The new X-Trail 4x4 is about to make its way onto the Irish market. While the styling is intentionally very similar to its predecessors, the car is almost completely new from bumper to bumper. Two grades and three engines will be available from launch.

There was nothing really greatly wrong with the old X-Trail, which was a big success for Nissan, but the new car represents a major step forward in terms of comfort and refinement.

Nissan claim the new car is 50 per cent quieter at 120km/h than the old X-Trail at 120km/h and the new range of 2.0-litre diesel engines are remarkably smooth and quiet.

Driving around the off-road course in Aughrim in Wicklow also showed that the car was quite capable off-road; 30 per cent of customers use their X-Trails off-road while 73 per cent carry large items, and 25 per cent tow with them making the greater traction of the all-wheel-drive system more attractive. The new car has a number of improvements over the old car with a larger boot, increases In interior space, and more storage spaces inside the car including under the boot floor.

The 2.0-litre petrol engine puts out 140hp and comes only in front-wheel-drive specification and the SE trim level. It costs €32,950 (ex works).

The 2.0-litre diesel produces 150hp and in front-wheel-drive SE spec and costs €37,950 (ex works).

The four-wheel-drive diesel is only available in higher SVE trim and is €45,100 (ex works) while the option of an automatic gearbox adds €2000 to the price.

The top of the line SVE diesel is €46,600 (ex works) and comes with the more powerful 173hp version of that diesel four-cylinder engine.

Three commercial models are also on offer; 2 litre, two-wheel-drive SE is €27,595, the four-wheel-drive version is €2000 more and the 150hp SVE 4x4 diesel commercial is €32,395, all prices are ex-works.