Nissan has blown the cobwebs off its ever-popular X-Trail and brought the SUV back, with an all-new look that also features an interesting powertrain setup.

You can get cheaper versions of the new model, but we’ve been driving the poshest of the pack, the Nissan X-Trail Tekna+ e-Power e-4ORCE. If you've got the £48k to part with, then this is undoubtedly the model to go for. However, those with less budget to spend should head for the mild-hybrid edition, avoiding the expense of the Tekna+ trim line, as well as the additional extras. Prices start at a fraction over £32k for the most basic model, so our test car does come at a considerable premium.

What’s the core appeal? Well, not everyone is ready for a full-on EV and, with energy prices making electric charging less appealing, something like the Nissan X-Trail e-Power e-4ORCE could fit the bill. It’s got a small 1.5-litre petrol engine, which in turn generates 201bhp of power that gets delivered to a brace of electric motors – 150kW at the front and 100kW at the rear. These supply drive to the wheels, which, if you opt for the e-4ORCE setup, adds in impressive off-road capability along with a on-the-road drive that feels much like a proper EV. The bonus, of course, is there’s no need to charge it up.

Design

The latest Nissan X-Trail isn't quite as dramatic to look at as the company’s all-electric Ariya SUV, but this is a bit of a different beast anyway. You get more of a rugged appearance, with practicality at the forefront of the features and functionality of the design. There’s the high-up styling, with lots of glass, especially thanks to the panoramic sunroof.

At the front, there’s a nicely sculpted grille that is very in keeping with other Nissans in the current portfolio of products. The LED headlights work particularly well too, both in terms of looks and functionality thanks to adaptive beam tech on the premium models. Along the sides, it’s fairly workmanlike, save for the chrome roof rails. Meanwhile, the back of the new X-Trail looks neat and tidy, with subtle but effective taillights and a spoiler flourish that juts out from the roofline. Our model used this to even better effect thanks to the contrasting black roof, which worked well against the gold colour of the bodywork.

This being an SUV means there is plenty of space on the inside, with four chunky doors and a sizeable powered tailgate, with the forward part of the cabin feeling very light and airy - only helped further by that glass roof in the Tekna+ model.

It doesn't take long to get yourself into a comfortable driving position, thanks to electrically height-adjustable seats and a steering wheel that offers moveable reach and rake options. The rear seats are similarly accommodating, while the third row is less so, but certainly suitable for smaller members of the family.

Meanwhile, there’s a beefy 575 litres of storage space in the boot - and that's before you’ve started messing around with the adjustable 40/20/40 split seating arrangements. The latest X-Trail certainly feels like it’s ideally suited to the ever-changing loading needs of a busy family.

The family-friendly experience is also made much better thanks to doors that open widely, and this is particularly beneficial at the back. Getting a child seat into the back of a car can be surprisingly tedious, but the nigh-on 90-degree opening offered by the X-Trail should transform the experience for many. This is also helped by the high-rise appeal of the SUV’s stance. If you’re going to plump for the seven-seater edition though, getting into the last row is less graceful if you’re on the larger side - thankfully you can move the second row forwards to help a bit.

Bold trim options

Nissan has been bold with its interior trim options for the new X-Trail Tekna+. The car we drove featured a wealth of tan-flavoured, leather-like material, with cool stitching that certainly makes it feel premium. It does grow on you too and works nicely alongside the contrasting black trim elsewhere. Nissan still seemed to think black interiors were going to be the main option for most, but having lived with it for a day or two we’d say this tan colour might be worth investigating. Messy kids will love it, no doubt…

The overall layout of the interior works really well too, with a digital display in front of the wheel and a central 12.3-inch infotainment screen that’s not huge, but big enough for what it needs to do. It's certainly better than the 8.2-inch edition found in lesser models. A great head-up display features in the premium cars too.

Climate controls sit underneath and provide a rewardingly easy way of adjusting hot and cold temperatures, the fan and so on. It’s a sensible setup. The central console holds all of the driving options, with a circular drive mode dial that can be adjusted if you want to take on different road conditions. This isn’t immediately obvious, however, as it sits quite far back.

You’ll also be glad of the driving aids in some scenarios mind, with the great view out of the front of the X-Trail compromised slightly towards the rear. The length of the SUV, its height and smaller rear windows make reversing into tight or tricky spaces a little challenging, so you soon become pretty reliant on the rear-facing camera.

Anyone needing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be suitably pleased, while we also had plenty of time for the 10-speaker Bose sound system found in our high-end Tekna+ car. Also good are the numerous storage options, for cups, mugs and all the rest of it. Family friendly for sure.

On the road

The Nissan X-Trail turns out to be great to drive, with the power being delivered in a very smooth fashion without any of that annoying revving that you get with CVT gearboxes. Central to the magic formula if you plump for the e-4ORCE model is the benefit of the power getting to the wheels via electric motors on the front and rear axles. The experience is an interesting one, with brisk acceleration when it’s needed and 0-62mph arriving in 7 seconds thanks to a little more power coming from the e4ORCE 4WD edition.

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What you also get as an added benefit of the e4ORCE 4WD is the ability to take on rough terrain over a variety of surfaces, ranging from lanes that are slick from mud through to proper off-roading. We tried the X-Trail on a pre-prepared Nissan off-road track, which featured a series of challenges designed to put it through its paces and showcase the different drive mode options available via the circular dial on the centre console.

The dynamic, four-wheel-drive system proved hugely impressive off-road and the X-Trail seems very confident when faced with adversity. It’s unlikely owners will test it quite as much as we did, but having such a system might be a worthy addition to have, especially if you live in a rural area that gets its fair share of inclement weather.

Prior to that, we spent plenty of time driving the X-Trail on a good mix of roads. Out on the highway the SUV feels happy enough and, while it's not the fastest model out there, the car rides smoothly. It’s also great on smaller roads and worked surprisingly well when faced with mountainous tracks. Going up particularly steep inclines did inspire a little bit of revving from the engine, but coming back down the X-Trail felt surprisingly nimble given its overall size. The experience is further complimented by Nissan’s E-Pedal system, which makes one-foot acceleration and braking lots of fun.

We only got to drive the four-wheel-drive X-Trail though, so it’ll be interesting to see how the two-wheel-drive model compares in the not-too-distant future.

Range and charging

There’s something of a trade-off if you want the Nissan X-Trail Tekna+ e-Power e-4ORCE four-wheel drive edition though, with the extra weight of the system penalising the fuel economy somewhat. It slips down to 44.7mpg, though the difference is fairly nominal compared to that of the regular two-wheel drive version and its 48.6mpg figure.

In that respect and while the idea of the powertrain setup sounds good on paper, it’s not hugely frugal. Granted, you get high-up SUV motoring and everything that goes with it, but it’s nothing like what you’d get from a diesel edition, which Nissan isn’t offering.

Verdict

The Nissan X-Trail Tekna+ e-Power e-4ORCE, as tested here, packs an awful lot of great stuff into its five doors, the only real downside being the resulting high price.

If you think you could do without the four-wheel-drive and those extras provided by the upgraded Tekna+ trim option, then one of the less fancy models could well be worthy of investigation, if our experience here is anything to go by. You’ll still get the same confident and cosy high-up ride and a whole lot of space for driver and passengers alike.

Another hugely impressive aspect of this X-Trail is its off-road capabilities. While this will probably remain an underused feature of the SUV, it adds real extra appeal for anyone who lives out in the sticks. It really can take on the tough stuff with aplomb, although if you are heading for muddier locations the tan interior we tested is probably best switched for a black one.

Overall though, the Nissan X-Trail Tekna+ e-Power e-4ORCE is a neat alternative to the likes of the Hyundai Sante Fe, Peugeot 5008 or the still very good Skoda Kodiaq.