very practical car, though. You can have it with up to seven seats and the boot will offer a healthy capacity of around 550 litres, with plenty of smaller storage spaces aimed squarely at keeping the interior tidy.
2023 Nissan X-Trail: plug-in hybrid (PHEV) tech and drive
The new Nissan X-Trail shares its underpinning with the smaller Qashqai meaning it will also get that car’s plug-in-hybrid technology, which comprises a 1.5-litre petrol engine, with an electric motor and a battery with a system output of 188bhp and 243lb ft of torque.
Nissan’s system differs from PHEV versions of Ford Kuga and Kia Sorento because the X-Trail’s petrol engine only works as a generator that tops up the car’s battery.
Because there’s no physical connection between the engine and the wheels, Nissan says the X-Trail drives more like an electric car with instant acceleration off the line and no need to worry about changing gears because it has a single-speed transmission.
Nissan’s e-Pedal – of Leaf fame – will also be fitted. It uses the X-Trail’s regenerative brakes to slow the car automatically when you take your foot off the accelerator – sending power to the battery as it does it. It makes the Nissan more efficient and also means you can drive it with one pedal.
Another piece of clever tech destined for the X-Trail is Nissan’s e-4orce four-wheel drive system that can send power to the front or the back of the car as quick as a flash and has modes for snow, mud and gravel. The same system has already been featured in the new Nissan Ariya.
Read our review of the Nissan X-Trail