Nissan X-Trail VS Haval H2
Nissan X-Trail
Likes
- Refinement
- Value
- Safety
Dislikes
- Fuel efficiency could be better
- Ownership package off the pace
- Minimal boot space with seven seats up
Haval H2
Likes
- Good looking
- Spacious cabin
- Full-size spare
Dislikes
- 'Busy' ride
- Turbo lag
- Lack of cabin refinement
Summary
Nissan X-Trail
Launching an investigation into the Australian mid-size SUV market is like opening an automotive can of worms.
Around 20 mainstream offerings makes it one of the most popular and hotly contested segments in the local new-car market.
Think Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester and the category-leading Toyota RAV4. Not to mention the subject of this review, the long-established Nissan X-Trail.Â
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And this time around we’re looking at the X-Trail N-Trek, which sits in the middle of a five-tier X-Trail line-up, in AWD seven-seat form which increases versatility while narrowing the competitive field somewhat.Â
We spent a week putting it through its urban paces.Â
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.5L |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.8L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Haval H2
The H2 is the littlest vehicle made by the biggest Chinese SUV company, Haval, and it competes against the likes of Honda’s HR-V, the Hyundai Kona, and Mazda's CX-3. Being Chinese, the H2 is more affordable than its rivals, but is it more than just a good price?Â
In 15 years time, the concept of me explaining to you how to pronounce Haval and what it is may seem as cute and ridiculous as me doing the same for Hyundai now.Â
That's how big the brand could become in Australia. The company is owned by Great Wall Motors, which is China’s largest maker of SUVs, and anything that's big in Chinese terms is truly massive (have you seen their Wall?).
The H2 is the littlest Haval SUV and competes against the likes of Honda’s HR-V, the Hyundai Kona, and Mazda's CX-3.
If you’ve done a bit of research you’ll have noticed that the H2 is more affordable than those rivals, but is it more than just a good price? Do you get what you pay for, and if so what is it you’re getting, and what are you missing?
I drove the H2 Premium 4x2 to find out.
Oh, and you pronounce 'Haval' the same way you say 'travel'. Now you know.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.5L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 9L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Nissan X-Trail8/10
Over four generations Nissan has fine-tuned the X-Trail into an impressively refined and practical option for an urban family; that practicality further extended by inclusion of two occasional seats in the third row of this N-Trek version. The value equation is also strong and safety is top-shelf.
That said, efficiency is far from class-leading and the ownership proposition is off the category pace. But this even-seater’s overall quality still shines through.Â
If you’re in the midst of the mid-size SUV market vortex and want seven seats rather than five make sure this car’s on your investigation list.
Haval H26/10
It’s disappointing that a car which looks so damned good can be let down by its interior refinement and driveability issues. In some areas, the H2 is great and goes further than its rivals – tinted windows, a full-sized spare, sunroof and good rear legroom. But the HR-V, Kona, C-HR and CX-3 have set the standard high for build quality and driving experience, and in this regard the H2’s isn’t at the same level.
The H2 is more affordable that its rivals but is that enough to tempt you out of a CX-3 or HR-V? Tell us what you think in the comments below.Â
Design
Nissan X-Trail
Busy but interesting is a description you might apply to a mad rocket scientist or rock ‘n’ roll roadie. But it’s also apt when looking at the Nissan X-Trail’s exterior design.
Long, angular head and front fog lights sitting either side of a large grille and above multiple air intakes set the tone at the front with a similar mix of accentuated tail-lights and jagged shapes at the rear.
There’s enough distinctive character there to identify the X-Trail as a contemporary Nissan and I for one like the look of it, especially in our test example’s ‘Ceramic Grey’ finish.
For car-spotters, the N-Trek is distinguished by specific 18-inch (mainly black) alloys, a unique front and rear bumper treatment and a blacked-out grille as well as a black finish on the door handles, mirror covers and roof rails.
This third-generation X-Trail arrived less than two years ago and the interior remains classy and restrained, Nissan so far resisting the temptation to join media and instrument displays into the increasingly common single array.
The sweeping multi-level dash is fuss-free and the muted, mainly grey and black colour palette is calming yet bright enough to avoid crossing the line into sombre. Â
Its layout is simple and ergonomically efficient with details like manual dials for audio and heating/ventilation control a plus.
And it’s the things you don’t regularly notice that are worth calling out. The electric handbrake is near silent on application; not always the case in recently released rivals. The rear windscreen wiper motor is also quiet; again, something you can’t take for granted these days. And the quality of the materials across the interior is a cut above those most often used by ‘challenger’ brands.
I could go on, but you get the idea. Lots of small ‘one per cent’ things that may seem minor on their own but add up to make a noticeable difference overall.
Haval H27/10
If you squint, the H2 looks a bit like a BMW SUV and that may be because BMW’s former head of design, Pierre Leclercq, led the H2’s styling team (it's worth pointing out that if you squint hard enough, I look like Robert Downey Jnr).
He’s now moved on to Kia but has left behind a pretty darn good-looking H2. I would even argue that the H2 is what the BMW X1 should look like, instead of that long-nosed, humpy-looking hatch.
The H2 is small, at 4335mm long, 1814mm wide and 1695mm tall, but it’s bigger than nearly all of its rivals. The Kona is 4165mm long, the HR-V is 4294mm end-to-end and the CX-3 is 4275. Only the C-HR is longer at 4360mm.
Interior refinement could be better and it’s not on the same level as its Japanese competitors. Still, I like the design of the cockpit with its symmetry, the layout of controls is also considered and easy to reach, the hood over the instrument cluster is cool and I even like the opal-like milky finish on the dashboard trim.
Practicality
Nissan X-Trail
At just under 4.7m long, a fraction over 1.8m wide and a bit more than 1.7m tall, the current Nissan X-Trail is a large mid-size SUV.
That allows for a generous amount of space up front with more than enough breathing room between the driver and co-pilot.
Storage is pretty handy, too, with a decent size lidded ‘butterfly door’ box between the seats (which doubles as a centre armrest), two cupholders in the centre console, a lower level tray underneath, door bins with space for large bottles and a decent glove box.
Move to the second row and at 183cm tall I have plenty of headroom and legroom, with the latter variable thanks to the seat’s ability to slide and open up more room for the two third-row occupants if required.
Again, there are bins in the doors with a cavity able to accommodate large-ish bottles, two cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest and map pockets on the front seat backs, while adjustable ventilation gets a big thumbs up.
Three full-size adults across the second-row seat is a recipe for discomfort but two grown-ups or a trio of up to mid-teenage kids will be fine and the rear doors deserve a big shout out.Â
First, they open out to 90 degrees which makes getting in and out of there s-o-o much easier and second, pull-up sunshades are always a welcome addition.
The third row is a kids-only zone, but the flexibility those two spots offer is significant and Nissan’s provision of big outer armrests with storage and drink holders built in is a thoughtful touch.
Connectivity and power options run to USB-A and -C ports (for streaming and charging) plus a 12-volt socket and wireless device charging pad in the front. There’s an identical pair of (charge only) USBs in the centre row and another 12-volt outlet in the boot.Â
Speaking of which, with all seats up the seven-seat X-Trail’s boot capacity shrinks to that of an oversize handbag (realistically, two or three soft bags), but with the 50/50 split third row folded down you’re provided with 465 litres of volume (to the roof) which is enough to easily swallow the three-piece CarsGuide suitcase set. And the 40/20/40 split second row’s sliding ability again allows you to play with the space available.
Worth noting a space-saver spare is provided (a much better option than a ‘roll of the dice’ repair/inflator kit) and maximum braked trailer towing capacity is a handy 2000kg (750kg unbraked).
Haval H27/10
The H2’s 300-litre boot capacity is small in comparison to its rivals. The Honda HR-V has a 437-litre boot, the C-HR’s is 377 litres and the Kona’s is 361 litres, but it does have more luggage space than the CX-3, which can only manage 264 litres.
That said, only the H2 has a full-sized spare wheel under the boot floor – so what you lose in luggage capacity you gain in being able to drive wherever you like without fear of a puncture and having to hobble to the next town 400km away on a wheel which can only handle 80km/h.Â
Inside storage is good, with bottle holders in all the doors and two cupholders in the back and two in the front. The tiny hidey hole in dash is more ash tray-sized, which makes sense because of the cigarette lighter next to it, and the centre console bin under the front centre armrest is a reasonable size.
The H2’s cabin is spacious, with good head, shoulder and legroom up front and the same goes for the back row, where I can sit behind my driving position with about 40mm to spare between my knees and the seat back.
Price and features
Nissan X-Trail
At $50,390, before on-road costs, other similarly sized and specified three-row rivals to the X-Trail N-Trek include the recently released Tiggo 8 Pro Max Ultimate AWD ($47,990 drive-away) as well as the Mitsubishi Outlander and VW’s Tiguan Allspace.
The N-Trek’s $50K price tag neatly dissects the Outlander 7 seat AWD Aspire ($47,340) and Exceed ($52,640) grades and splits the Tiguan Allspace 132TSI Life ($47,990) and 162TSI Elegance ($57,090) models.
As well as the safety and performance tech covered later in this review, the X-Trail N-Trek’s standard equipment list features dual-zone climate-control, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen display, a 10.8-inch head-up display, built-in sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay (and wired Android Auto), keyless entry and start and six-speaker audio (with digital radio).
There’s also a ‘leather-accented’ steering wheel, a 10-way power adjustable driver seat (manual-adjust front passenger seat), heated front seats, synthetic leather trim,18-inch alloys, auto rain-sensing wipers, auto LED headlights (all other exterior lights are also LED), power-folding heated exterior mirrors, rear privacy glass and roof rails.
That’s a solid basket of fruit for the money in this part of the market.
Haval H26/10
At the time of writing the H2 Premium 4x2 petrol could be had for a driveaway price of $24,990, which is a $3500 discount on the RRP, according to Haval.Â
You could, of course, be reading this in the year 2089, having just survived another nuclear winter in your impenetrable mountain compound, so it's best to check the Haval website to see if the offer is still valid.
Ignore the word 'Premium', because this 4x2 is the most affordable H2 you can buy, and $24,990 drive-away sounds amazing, but a quick look reveals that many small SUV rivals are also offering deals.
The Honda HR-V VTi 2WD lists for $24,990, but can currently be had for $26,990 driveway; the Toyota C-HR 2WD is $28,990 and $31,990 drive-away, while the Hyundai Kona Active lists for $24,500, or $26,990 drive-away.
So, buy a H2 Premium and you’ll save about $2000 over a Kona or HR-V, which is an attractive prospect for families where every cent counts.Â
The features list also ticks most of the typical boxes for this end of the segment. There’s a 7.0-inch touchscreen with reversing camera, four-speaker stereo, rear parking sensors, auto halogen headlights, LED DRLs, sunroof, auto wipers, air-conditioning, fabric seats and 18-inch alloy wheels.
So on paper (or on screen) the H2 stacks up well, but in reality I found the quality of the features wasn’t as high as those in the HR-V, Kona or C-HR.Â
You should know that the H2’s display screen, while largish, feels and looks cheap, and required several finger stabs to select items. The windscreen wipers were overly noisy, the indicators themselves didn’t ‘blink’ in a regular pattern, and the phone system had a delay when a connection was made, which resulted in me saying 'hello' but not being heard at the other end of the line. This caused a few arguments between my wife and I, and no car is worth that. Oh, and the sound of the stereo isn’t great, but there is a cigarette lighter.
Under the bonnet
Nissan X-Trail
The X-Trail N-Trek is powered by a 2.5-litre, naturally aspirated, four-cylinder petrol engine developing 135kW at 6000rpm and 244Nm at 3600rpm. Not a turbo in sight, which is increasingly rare as emissions standards for internal-combustion engine cars continue to tighten.
That said, the X-Trail’s hugely popular corporate sibling, the Mitsubishi Outlander (they share the same chassis platform) has the identical engine residing under its bonnet.
The all-alloy unit features direct-injection and electronically-controlled variable valve timing to produce outputs in the same ballpark as other category favourites like the Kia Sportage 1.6 turbo (132kW/265Nm) and Mazda CX-5 2.5 (140kW/252Nm). But the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid AWD steps ahead on power at 163kW.
Power is transferred to all four wheels via a CVT auto with a ‘Drive and Terrain Mode Selector’ offering ‘Auto’, ‘Eco’, ‘Sport’, ‘Snow’ and ‘Off-Road’ modes.
The AWD system is on-demand with steering angle, yaw rate and G-force sensors feeding into an electronically controlled coupling ahead of the rear differential able to adjust torque distribution between the front and rear axles from 100:0 to 50:50 on the fly.
Haval H24/10
Were you planning to take this off-road? Well, maybe reconsider that because the Haval H2 is only available now in front-wheel drive and comes exclusively with a six-speed automatic transmission, so there's no manual gearbox option.
The engine is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol (you can’t get a diesel) which makes 110kW/210Nm.
Turbo lag is my biggest issue with the H2. At revs above 2500rpm you’re fine , but below this if you plant your foot if feels as though you could count to five before the grunt appears.Â
Efficiency
Nissan X-Trail
Nissan’s official combined cycle fuel-economy figure for the X-Trail N-Trek is 7.8L/100km, the 2.5-litre four emitting 183g/km of CO2 in the process.
That number’s in line with other non-hybrid competitors but some way off the Toyota RAV4’s 4.8L/100km.
Over a week covering mainly urban and suburban driving as well as some freeway running we recorded an average of 9.9L/100km, measured at the pump, while the on-board computer coughed up a more optimistic 9.1L/100km.
That’s starting to get up there for the class although the result’s balanced somewhat by the X-Trail’s ability to run happily on 91 RON ‘standard’ unleaded.
You’ll need 55 litres of it to fill the tank which translates to a theoretical range of around 700km and roughly 550km using our real-world number.
Haval H25/10
The H2 is thirsty. Haval says over a combination of urban and open roads you should see the H2 using 9.0L/100km. My trip computer said I was averaging 11.2L/100km.
The H2 needs 95 RON, too, while many of the rivals will happily drink 91 RON.
Driving
Nissan X-Trail
The best way to describe driving the X-Trail N-Trek is stress-free. It’s quiet, comfortable and composed with enough oomph for the cut and thrust of urban driving as well as the occasional foray onto the highway.
Maximum pulling power arrives at 3600rpm, which is higher than the small-capacity turbo SUVs the X-Trail most often competes with. But the pay off is crisp throttle response and you’re never found wanting for performance.
Drive goes to all four wheels via a ’shift-by-wire’ continuously variable transmission (CVT). By design CVTs cause the engine to hunt up and down the rev range, searching for the optimal gearing compromise between power and efficiency. But the CVT ’droning’ syndrome that characteristic can generate isn’t a noticeable factor in the X-Trail.
The strut front, multi-link rear suspension delivers smooth ride comfort helped in no small part by the standard 235/60x18 Bridgestone Potenza Sport A/S tyre’s cushy 60-series sidewall profile.
That rubber plays a part in the car’s modest road noise with wind noise on the freeway also low for a relatively upright SUV. The X-Trail also steers nicely with well-weighted assistance and good road feel.
We didn’t head off-road for this family review but the N-Trek’s variable AWD capability gives it the ability to confidently deal with loose or slippery unsealed surfaces.
An 11.1m turning circle is nice and tight, which, in concert with a reversing camera, 360-degree camera view and front and rear proximity sensors makes parking a straight-forward exercise.
Brakes are discs all around (ventilated at the front) and the pedal is agreeably progressive.
In fact, that kind of refinement is a hallmark of the way this car operates. Recently arrived competitors can be noticeably abrupt when it comes to brake, throttle and steering inputs.
Not so here. As mentioned in the Design section, these one per cent positive qualities lift the X-Trail above the norm.
Haval H24/10
There’s a fair bit to say here but if you don’t have long the upshot is this: the H2’s driving experience falls short of what has now become the norm in this segment.Â
I can look past a seating position that feels too high even on the lowest setting. I can ignore indicators which don’t ‘blink’ in a regular rhythmn or windscreen wipers that clunk loudly. Or even headlights that aren’t as bright as LED or Xenon, but the turbo lag, uncomfortable ride and less than impressive braking response are a deal breaker for me.
First, the turbo lag at low revs is frustrating. A right turn at a T-intersection needed me to move quickly from a standstill, but planting my right foot saw the H2 dawdling out into the middle of the junction and me waiting frantically for the grunt to arrive as traffic approached.Â
While handling isn’t bad for a small SUV, the ride is overly busy; a jiggly feeling that suggests the spring and damper set-up is less than great. Other car companies tune their vehicle suspension for Australian roads.
And while emergency braking tests show the H2 had automatic activated hazard lights, I feel the brake response to be weaker than its rivals.
Steep hills are not the H2’s friend, either, and it struggled to climb an incline other SUVs in this class have scampered up easily.
Safety
Nissan X-Trail
The current Nissan X-Trail received a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment from testing in 2022 and it’s on the pace relative to others in the category.
Active (crash avoidance) tech is comprehensive including AEB with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection (operational from 5.0-130km/h for car detection), rear cross-traffic alert and rear AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and lane keeping, an ‘Around View’ 360-degree camera view, blind-spot monitoring, tyre pressure monitoring and driver fatigue detection.
If an impact is unavoidable, there are seven airbags onboard, including side curtains (importantly, covering all three rows) and a front centre bag to minimise head clash injuries in a side-on crash.
There are three top tether points and two ISOFIX anchors for child seats/baby capsules across the second row seat. There are no top tether points on the third row.
Haval H27/10
Haval wants you to know its H2 scored the maximum five-star ANCAP rating and while it has disc brakes, traction and stability control and airbags galore, I want you to know that it was tested last year and doesn’t come with advanced safety equipment such as AEB.
A full-sized spare wheel is also safety equipment in my eyes – the H2 has one under the boot floor, something its rivals can’t claim.
Ownership
Nissan X-Trail
Nissan covers the X-Trail with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is the norm in the mainstream market. That said, the likes of GWM, Kia and MG are at seven years, unlimited-km with Mitsubishi offering conditional 10-year, 200,000km cover. Roadside Assist is included for five years.
The main service interval is 12 months/10,000km which is behind the more common 12 months/15,000km period, although pre-paid maintenance is available offering an approximate 10 per cent saving over (still capped-price) pay-as-you-go.
Pre-payment also means you can fold the cost of maintenance into the financing of the car (if you’re going that way).
For the X-Trail AWD, pre-paid servicing comes in at $2092 for five services within five years ($418.40 per workshop visit) compared to $2324 for individual capped-price services ($464.80 per visit).Â
There’s that 10 per cent saving but it’s still relatively pricey when you consider the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid costs $260 per service.
Haval H28/10
The H2 is covered by Haval’s five-year/100,000km warranty. There’s also a five-year, 24-hour roadside assistance service, which is covered in the cost of the vehicle.Â
The first service is recommended at the six-month mark, and then every 12 months thereafter. Prices are capped at $255 for the first, $385 for the next, $415 for the third, $385 for the fourth and $490 for fifth.