I’ve had my Nissan X-Trail for three years. One of the features I like is its 4WD system. In the best mechanical condition, I can drive on any brown road even on a rainy day without getting stuck. It’s a small car powered by a small 2,000cc engine but its performance compares to that of a Land Cruiser or Land Rover.
The X-Trail doesn’t have the best ground clearance, but it’s high enough to make it easy to drive even on bumpy roads. However, to do this, your suspension system, especially the shocks, must be in top mechanical condition.
To avoid spending a lot of money on fuel, fill up the tank once every two weeks. When there is enough fuel in the tank, the filters, pump and engine will not be thirsty for fuel. Here, your consumption rates will be low as there is already unburned fuel in the system.
However, if I top up with say Shs 20,000 or Shs 50,000, when I start the engine, it will take time for the fuel to reach and circulate throughout the engine before it starts.
A full 60 liter tank will take me from my home in Naalya, a suburb of Kampala to my workplace in Ntinda, Kampala for two weeks. On average, I spend Shs450,000 on fuel in a month.
I bought my Nissan X-Trail in 2020. I had previously owned the Nissan Skyline, but I needed a raised car and one that didn’t exceed 3000cc.
The Nissan X-Trail was a perfect choice as its maintenance is affordable. For example, since I don’t drive it daily, I only take it to the garage once every five months. I spend approximately Shs 250,000 on minor services to replace engine oil, brake pads, transmission fluid, engine coolant, air filter and some other parts as recommended by the mechanic. There has been no need to replace the spare parts more important than the tires which cost Shs 180,000 each.
To maintain the X-Trail I use the best quality motor oil, high octane fuel and timely service.
I bought my 2006 X-Trail in June 2022. Although it looks small from the outside, it is spacious inside. Unlike some SUVs whose rear seats don’t recline, the X-Trail’s can be reclined to create space for luggage. My particular version has two rear seats in the trunk to accommodate two passengers, for a total of seven passengers.
While the driver and co-pilot have enough legroom, middle and rear seat passengers will feel a bit cramped. However, they have enough headroom due to the high roof of the car.
On the highway, depending on how heavy your accelerator foot is, the X-Trail will do about 14 km per liter of fuel, and about eight to 10 for urban journeys with slow traffic.
It is also stable and can be driven at 100 km/h and remains stable without shaking or vibrating.
security The X-Trail has dual front, side, chest and head airbags, as well as autonomous emergency braking, excellent seat belt reminders in the front and second row seats and lane departure control .
