Nissan X-Trail

The Nissan X-Trail provides everything you could need for your family holiday. Smooth and accessible performance from 2.5-litre engine, a spacious interior, standard ABS cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel automatic air-conditioning for comfort. Allied to a performance, space and equipment, sent the new X-Trail to third place in its class in the first quarter of last year.

Nissan has no shortage of four-wheel-drive credibility. X-Trail is front-drive 99 percent of the time, with the rear wheels only operating if the front starts to lose traction. The Nissan's 2.5-litre engine (CR-V: 2.4 litres) leads the 4-cylinder field in capacity and its 132kW is also out front in power and torque. The Nissan has three operating modes selected by buttons on the dash. 2WD selects front drive only. Auto apportions up to 43 percent of the engine's torque, via electronically controlled coupling to the rear wheels if the fronts struggle for grip. Lock activates 4WD fixing the front-rear torque split at 57/43 for the best traction and stability on slippery roads. This operates only below 30kmh then defaults to Auto at higher speeds and cannot be used on bitumen roads.