Nissan unveiled its next generation X-TRAIL during the 77th International Geneva Motor Show. The four-door SUV includes four engine choices and features the brand's ALL-MODE four-wheel drive system. ALL-MODE 4x4i includes two unique systems to Nissan: Downhill Drive Support (DDS) and Uphill Start Support (USS). USS is a fully automatic system that maintains brake control on 10 percent inclines until the driver starts to move away. DDS uses the vehicle's anti-lock brakes to maintain a descent speed of 7 kilometers-per-hour, enabling the driver to concentrate on steering. The new X-TRAIL also features a double deck trunk and boasts an overall length of 4,630mm, 175 mm longer than its predecessor. The car will be available in European markets beginning this summer.
"Following a hugely successful car like the original X-TRAIL is not an easy task, especially when customers tell us to leave things as they are. But the all-new X-TRAIL is the perfect example of evolutionary change: subtle improvements in key areas will appeal to existing owners and new buyers alike."
The best judges of whether a car delivers all it promises are its customers. Having lived with the car for weeks, months and years, they are uniquely placed to give the ultimate verdict.
At the planning stages of the project to develop the next generation X-TRAIL, Nissan listened to owners of the previous X-TRAIL to hear directly what was considered good and, of course, where the new X-TRAIL could be improved.
"The message coming back was that we changed the X-TRAIL formula at our peril. The original was loved by its owners and many didn't want us to change a thing. It was a problem, certainly, but a nice one to have," says Pierre Loing, Vice President, Product Planning, Nissan Europe.
In truth, the success of the original X-TRAIL came as something of a surprise even to Nissan. When it was launched six years ago, the company expected sales across Europe to average 23,000 units a year.
That proved to be a slight miscalculation: in its best year, Nissan sold no fewer than 64,000 examples, with average annual sales over its lifespan of more than 54,000. That's 135 per cent over target. In total, since its launch, a total of 275,000 X-TRAILs have been sold in Europe and globally, that figure has reached 615,000.
Therefore, X-TRAIL has proven to be a winning formula and the challenge Nissan faced in the design and development phase was how to build on that success by taking the new X-TRAIL to higher levels of performance, convenience and off-road ability.
"There is no denying that the first X-TRAIL was an exceptional success. It was the right vehicle at the right time, a hugely capable compact SUV with serious off-road credentials. It also enjoyed a very high degree of customer loyalty with repeat purchases accounting for as much as 30 per cent of all sales.
"So when they asked us not to change anything, we listened," says Pierre Loing. "But that didn't stop us improving on the original. The latest X-TRAIL is an all-new vehicle, but one which builds on the considerable success of its predecessor rather than trying to be something different.
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