“Nissan’s All-New XTRAIL Debuts! What has changed? The new “”e-POWER Turbo”” is installed! Was it worth the wait?
Here’s the all-new XTRAIL with world-first technology!
Nissan announced the all-new XTRAIL, the fourth generation model, on July 20, 2022.
The new XTRAIL (known as the Rogue in North America) has already been announced ahead of its predecessor overseas, but what features will the new XTRAIL have when it arrives in Japan?
Tough-looking SUV unveiled for the first time in Japan! See the all-new XTRAIL interior and exterior in person! (55 photos)
The all-new XTRAIL after 9 years! This is the all-new XTRAIL you’ve been waiting for! Equipped with the world’s first “”Next Generation e-POWER x VC Turbo x e-4ORCE
The XTRAIL is an important model that drives the company’s business. The first generation was launched in 2000, the second generation in 2007, and the third generation in 2013.
As a global model, it is sold in many parts of the world, with cumulative sales exceeding 6.3 million units.
At the “”NISSAN NEXT”” business structure plan announcement in 2020, President and CEO Makoto Uchida publicly stated that the company would “”aggressively introduce new vehicles,”” and the Rogue is one of those vehicles.
Incidentally, the Rogue is an Extrail for North America and will go on sale in late October 2020.
After that, it will be announced sequentially in China, Europe, and other markets, but no announcement has been made for Japan. Although Nissan says that it “”will not disregard the Japanese market as it has in the past,”” this writer felt that “”after all, it hasn’t changed from the past, has it?”” I also felt that the Japanese market has not changed after all.
In the midst of all this, the new XTRAIL, the fourth generation model, was unveiled in the Japanese market.
It is said to be equipped with a “”powerful weapon”” that is actually being introduced for the first time in Japan, but what kind of weapon is it?
The exterior is a well-balanced fusion of the boxiness of the first/second generation and the urbanity of the third generation.
The front mask has an evolved V-motion gleam and split headlights, the sides have U-shaped highlights, and the rear inherits the image of the current model, but with cutting-edge treatment, the “”tough gear”” DNA of the Extrale and the “”tailored”” look that current SUVs seek are well balanced. I felt that the design itself is a balance of the “”tough gear”” DNA of the XTRAIL and the “”tailored”” look sought by current SUVs.
Personally, although the design itself has changed significantly from previous models, the design is instantly recognizable as the XTRAIL, giving the impression of “”nostalgic yet new.
The square body shape gives the impression of a larger size, but with an overall length of 4660 mm (-30) x width of 1840 mm (+20) x height of 1720 mm (-20) and a wheelbase of 2705 mm (+/-0), it is almost the same as the current model.
The interior has a more passenger car-like impression than the previous generation, with a clean, horizontal instrument panel and a refined design that shares similarities with the Note, Aria, and Sakura models.
The 12.3-inch full-digital meters, 10.8-inch full-color head-up display, and 9.0-inch touchscreen in the center add an advanced feel, while the “”bridge center console”” featuring a floating shape creates a robust and protected space typical of SUVs.
The quality of the interior, which was an issue in the previous generation, has also been greatly improved, with the high-end “”G”” grade featuring soft leather-like tactile artificial leather (Tailor Fit) and optional quilted design Nappa leather seats.
The G grade also features a BOSE sound system and other features that bring it into the premium segment.
Rear seat headroom and knee room have both been increased through packaging optimization and the adoption of thinner seats.
Convenience is also enhanced by wide door openings and a sliding mechanism (+20 mm to 260 mm). The luggage compartment has a wider opening, longer cargo space, and a shape that makes loading and unloading easier, resulting in a more “”spacious and usable”” luggage compartment.
The mechanism has been completely redesigned. The powertrain is the “”next-generation e-POWER”” only, with no gasoline model available.
The engine is an in-line 3-cylinder 1.5L-VC turbo (106kW/250Nm).
The compression ratio, which determines the engine’s character, can be continuously switched from 8.0 (for power output) to 14.0 (for fuel economy) using a multi-link mechanism that continuously changes the upper and lower dead center of the piston.
This allows a single engine to have two different characteristics, achieving a high level of balance between fuel economy and power output, which has been an issue with the conventional e-POWER.
The drive motors have been increased in output, with the front motor delivering 150kW/330Nm (1.2 times that of the Note) and the rear motor 100kW/195Nm (1.9 times that of the Note).
In terms of the system, it is an electric AWD with no mechanical connection between the front and rear motors. e4ORCE is a technology that meticulously optimizes the control of the driving force of all four wheels by controlling these front and rear motors and the brakes.
This technology enables both “”driving at will,”” as if the driver has become a better driver, regardless of the driving environment or location, and a flat, comfortable ride due to suppressed attitude change.
Incidentally, the combination of “”Next-generation e-POWER x VC Turbo x e-4ORCE”” was first adopted in the world with the new XTRAIL for Japan.
In other words, the reason for the delay in the introduction for the Japanese market was not due to a disregard for the Japanese market.
I believe that the company should have made an announcement in advance, such as “”We are preparing amazing technologies for the Japanese market, so please wait a little longer”” so that the Japanese users would not be diverted to other brands.
The footwork system has also been renewed. The platform is the newly developed CMF-CD (body rigidity 40% higher than the previous generation), which was jointly developed by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.
The suspension is also newly developed, with struts in the front (55% increase in suspension rigidity) and a multi-link system in the rear (10% increase in stability performance), and a newly developed highly responsive steering system (rack EPS and 50% increase in steering rigidity) is used. Only the highest grade “”G”” model has 19-inch tires, while the others have 18-inch tires.
The driver assistance devices are among the best in their class, including ProPilot with NaviLink function and ProPilot parking.
Connected functions also employ the latest devices, including a variety of content and interactive interfaces (Hello Nissan and Alexa).
Nissan’s All-New XTRAIL Debut! What has changed? The new “”e-POWER Turbo”” is installed! Was it worth the wait?
Driving exactly like the “”e-POWER Turbo””!
So how was the new Extrale’s driving experience?
This time, we test drove the “”X”” model with 18-inch wheels. To put it bluntly, I felt that the new Extrail has a lot of room to grow, to the point where I felt that “”maybe they made it a little too good. I felt that the new model has a lot of room to grow.
The new-generation e-POWER has a dual aspect: the presence of the engine disappears during normal driving range, and the presence of the engine shines during acceleration.
When the battery level is high, the engine is almost completely shut off, not only during normal use, but also during acceleration, thanks to optimized energy management, including power generation control based on road surface detection.
Even when the engine does start, it generates power efficiently at low rpm, so the presence of the engine is almost imperceptible, and there is never a scene where the engine roars noisily while driving in the normal range.
In this area, in addition to the control that takes advantage of the characteristics of the VC engine, the sound absorption and sound insulation performance of the vehicle body also contributed greatly, resulting in a quietness that is hard to believe for an Extrail.
In situations where the accelerator pedal is opened wide, the driver can feel not only the power of the large-displacement engine torque, but also the good extension of that power that continues.
This must be due to the control that matches vehicle speed and engine rpm, as well as to the clean sound of the engine.
The e-POWER has no mechanical connection between the engine and drivetrain, but the new EXTRAIL’s feel is so linear and natural that it is almost as if there is a connection there. It may be the “”e-POWER Turbo””.
Incidentally, there are drive modes available, with “”ECO”” providing a gentle response to the accelerator, and “”Sport”” increasing responsiveness and aggressive engine startup, a clear change in character.
With the world’s first “”Next Generation e-POWER x VC Turbo x e-4ORCE””, this can be called an “”e-POWER Turbo””!
How about the footwork?
The previous generation was not a bad balanced car, but its handling and comfort were at the “”average”” level, but the new model is at the top level in its class, offering both “”handling not unlike an SUV”” and “”high quality comfort comparable to the premium segment””. The new model is the best in its class.
Specifically, the chassis, suspension, and steer system are all highly rigid rather than rigid.
In addition, the steering system has a high sense of direct connection and is unmatched in accuracy, the handling has a high sense of unity that allows the vehicle to turn as intended with a constant steering angle, and the high level of straight driving performance is unaffected by external disturbances, making you forget that this is a crossover SUV.
These are the synergistic effects of the high basic characteristics and e-4ORCE, but there is no sense of “”machine bending”” at all.
I tried some hard cornering, which is far beyond the daily range, but the car ran without any understeer or oversteer.
This is probably proof that the e-4ORCE allows cornering while efficiently using all four tires to their fullest potential.
It’s as if the driver is under the illusion that “”I’m a better driver now! The driving at will is clearly sportier than its predecessor.
But don’t get me wrong, it’s not just the legs that are tightened to make it sporty; it’s the entire car that makes it sporty in essence.
As proof of this, comfort is not sacrificed at all. The ride is gentle and responsive throughout the entire range, and the foot moves well in the normal range, and as the speed increases, the flatness of the ride increases.
Incidentally, to poke around in the corners, I was not particularly concerned about the front seats, but the rear seats may have been caused by the thinness of the seats, and I think the vibration/stiffness is transmitted more easily than the front seats. However, considering the balance with handling, it is within the acceptable range.
Thus, the driving performance of the new model has been improved to such a level that the word “”transformation”” is appropriate.
In addition to the “”tough gear”” that is the DNA of the Extrail, the new Extrail has a good balance of the “”quality”” demanded of the latest SUVs and Nissan’s own “”advanced technology. It is definitely a vehicle that is worth the wait.
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The new Extrail is also available under Nissan’s “”AUTECH”” sub-brand. The exterior features a dot-pattern front grille and metal finish, while the interior features a coordinated black and blue color scheme and leather seats (with exclusive quilting), creating a premium sporty look.
The body/suspension is unchanged from normal, but the Extrale’s only 20-inch tires (Michelin Primacy 4) and aluminum wheels are used.
We test drove this vehicle as well, and the handling was crisper than normal. When cornering at the same speed, I could feel that the car has a higher limit of one tire to the inside than the stock tires, but I thought the stock tires were superior in terms of controllability as they gave a sense of unity.
The ride quality is tighter than normal, but I felt that the rear seats are more comfortable, perhaps due to the softer seat upholstery and vibration absorption.
I analyze that the slight difference in the matching between the e-4ORCE and the tires is reflected in the small differences in driving performance, but to put it another way, it could be said to be an “”excellent chassis”” in which a single small part can make a difference.
The “”EXTREME X,”” with its tough and rugged interior and exterior, and the “”NISMO (parts),”” with its sporty styling, are also available.
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