Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2014 | Page 63

MOTORING

Nissan X-Trail
Test driven on the Island by Peter White
You only have to sit inside the new Nissan
X-Trail for a few minutes to realise what
a magnificent piece of engineering you
have around you. Yes, it is still a durable,
rugged 4x4, but now it has a sleek,
swanky interior, complemented by an
eye-catching exterior with its power
opening panoramic roof.
The X-Trail feels solidly put together
and the driver’s information and controls
are uncomplicated and easy to access.
And if you are looking for comfort while
driving, then look no further. The driver’s
seat is height-adjustable and the cabin is
spacious and airy.
Once I started to ease my way through
the six-gear manual box of the 1.6 litre

diesel N-Tec model that I drove, courtesy
of Staddlestones Nissan, Ryde, I was very
pleasantly surprised at the way it glided
subtly over the inevitable bumps and
potholes of Island roads, assisted by soft
suspension and a system that applies
incremental braking forces in response to
larger bumps.
Nissan always places the emphasis on
safety, and the X-Trail is no exception.
There’s the forward emergency braking
to minimise the risk of collision with
any vehicles in front; blind spot and
lane departure warnings; tyre pressure
monitoring system; traffic sign
recognition and even driver attention
alert. So the X-Trail actually monitors

your driving, and warns you on the
advanced drive-assist display if it feels
you are getting tired!
Four cameras give you a 360 degree
outside view of your X-Trail, enabling
even the most cautious driver to reverse
and park with confidence.
The X-Trail is available with a choice
of 5 or 7 seats, and there are two or
four-wheel-drive versions. The 4x4
versions benefit from an on-demand
system that drives the front wheels most
of the time, with power to the rear wheels
automatically cutting in when the terrain
requires it. Or, by the flick of a switch you
can choose to keep the vehicle 'locked'
into four-wheel-drive mode.
For more information visit
Staddlestones Nissan, Brading Rd, Ryde.
Tel: [phone]

Staddlestones Nissan
Brading Road, Ryde
Tel: [phone]
www.staddlestones-nissan.co.uk
www.visitilife.com

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