What to expect from Nissan X-Trail before Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5

X-Trail has a masculine appearance, 7 seats and focuses on good price incentives which are competitive advantages.

Before Nissan introduced the X-Trail in September 2016, the C-segment crossover market in Vietnam was dominated by the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5. All three models, the X-Trail, CR-V and CX-5, were assembled domestically, but the Nissan crossover was equipped with more technology.

X-Trail was born later than its competitors, so the only way for the Japanese car company is to use driver assistance technology and safety features to compete. On the highest version, X-Trail has many things that are almost at the top of the market.

Nissan X-Trail SV version costs over 1.1 billion VND.

If CX-5 is suitable for both men and women, CR-V is more masculine, then X-Trail is only for men. Nissan arranged the interior of 5 + 2 for X-Trail while its competitors only have 5 seats. The 3rd row of seats of X-Trail is enough for children and 2 adults of average size. This advantage can be the deciding factor in buying a car, especially for large families.

The exterior of the X-Trail is quite muscular and comes with many accessories such as rearview mirrors with integrated LED turn signals and LED taillights. The electric trunk opens and closes, with an integrated sensor that allows the trunk to be opened without touching it, a new feature in the popular car segment. However, the operating mechanism is a bit more complicated and inconvenient compared to luxury cars or the Ford Explorer.

The interior is quite friendly and easy to get used to but not as flashy as its competitors. Those who prefer simplicity will be more potential customers with the X-Trail while the CR-V and CX-5 are suitable for those who like to explore. The difference isX-Trail has a 360-degree view around the vehicle.

X-Trail sporty interior.

Although equipped with dozens of technologies, compared to the Honda CR-V's driving feeling, the X-Trail still lacks a bit of realism when steering and flexibility when handling in crowded streets. You can squeeze the steering wheel lightly and the CR-V will react immediately, but the X-Trail takes a while to "understand". The accuracy is also not as good. But if placed next to the CX-5, the X-Trail is much better in this criterion. Although it is a car designed for men, the buttons and levers on the X-Trail are all smooth.

The CR-V's acceleration is also better than the X-Trail's. The CR-V is equipped with a 2.4 I4 engine that produces 188 horsepower, while the X-Trail uses a 2.5 I4 engine that produces only 169 horsepower. On the contrary, the X-Trail's 233 Nm torque is stronger than the CR-V's, only 222 Nm. The X-Trail uses a 7-speed CVT, while the CR-V and CX-5 are 5-speed and 6-speed automatic, respectively.

Compared to the Mazda CX-5, the Nissan model is superior thanks to its smooth, gentle handling, acceleration, and stability. The soundproofing of all three is difficult to distinguish.

The Nissan X-Trail is priced between the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5. With unprecedented incentives in May, Nissan hopes to compete more fairly with its rivals, after sales dropped to 100 cars in April.

The difficulty of the X-Trail is that it was launched at the right time when Truong Hai implemented its strategy of gaining market share by reducing prices most aggressively in history. While Vietnamese customers are placing high priority on price, the CX-5 is always in the upper hand. Although equipped with more options and better performance, the X-Trail still needs a stronger and more practical approach, and a deep discount in May is the way to achieve the most effectiveness.

According to VNE