Range Rover vs Nissan X-TRAIL

What's the difference?

The Range Rover Autobiography long wheelbase is an outstanding SUV that is not just beautiful to drive but makes family practicality a priority, too, 

The price is reasonable relative to the competition, the features list is long and complementary servicing offers peace of mind.

If you don’t need the third row, I’d consider the standard wheelbase Autobiography even if it does reduce legroom, there’s still plenty of space.

My son stopped short of giving the Range Rover Autobiography full marks "because there are no massaging seats in the second row".     

For its silver anniversary, the X-Trail in e-Power guise remains better than ever. And the flagship Ti-L makes a convincing, value-packed, well-equipped and enjoyable to drive luxury medium SUV alternative for the family. Its only glaring fault is the omission of a full-sized spare wheel.

But other than that, given the Nissan’s warranty, reputation and the fact that it's still so functional, economical, gutsy and easy to live with, the e-Power remains one of our favourite mid-size SUVs. Our choice would be the Ti, though, chiefly because of its comfier 19-inch wheels.

This fifth-generation Range Rover debuted in 2021 and despite its smooth, modern styling this SUV retains the familiar traditional Range Rover look with the short squared bonnet, flat roofline and tall windows.  

Let’s talk about the wheelbase, because it has a huge impact on passenger space.

We had the long wheelbase which is 3197mm between the front and rear wheels - that’s 200mm more than the standard wheelbase. 

Just look at those stretched rear doors in the photos - this is a go-anywhere limousine, or go-anywhere daycare centre in my case.

The overall length of the long wheelbase Range Rover is 5252mm. That’s big, but the design of this SUV doesn’t make it appear enormous.

What I don't like are the retractable door handles. They take a while to pop out and they look and feel cheap. Land Rover has used these on its other SUVs and if I had time I’d pen a letter asking the company to please stop. I’m sincerely hoping this review will do the same thing. I await your response JLR.

I think the tail-lights are pure genius. The pencil thin design is such a brave move away from the norm where brands are going over the top with LED lighting, and the simplicity is refreshing.

Inside, a traditional-looking Range Rover cabin awaits you with the flat dashboard, the low window sills contrasted by super modern touches like the displays and fully digital dials.

It’s sumptuous, luxurious, but not over the top. Again some people are looking for bling and gimmicks, but you won’t find them here - and I like that. This interior feels solid and substantial, but plush. 

For its 2026 facelift, the T33 X-Trail Series II gains a fussy new grille design, different LED lighting elements, reprofiled bumpers front and rear, new colours and restyled alloy wheels.

But, essentially, it looks very similar to the previous model that was released locally back in 2022. Meaning this is a good-looking machine.

Proportionally, as with all previous iterations, today’s X-Trail blurs the fine line between SUV and crossover-wagon in silhouette – much more so than the latest Subaru Outback (that’s classed in the category above) manages.

Dimensionally, it’s bang in the middle of its class: 4690mm long, 2065mm wide (mirrors out) and 1725mm tall with a 2705mm wheelbase. Note, the e-Power rides lower, with 187mm instead of 205mm of ground clearance.

Stepping inside, the X-Trail’s interior presentation is conservative and perhaps dated to some eyes, with its separate central touchscreen and instrumentation displays. But, precisely because of this, it is neither compromised nor frustrating to understand or operate, like the worst of the inexplicably minimalistic single-screen applications beloved by most Chinese brands today. Physical buttons abound. This Nissan is for everyday people and the cabin design reflects this.

Range Rovers have been a family favourite for decades and they’ve been doing school runs and trips away long before other brands even thought about producing SUVs for families.

So what you’re buying is Land Rover’s decades of knowing how to make a family SUV and you can tell by little things such as, how wide the doors open, how easy it is to get in and out of (even for little kids), the flat floor, the good visibility (thanks to low window sills), and then there’s the space and cabin storage. Stuff other brands seem to be still working out.

The second row seats in the Autobiography have electric sun shades, dual-zone climate control and the window seats are power adjustable and heated.

My eight-year old couldn’t resist playing with his electric sunshade and the seat adjustment, but fortunately the driver has an override switch which let me turn off his 'seat privileges’ as he called it. 

Being the long wheelbase means the rear doors are long and heavy. So while the eight-year old could open them, he had trouble closing them. 

The long wheelbase offers unrivalled legroom in the back and that meant my wife and I could put our own seats back further for our own comfort -even with a baby seat behind us.

Enormous door pockets, a giant centre console storage area, cupholders in all three rows, USB ports, wireless phone charging and in our case an optional domestic power outlet ($130) made this a comfortable, roomy, well equipped cabin.

Sure, the third row isn’t exactly spacious, but I’ve never met one that is. 

The intelligent seat folding system is remarkable. From the boot or side doors you can electronically adjust the second and third rows - either to raise them or lower them so they are flat for storage.

With all seats in place there is 229 litres of cargo space still left in the boot, but with those back seats folded flat you have 713 litres of capacity - and that’s just up to the cargo cover. 

The Range Rover Autobiography has air suspension and this means the SUV can lower itself to an 'Access' height to make it even easier to get in and out.

Large and rectangular, the X-Trail is sized and packaged to be used. Nowhere is this more obvious than using the wide doors, with the rear pair opening at almost a 90-degree angle to facilitate entry/egress.

Climb inside, and – as with all three previous-gen versions – there is an abundance of space for heads, legs and shoulders. Occupants sit up fairly high, with easy views afforded by a big windscreen and deep side windows.

Except that Nissan now uses much-better looking and feeling plastics than back then. Nobody is going to mistake the Ti-L for a Lexus, but quality and finish is beyond reproach. No squeaks or rattles to report here.

Aided by a fine driving position, the dash is pleasant to look at and simple to use. A new steering wheel, up-spec digital graphics and updated camera views help keep things relatively fresh.

Yet it is the basics that make this interface so sound. Clear and obvious switchgear for the very effective climate controls (and other vehicle functions) that feel good to the touch, logical menus within the responsive touchscreen, an enjoyably strong audio experience, wireless Apple CarPlay that never dropped out and a sense of no-nonsense solidity. Nissan’s been making cars for almost a century and it’s in the little things that show up big time here.

Likewise, 700km-plus in the front seats over a variety of road conditions reveal appreciable comfort and support. Factor in plentiful storage and sufficient all-round vision, and the X-Trail’s interior is difficult to criticise unless you’re nit-picking. A fiddly gear lever and a one-pedal braking button that’s a bit of a stretch for the driver are about it.

The back-seat area is as fine as we’ve experienced in any mid-sized SUV rival, with the Nissan dutifully ticking all the required spec boxes: USB ports, rear-facing air vents, cupholders within a 40/20/40-folding, sliding and reclining backrests and – in this Ti-L – separate climate control access. And don’t forget how usefully huge those rear doors are.

Further back, the X-Trail’s wagon-esque shape comes into play with a long, wide and flat load area, measuring in at 575 litres VDA (10L fewer than the petrol versions), extending to 1298L in two-seater mode.

But there are two points of contention.

Firstly, given the length of the load area, there are no remote-release handles for the backrests, so the user must use the side doors to lower them. This is an annoyance.

Secondly, and this is more serious, is the lack of spare wheel, period, in the e-Power models like ours. The space is taken up by some of the hybrid tech, resulting in a tyre repair kit instead. Regular readers will know our disdain for such compromises, as these cannot patch up larger punctures, ruin the tyre in smaller ones and are costly to replace. It’s such a rubbish solution.

Our advice is to seek an aftermarket space-saver wheel and jack kit, which do not cost much more than replacing just one ruined tyre and spent repair kit. When will this foolishness end? If Toyota can manage a spare in their RAV4 hybrid, others can as well.

A sour note to finish on an otherwise noteworthy interior experience.

Before we get started, here's a myth-busting fun fact.

That original 2001 T30 X-Trail in base ST manual grade cost over $60,000 (all prices are before on road costs) in today’s money. As all SUVs did back then, because Australia needed to protect our car-manufacturing industry with tariffs on imports like the Nissan. But, sadly, not any more.

Great news for today’s consumers though, since currently the most-expensive X-Trail – the Ti-L e-Power tested here from $58,215, before on-road costs – costs less than its cheapest predecessor of a quarter of a century ago adjusted for inflation.

And, naturally, today’s T33 generation comes with massively more features.

The Series II facelift brings improved 360-degree monitor functionality, including a new spooky-sounding ‘Skeleton Hood’ view of the road directly ahead, as well as the standardisation of the larger 12.3-inch touchscreen.

Additionally, service intervals have been extended, bolstering an already impressive available aftersales care package, while Nissan’s 'Connected Car' services app, offering remote-access, vehicle maintenance updates and alerts among other benefits, has been introduced. But it’s only free for the first three years. There’s also a decent wedge of advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) tech on all grades. More on those later on.

As before, there are four X-Trail grades for 2026, using largely the same nomenclature since 2001, and they’re probably easiest to tell apart externally by their (restyled) alloy wheels: ST, ST-L, Ti and Ti-L.

All come standard with Nissan’s PR25DD 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that, incredibly, has roots going all the way back to the 2001 original. In car parlance that’s known as 'proven' technology.

Now, the two cheapest X-Trails, the ST and ST-L from just over $38,140 and $42,540 respectively, come in either 2WD (front-wheel drive) or unique seven-seat AWD option, for $3000 extra, while the Ti and Ti-L petrol AWDs revert to being a five-seater-only configuration.

Actually, so are all of the EREV hybrid versions, which start from $48,915 for the ST-L e-Power, offering two electric motors – one on each axle ­– for AWD, raising prices by up to $4000, depending on specification.

But, as you’ll find out if you keep reading, we think going e-Power is worthwhile, as this behaves more like an electric vehicle (EV) than most hybrids, without needing to plug it in.

The Ti-L e-Power you see here scores most of the usual luxury trappings, like Nappa leather, Bose audio, tri-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, electric/heated front seats, absolutely brilliant adaptive LED headlights, a head-up display, automatic entry/locking, a powered tailgate and 20-inch alloys.

Even though it’s the most expensive X-Trail today, it remains fiercely competitive against most of its hybrid-only opponents from Japan and South Korea, like RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Subaru Forester.

China’s hybrid AWD and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) AWD alternative mid-sized SUVs are cheaper than all of the above, though all are yet to be proven in the longer term.

The 4.4-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 is a perfect match for the Range Rover Autobiography.

There’s enormous power at 390kW and a colossal 750Nm of torque, but it’s delivered so smoothly and without sounding like Armageddon is beginning.

You might here the engine referred to as the P530. That signifies it’s petrol and makes about 530 horsepower. 

All that grunt means that despite weighing more than 2.7 tonnes, this SUV can hurl itself from a stand still to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds. 

An eight-speed automatic sends the drive to all four wheels. And making this SUV incredibly capable off-road is an excellent four-wheel drive system with a low range gear, plus a maximum ground clearance (thanks to the adjustable air suspension) of 283mm and a wading depth of up to 900mm.

There is a six-cylinder diesel, but if you decide on that instead of the V8 then it's all over between you and me. That’s how good this V8 is.

The X-Trail e-Power system is not a traditional hybrid set-up.

Instead of having an electric motor(s) and small battery assist an internal combustion engine (ICE) that does the driving (as per a Toyota hybrid), this one’s the other-way round: an ICE solely charging a larger battery that feeds an electric motor(s) that powers the driven wheels. No plugging in required. This is the essence of an EREV. The Holden Volt famously relied on such a system nearly 15 years ago.

In the X-Trail e-Power’s case, a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine making 106kW of power and 250Nm of torque is mated to a 2.1kWh battery, inverter and an electric motor on each axle (front: 150kW/330Nm - rear: 100kW/195Nm), for a combined 157kW and 525Nm, distributed to all four wheels.

That’s a lot more than the 135kW and 244Nm that the regular 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and CVT set-up can muster.

Now, you’re going to use a lot of fuel. But that’s okay because this will probably be your last petrol car and the next one will be electric so let’s go out with a bang - last drinks at the petrol bar! Land Rover says you’ll use 11.8L/100km.

After a week of punishing my Range Rover with school drop offs, shopping centre car parks, hilly suburbs, motorways and rural roads the petrol pump told me we’d used 19.8L/100km.

I’m not shocked by that consumption. This is a 2.7 tonne all-wheel drive twin-turbo V8 SUV that was almost always ferrying around four people with a pram, garden supplies and shopping in bumper to bumper traffic. A real world fuel test. 

There is that six-cylinder diesel and a hybrid version of the Range Rover, but this V8 engine suits the character of the SUV perfectly - anything else and it’s like eating reduced fat ice cream.

Requiring 95 RON premium unleaded petrol, the e-Power drinks from the more-expensive bowser. It also comes with a capless filler, saving clean hands from handling dirty caps. How European of this Japanese SUV!

Nissan reckons the e-Power averages 6.1 litres per 100 kilometres, which translates to 139 grams/km of carbon dioxide emissions. The Urban rating is just 6.4L/100km and Extra Urban returns 6.0L/100km.

In contrast, the petrol CVT AWD’s corresponding numbers are 7.8L, 10L and 6.5L, respectively.

Out in the real world, over 700km of at-times very demanding driving, we managed a tad under 6.9L/100km – which is what the trip computer also calculated – while, driven more frugally – it dropped to under 5.5L/100km.

That’s impressive stuff, meaning you can expect around 800km between refills even if you don’t care about fuel economy, and over 1000km if you do.

Driving the V8-powered, long-wheelbase, 2.7-tonne, Range Rover Autobiography is a lot easier than it sounds. Really, it’s the Range Rover’s height above sea level which will strike you first.

You’ll lord it over other cars. The length doesn’t come into it - even for parking because the visibility is so good, the steering is so light and the engine is civilised and smooth.  

This is truly an easy and enjoyable SUV to drive, with power and performance whenever you need it. 

There are several drive modes from a 'Dynamic' sporty one, which makes the engine more responsive and suspension firmer, to off-road settings.

Most of the time I left the Range Rover in 'Comfort' mode for the softest ride, but with 530 horsepower lurking in the background ready to jump out and eat up hills and overtaking.

The front seats are wide, comfortable and supportive even after hours of driving. 

So, what's the X-Trail e-Power like?

Well, as it turns out, it marries really well with the Ti-L flagship, because it is a smooth, refined and sophisticated powertrain experience.

It's an EV first, and even though the petrol engine fires up and charges the battery regularly, pausing the electric dream for a few moments, it isn't noisy or buzzy, blending in with the general road, tyre and wind noise at speed. The ICE’s intervention is seamless, though it does rev away at a pre-set constant speed. That varies according to load and conditions, at between 2400rpm and 4800rpm.

That’s the theory. In practice, the X-Trail e-Power’s performance is one of its greatest attributes.

As with all good EVs, this one’s silky smooth and quiet as it zips away from standstill, whooshing forward with a determined, even lively, attitude. Turn the (cumbersome) driver selector to 'Sport' mode and the throttle response reacts accordingly, for rapid point-to-point performance. Give the 1900kg Nissan it’s head on a long empty road, and this thing can be downright fast. Hauling around 83kW per tonne, we recorded a 0-100km/h sprint time of seven seconds flat.

And here’s the thing. When the battery starts running low, there’s no shortfall in performance as you find in many PHEVs that feel neutered at this point, since the peaky little engine is feeding electricity back into the battery that drives the motors. It’s all so effortless.

Speaking of recharging, a single-pedal function provides a noticeable amount of braking off-throttle, collecting that otherwise wasted energy back into the system. It won’t bring the car to a full stop, though, and is not adjustable as per many rivals’ paddle-shifter-actuated systems. Maybe a suggestion for the next-gen model.

Underneath is a Renault/Nissan/Mitsubishi Alliance platform, complete with struts up front and a multi-link rear suspension set-up, imbuing the X-Trail with a solid, dynamic European flavour. The steering is light yet nicely weighted, for a sense of connection and balance.

It isn’t quite as agile through fast corners as, say, a Mazda equivalent might be, as the e-Power is a bit too top-heavy to be considered sporty and athletic, but there’s control and grip for days. No doubt the Ti-L’s 20-inch Michelin Primacy tyres help here. And, at highway speeds in teeming rain, the AWD grip feels reassuring.

Speaking of big wheels, the ride is surprisingly okay. Firm but never unyielding or crashy over bumps, the electrified Nissan is comfortable enough. The Ti e-Power’s smaller 19-inch rubber reveals a more supple and isolated ride experience, and without any dynamic degradation, so that’s what we’d choose. And they’d be less prone to occasional tyre drone to boot.

Finally, there’s the X-Trail’s overall suitability to Australian roads from an ADAS point of view. Working away in the background, the Ti-L’s driver-assist tech does not bombard you with unsolicited buzzes or sudden jolts of the wheel. Once, the auto emergency braking (AEB) did gently activate at speed through a heavily-trafficked curve, and the lane-departure light regularly blinks discreetly away, but never to a bothersome, distracting degree. And meanwhile, some Chinese companies question the need for Australian road tuning. Fail.

Overall, then, the latest X-Trail e-Power remains enjoyable and even enriching vehicle to live with, being both a mainstream family car and grand touring SUV. In this context, the sub-$60K pricing seems like a bargain. This Nissan deserves to sell better.

Based on the related but smaller Qashqai SUV’s results, the previous X-Trail managed a maximum five-star ANCAP crash-test rating back in 2021, and Nissan expects the 2026 model to do the same.

All grades feature Nissan’s 'Pro-Pilot' driver-assistance systems, including AEB front and rear with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep systems, adaptive cruise control, a driver fatigue monitor, auto high beam, traffic sign recognition and seven airbags. Note the latter includes curtain airbags that reach all outboard occupants.

The previous X-Trail’s AEB kicks in from 5.0-130km/h, pedestrian and cyclist AEB from 5.0-80km/h and the lane support systems operate between 60-250km/h.

Also fitted are ISOFIX child-seat latches to the outboard rear seats, along with a trio of top tether anchorage points.

The warranty is good with five-years and unlimited kilometre coverage.

There’s also five years roadside assistance and a complimentary five-year/130,000km service plan.

Yep, that's complimentary, as in free servicing for five years. I didn’t believe it myself and called Land Rover to check and was told that it does indeed mean free-of-charge.

At the time of publishing, Nissan offers a 10-year, 300,000km conditional warranty if you choose to service your car at an authorised Nissan dealer. That's up from the brand’s regular five-year, unlimited kilometres and it leads the industry now.

Nissan has also extended X-Trail service intervals from 10,000km to 15,000km annually, while offering capped-price servicing as well as roadside assistance for the first five years.

The first five annual services cost $399 each, then are $565, $392, $562, $470 and $725 for years six to 10, respectively.

Finally, as of January this year, there were 177 Nissan dealer outlets throughout Australia.