Nissan X-Trail VS Haval H9
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 H9
Likes
- Ride and gearbox both great
- Space galore
- Unbeatable value proposition
Dislikes
- Some electrical gremlins
- Huge lag when taking off
- A longer warranty with public capped-price servicing would help
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.
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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.
We spent a week putting it through its urban paces.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.5L |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.8L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Haval H9
From almost the moment carmakers began popping up in China, we've talked of the soon-to-arrive boom in Chinese new-car sales in Australia.
They're coming, we said. And no, they're not much chop right now, but they'll get better and better and better, until they're one day giving the best from Japan and Korea a run for their money.
That was years ago now, and the truth is, they never really got good enough to seriously rattle any cages here in Oz. They inched closer, sure, but there was still a heap of daylight between them and the competition.
But we've just spent a week piloting the updated Haval H9 large SUV, and we can report that the gap hasn't just shrunk, it's near-enough vanished, the daylight reduced to a sliver in lots of important areas.
So is this the beginning of the Chinese revolution?
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 12.1L/100km |
| Seating | 7 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.
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 H97.1/10
The Haval H9 Ultra is proof that Chinese cars are at last living up to the hype. The value proposition is unbelievable, and a five-year warranty helps calm any ownership concerns. Is it bang-on against the competition? Not quite. Not yet. But you can be sure that other vehicles in the segment can feel the H9's hot breath on the back of their necks.
Would you consider a Haval, or do you still doubt the Chinese? Tell us in the comments below.
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.
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 H97/10
It's a big and slab-sided beast, the H9, and it's unlikely to win too many beauty contests. But then, few in this category do, or attempt to, and it looks tough and purposeful, which is probably more important.
Front on, it looks positively massive, with its giant and silver-slatted grille, huge headlights and a jumbo foglight perched like alien eyes in the furthest corners of the front end.
From the side, lashings of silver (a touch too blingy for our tastes) break up an otherwise fairly bland profile, with the rubber-gripped sidesteps a nice touch. From the back, a large and largely unremarkable rear end is home to a massive, side-hinged boot opening, with the pull handle mounted to the far left.
It's not perfect in places, though, with some panels that don't quite match up, and more gaps between others than we'd like, but you have to look closely to notice.
Inside, the fit and finish is pretty good, with a giant faux-wood centre console home to a one-touch gear lever, an electric handbrake (a luxury still missing in some Japanese models) and most of the four-wheel-drive functions. The "eco" leather on the seats and the soft-touch dash are both nice under the touch, as is the steering wheel, and the second and third rows are pleasantly furnished, too.
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.
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.
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 H98/10
Very practical, thanks for asking. It's a behemoth (4856m long, 1926mm wide and 1900mm high), so space is really no problem in the cabin.
Up front, there are the prerequisite brace of cupholders, mounted in a centre console so wide you could play football on it, and the seats are big and comfortable (and they'll give you a massage to boot). There is room in the front doors for bottles, and the infotainment, while a little slow and clunky, is easy to understand and operate.
Climb into the second row and there's heaps of space (both leg and headroom) for passengers, and you can, without doubt, fit three kids across the back. There is a storage net on the rear of each of the front seats, room for bottles in the doors and two more cupholders in the pulldown divider.
There's no shortage of niceties for backseat riders, too, with air vents and temperature controls and heated rear seats. And there are two ISOFIX points, one in each window seat.
Things aren't so luxurious for third-row passengers, with thin-and-hard seats mounted in cramped surrounds. But there are third-row vents and a cupholder for seats six and seven.
The side-hinged boot opens to reveal a laughably small storage space with the third row in place, but things improve considerably when you flatten (electronically, no less) the rear seats, with a gigantic storage area that will have your phone ringing hot every time one of your friends is moving house.
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 H99/10
Let's be honest, Haval hasn't been around anywhere near long enough in Australia to sell on anything even resembling badge loyalty. So if it is any hope of increasing its 50-odd sales a month (March 2018), it knows it has to sweeten the pot on price.
And it doesn't get much sweeter than the $44,990 sticker glued to the H9 Ultra. That's about $10k cheaper than the cheapest Prado (and a staggering $40k cheaper than the most-expensive version), and the Ultra is absolutely swimming with kit for the money.
Outside, the alloy wheels are 18 inches, there are LED daytime running lights, front and rear fog lamps, dusk-sensing headlights with a follow-me-home function and standard roof rails.
Inside, the faux-leather seats are heated in the first two rows (and ventilated in the front), and there's even a massage function for the driver and passenger. The windows are powered, as is the fold-flat function for the third row, and there's a sunroof, leather-wrapped steering wheel and aluminium pedals, too.
On the tech front, an 8.0-inch touchscreen (but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto) is paired with a 10-speaker stereo, and there is standard navigation, keyless entry and push-button start.
Finally, there's a heap of safety and off-roading kit, but we'll come back to that under our other sub-headings.
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 H96/10
It's like a diesel in disguise, this 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, making 180kW at 5500rpm and 350Nm at 1800rpm. It's paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and drives all four wheels. That means a sprint to 100km/h of "just over 10 seconds” - about two seconds faster than the car it replaces.
Haval's All-Terrain Control System is also standard, meaning you can choose between six drive settings, including Sport, Mud or 4WD Low.
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 H96/10
Haval reckons you'll get 10.9 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle, with emissions a claimed 254g/km. The H9's 80-litre tank will only accept premium 95RON fuel, which is a shame.
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 H97/10
We did a lot of kilometres in the Haval (perhaps subconsciously we were waiting for it to fall over), and over all sorts of road conditions, and it never skipped a beat.
The obvious standout is the ride, which is now very good, and disposes of CBD bumps and corrugations without fuss. At no stage does it feel dynamic or overly connected to the road, but it creates a comfortable disconnect that makes you feel you're floating above the ground. Not good for a performance car, sure, but it suits the character of the big Haval just fine.
The steering has a wafty vagueness, though, and it doesn't inspire confidence on anything twisty, with plenty of corrections when you're tackling something challenging.
The rolling delivery of power is surprisingly strong and smooth when you plant your foot. But there are downsides to a small turbocharged engine shoving the size of a block of flats around. For one, the engine has this staggering delay when you first plant your foot from a standstill - as though you're playing chess with the engine and it is figuring out its next move - before finally surging into life. It makes overtaking moves a heart-stopping challenge at times.
The petrol engine (which does a remarkable job of masquerading as a diesel) can feel a little rough and rugged when you really plant your foot, too, and you'll find all the useable power lurking at the low-end of the rev range. It is bloody comfortable, though. The vision is very good out of all windows, including the rear windscreen. And the gearbox is terrific, seamlessly and smoothly swapping cogs.
But... there were some electrical gremlins. For one, the proximity unlocking is the weirdest we've encountered - sometimes it works, other times its more complicated, and you need a textbook to figure out how it talks to the boot. The alarm went off twice despite me unlocking the doors, too. It might be some user error that I don't understand, but worth mentioning either way.
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 H97/10
The safety story starts with dual front and front-side airbags, as well as curtain bags that stretch across all three rows. You'll also find a revising camera, as well as front and rear parking sensors.
Happily, Haval has also embraced the newer technologies, so you'll get lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring. Off-road, hill descent control is standard, and Haval claims a safe fording depth of 700mm.
The H9 received a four-star ANCAP crash rating when the outgoing model was tested in 2015.
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).
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 H97/10
Expect a five-year/100,000km warranty, with service intervals pegged at six months and 10,000km. Service costs are available at Haval dealerships, so be sure to check them out before you sign on the dotted line.