Nissan X-TRAIL 2009 News

... some buyers are actually taking advantage of their "softroader's" off-road capability by venturing - well, off road. Plenty are suburban tractors all their lives but some actually get dirty. And there's a growing trend for women to get into the bush and go four wheel driving. Plenty of women are taking the big, stump jumping, mud plugging, bush bashing family 4WD "truck"  but a growing number are departing the bitumen in "sensible off roaders" like the Nissan X-Trail, a dual purpose vehicle that is eminently capable off the beaten track (not the 2WD model). X-Trail is hovering around the top of the segment in sales and has been here for a decade and through four re-vamps. Some 113,000 have been sold. There is a bewildering range of them available with front wheel drive 2.0-litre petrol power and 4x4 in 2.5 petrol and 2.0-litre turbo diesel. Add in four or five specification grades and auto (CVT and six speed) and six-speed manual transmission and you get the picture. There's an X-Trail for just about everybody. Compact SUVs and the X-Trail in particular lend themselves to occasional off road driving in moderate conditions because they are simple to drive and feature locking 4x4 mode as well as on-demand 4x4. On demand uses sensors that detect wheel slip on the driven front wheels to channel drive to the rear wheels as well. It is an OK system but does have some drawbacks which is why the locking 4x4 mode is so handy off road. The X-Trail uses an electronic system to switch from front wheel to all wheel drive and it's quite adept. But better still on the new models is hill descent control, hill start assist and other features to make off road driving easy. The new autos are great for the dirt because they are adaptive - meaning they change the way they operate to suit driving conditions, and a driver can keep both hands on the wheel all the time with an auto. Definitely an advantage off road. X-Trail has 212mm of ground clearance and a comfortable and supple suspension that capably isolates rough roads. The 11.0 metre turning circle is acceptable but the steep approach and departure angles are impressive. Some state governments foster off road driving courses tailored for various groups including women. The focus is put on a range of skills and knowledge needed to successfully and safety drive off road. Things like: 4WD characteristics and handling. Pre-departure checks. Steep ascents and descents. Side slopes. Basic navigation. Water crossings. Negotiating all types of terrain. Recovery equipment. It's all good clean fun and has been designed to have as light a footprint on the environment as possible. Get going.

The Melbourne-based company is weathering the current new car storm reasonably well despite the 20 per cent collapse of the new vehicle market.

There is more to towing than just hitching the trailer or caravan and pulling into traffic for a trip.Anyone who has lost control of a loaded trailer or caravan can tell you that getting it wrong can have serious consequences.Even taking a load of junk to the tip or picking up a box-trailer load of garden supplies can get ugly — or worse — if you are not adequately prepared.And learning to back and park with a trailer on the tail takes skill.The potential for disaster is everywhere: from choosing the right tow vehicle and preparing it for the job, to carrying too much weight, incorrectly distributing the weight of the load, or failing to maintain a trailer or caravan.STARTING POINTThe first step into tow land is to decide what you want to tow.More importantly, you need to calculate how much it weighs when fully loaded and ready for the road.This will help you work out if you can keep your existing car or whether you need to buy something new, perhaps a four-wheel-drive if you have horses or a big boat, to handle the tow work.TOWING CAPACITIESAll modern vehicles have a rated towing capacity.For example, a big 4WD such as a Nissan Patrol has a maximum towing capacity of 3500kg, but a small car such as a Toyota Corolla has a towing capacity of only 1300kg.The towing capacity includes the trailer or caravan, as well as all its contents, so people intending to tow a caravan should include everything they plan to take with them, including full water tanks.If you already have the caravan/trailer and can borrow a friend's tow car for a while, then it is easy to work out the weight of what you are towing.Just go down to a public weighbridge and roll the trailer on to the scales.Most new caravans have a rating that tells you how much the van is able to safely weigh, then you can compare this figure with the car's towing capacity.If your vehicle doesn't have a specified towing capacity (this often happens with older cars), you are allowed to tow up to 1 1/2 times the unladen mass of the tow vehicle, as long as the trailer and braking system complies with the relevant Australian Design Rule.If the trailer is not fitted with brakes, the mass of the caravan/trailer must not exceed the unladen weight of the tow vehicle, or 750kg.BRAKESThere are two common types of trailer brakes.The older type is mechanical, which triggers a hydraulic system that reacts when the tow vehicle decelerates.New trailers and caravans have an electric braking system that is much easier to control.Apart from being adjustable, electric brakes can be operated separately from the tow vehicle's brakes. If a trailer or van starts to sway, the driver can apply its brakes separately and have a much better chance of bringing it under control.WEIGHT-DISTRIBUTION HITCHA tow vehicle running with its nose in the air and rear almost rubbing on the ground is dangerous.Apart from all the wear and tear it causes, it also affects steering and braking.So a weight-distribution hitch is an important part of safe towing.OTHER GEARIt is a legal requirement for drivers to have a clear view of the road at all times, so you should consider fitting larger mirrors or mirror extenders, especially if towing a caravan.SPREADING THE LOADThe way a trailer or caravan is loaded is important.Put too much weight at the front or too much at the back of the caravan/trailer and it will negatively affect the handling, perhaps leading to a crash.MAINTENANCEMost trailers are stored in the back yard and are not used often, so it is important that they be regularly check and maintained.Wiring can easily corrode, causing lights to stop working, tyres can crack from old age, wheel bearings can dry up and braking systems can seize.The same goes for caravans.They may also be fitted with gas cylinders for cooking, which need to be regularly checked.GETTING IT RIGHTTow-Ed driving instructor John Eggenhuizen, who runs a national towing course, says towing accidents happen far too often.He tells of a just-retired couple who bought a $70,000 Toyota LandCruiser and a $65,000 caravan to set off on holiday, only to lose control and write them off in a crash.Eggenhuizen says such accidents are often caused by poor caravan/trailer set-up and a lack of experience.He says proper training prepares drivers for such situations, but also helps drivers with the sometimes difficult task of backing a trailer or caravan.BUYING A TOW CARBigger is usually better when it comes to tow cars.You don't need to have a giant 4WD, but they are often the best machines for the job.Vehicles designed for carrying heavy loads, including 4WDs such as the Nissan Patrol, Toyota LandCruiser and Land Rover Discovery, are the best if you have a heavy caravan/trailer.Mid-sized 4WDs such as the Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Prado are also excellent, and family machines such as the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore are good.Ford Falcon wagons and utes make better tow cars than Holden Commodores and regular Falcons because they have leaf-spring suspensions, and the Ford Territory's extra weight and reduced rear overhang makes it a good tow vehicle.Small 4WDs such as the Subaru Outback or Nissan X-Trail are OK for towing relatively light loads.Turbo diesels are the prime engine choice for many tow cars because they have lots of torque and don't use as much fuel as a petrol engine.Six or eight-cylinder petrol engines are good because towing requires maximum pulling force. The more torque an engine has the better it will be for the job.Four-cylinder petrol engines can pull lighter loads, but often struggle with heavier cargo.TOW DRIVING TIPSAllow extra distance in traffic.Apply throttle and brakes more gently.If the caravan/trailer starts to sway do not apply the tow vehicle's brakes. If the trailer/caravan is fitted with independent electronic brakes, apply them slowly. If not, continue at a steady speed or accelerate slowly.Engage a lower gear for better control downhill.If possible, pull off the road to allow faster traffic to pass and stop more often to rest. 

Fast and flashy. That's the Geneva show of 2009 in two words.

 The reason is simple. Godzilla says everything about Nissan and where it is going. It reflects a bold take on design, a commitment to technology, smart financial planning, global sales success and the ability to produce cars that are uniquely Nissan.But there is much more to Nissan than a limited-edition supercar capable of cranking out the all-time quickest lap around the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany. Nissan 360 is a deep-dip immersion in the world of Nissan that is run for the world's motoring press every four years. There are workshops on future technology, the chance to drive everything in the Nissan family – from the smallest and cheapest to the biggest and most expensive – interviews with senior executives and much, much more on every technical and business front.Nissan had 60-something cars in Portugal for test drives – in all sorts of conditions – from a short city loop to a country run, a four-wheel drive torture track and hot laps at the Estoril circuit.The vehicles ran all the way from the tiny Pino and Otto minicars to the stonking GT-R, but there was also a full family of Infiniti models, a Clipper truck and an LPG-powered Tokyo taxi. With so much choice, we picked a few to see how they are likely to shape up for Australia: 2009 MuranoThis is the bigger new Murano, already out and about in America, and the signs are good.It looks much the same, with the same basic body shape, but is far roomier inside with better quality finishing. It also drives sharper and has a plusher ride, both worthwhile improvements resulting from what Nissan calls its “D-platform” mechanical package.But the Murano still only has five seats, which will hurt it against the Mazda CX-9 and its other rivals, and Nissan Australia still has to decide how to sell it here.Verdict: Uncertain Titan V8The giant Titan is a ripper, even if it was a tight fit through the narrow streets of Sintra, near Lisbon. The test truck was a giant dual-cab V8 easily capable of swallowing five adults and a couple of motorcycles, as well as to wing up to four tonnes.It had plenty of grunt from a 5.6-litre V8 with 236kW and 521Nm, a comfy cabin, surprisingly good handling and rode smoothly for a truck.Nissan Australia should get it here as soon as possible as it is better than an F-Series Ford and there is obvious opportunity Down Under.Verdict: Potential star Cube The boxy city car was designed for Gen-Yers but is surprisingly grown-up. The styling is five-year-old stuff and the front bench seat is retro and cramped, but the Cube drives far better than you would expect. It's not a rocket, but it gets along well enough and the ride is very good for the size. It doesn't take too much imagination to see the potential for Gen-Y buyers in Australia, as well as customisers who would go crazy on the car. But it needs to be cheaper than the predicted range of $28,000.Verdict: Winner X-Trail dieselIt has to come and it will, but the diesel engine in the X-er and Dualis was nothing special.It was noisy at idle, strong, but not outstanding, and way short of the refinement of a VW group turbodiesel. The test cars were fitted with a baby diesel, with 110kW instead of the 127 coming here, so we hope that the upgrade will make the X-Trail and Dualis more than just economy contenders.Verdict: Jury still out Infiniti EXWe expected them to drive like Japanese Buicks, but they didn't – with European-style quality and comfort. Infiniti has been focused on the US but with European sales starting soon, it has been turned into an impressively global luxury brand that, as we reported last week, might come to Australia – but not for about five years. The EX would be a headliner with good looks, comfy and classy cabin, punchy power and smooth ride.The wait, however, could seem like infinity.Verdict: Five years is too long to wait Altima hybridWhy can't the Toyota Prius look this good?The Altima running gear is a straight snitch from the Prius, as Nissan was desperate to have something to sell in hybrid-crazy California. It paid to play. The petrol-electric Altima will only run for a single generation but it's a good drive.Verdict: No chance for Oz GT-RTwo laps on a track does not tell you much about the GT-R. But the GT-R is instantly impressive with speed, speed, speed. Destined to be a sellout success in Australia, just like everywhere else it is sold.Verdict: The business 

But it will be officially launched at the Tokyo Motor Show, which starts on October 26.