Nissan X-Trail: Know its alternatives

Nissan has got only one SUV in the Malaysian market, and that is the X-Trail. Yes, it is available in different variants - Aero edition and X-tremer - but they’re more or less the same car. The X-Trail offers various interesting features like sharp headlights with LED daytime running lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, different driving modes, Intelligent Around View Monitor (IAVM), Active Brake Limited Slip (ABLS), etc.

Looking at the X-Trail specs, we get two engine options - 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre petrol engines that produces 144 PS/200 Nm and 171 PS/233 Nm respectively. The X-Trail price starts at RM 133,800. Following are the few alternatives of the Nissan X-Trail that cost around the same.

Mazda CX-5

Mazda CX-5 is the second member of Mazda’s CX family. It was unveiled in 2017 and is the first car from Mazda to feature the new KODO design language and Skyactiv technology. In the looks department, Mazda has done a great job. The CX-5 has got a large and unique blacked-out grille, spectacular headlights, and tiny fog lights that are hidden on either side of the front bumper.

The interior of the Mazda CX-5 has got a symmetrical layout. You’ll instantly notice the high-quality materials and superior fit and finish. There’s a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that can also be accessed by a control dial located below on driver’s side centre console.

Mazda has included many safety features in the CX-5 like six airbags, ABS, Dynamic Stability Control, EBD, Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), Lane-Keep Assist System (LAS), Driver Attention Alert (DAA), and G-Vectoring Control, etc. The CX-5 is available in two engine options - 2.0-litre and 2.2-litre. The starting price is RM 155,939.

Honda CR-V

Falls in the price range of RM 138,308 and RM 163,191, the Honda CR-V has made into our list. It isn’t as exciting to look at as the Mazda CX-5 or the Nissan X-Trail, but it has got a charm of its own. We like the signature front chrome slat with Honda logo, nicely designed headlights, overall proportionate appearance, all-black interior, etc. It also has paddle shifters, cruise control, 4WD system, adjustable driver seat, dual-zone air conditioning with rear AC vents.

Honda has also given a slew of safety features here like vehicle stability assist, hill start assist, driver attention monitor, front and passenger airbags, ABS with EBD, etc. The Honda CR-V comes with two engine options here in Malaysia. The first one is a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine that has got 193 PS of max power and produces 243 Nm of peak torque. The other engine is a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated unit which produces less power at 154 PS and only 189 Nm of torque. Both the engines come with only the CVT unit.

Mitsubishi Outlander

Just like the Nissan X-Trail, the Mitsubishi Outlander is the only proper 7-seater SUV from the company available in Malaysia. It shows off its set of nicely designed LED headlamps with LED daytime running lights. The car looks pretty rugged and sturdy from the front primarily because of the design of the grille and bumper. Mitsubishi has given the Outlander 4WD system as standard. This clearly shows the confidence of the company in this car.

The interior of the Outlander is pretty comfortable and also sporty thanks to the all-black scheme. It comes with various features like leather-wrapped steering wheel, 7-inch touchscreen audio display that supports Apple CarPlay, a Driving Video Recorder (DVR) that captures every moment while you’re driving, dual-zone climate control, push-button for engine start/stop, floor illumination lamp, etc.

If we look at the safety features of the Outlander, we get 7 airbags, Active Stability Control (ASC), Traction Control (TC), Hill-Start Assist (HSA), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Rest Reminder, Rear-View Camera, Parking Sensors, etc.

The Mitsubishi Outlander comes with two engine options - a smaller 2.0L unit with 145 PS of power and 196 Nm of torque, and a bigger 2.4L engine that produces 167 PS of max power and 222 Nm of peak torque. Both the MIVEC engines are mated to a CVT unit for power transmission. The pricing of the Outlander starts at RM 132,109.