Nissan X-TRAIL vs Volvo EX30

What's the difference?

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.

There’s a lot to like about the Volvo EX30 Cross Country. It’s an impressive AWD EV. Nice to drive, comfortable and offering the extra driver confidence an AWD system brings.

It also looks good, has a decent stack of features onboard and has plenty of appeal for owners, especially in terms of servicing costs.

As an EV tourer, it has a reasonable driving range and offers enough in terms of AWD flexibility to appeal to those people who may like the idea of an all-electric adventure machine.

But it is small, has a limited scope of off-road capability and pricing is ranging upward for what it offers.

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.

This Cross Country is 4233mm long (with a 2650mm wheelbase) 1850mm wide, and 1567mm high. It has a listed kerb weight of 1910kg.

It’s a slick-looking compact SUV with more than its fair share of hints at its off-road aspirations including raised suspension so it perches higher off the deck than its regular EX30 stablemates (190mm of ground clearance). It has dark coloured front and rear body panelling, dark wheel-arch extensions (built to cop any loose gravel or dirt while all-wheel driving on well-maintained bush tracks), and if you get on the ground to check, front and rear skid-plates.

Quirky touches include an impression on the front bumper section of a topographical map depicting the highest mountain range in Sweden (as well as the apparent co-ordinates to that location), and interesting doodles under the lid of the front boot (what I like to call the 'froot' whereas as you might call it the frunk for front trunk).

Overall, the Cross Country has a spartan-style cabin. No, I don’t mean there are swords and shields and oiled-up blokes in loin cloths here – just that there’s a clear, basic layout that leans more towards functional than flashy.

It also has a fixed-in-place panoramic glass roof that has no sliding cover built into the ceiling and I’m not a big fan of having my noggin exposed all of the time.

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.

Inside, the driver misses out on a digital instrument display but the centrally-located, vertically-mounted 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as pretty much every control and gauge you could wish for and, as driver, you quickly get used to checking that screen for your current speed etc.

It also offers a way to open the glove box (that sits below the screen) and quick ways to switch off driver-assist aids, such as 'Lane Departure Warning' and the 'Driver Alert System', which could otherwise be a bit annoying. Unfortunately, you have to switch off those systems every time you get back in the car.

The screen is where you’re also able to cycle through drive modes, vehicle settings and the like. The front seats are power-adjustable set-ups and they are heated but not ventilated. There is plenty of durable plastic inside the cabin as well as a denim-like 'tailored wool blend' seat upholstery and soft-touch surfaces.

In terms of space, well, as befitting a compact SUV, there’s not a lot of it for gear or people. The aforementioned glove box is small, there’s no centre console (only sliding cupholders above, and a narrow receptacle below with a wireless charging pad) plus the door pockets are thin and shallow.

And second-row passengers don’t fare too well, either. It’s squeezy back there – even for a Hobbit-sized bloke like me – and there are few amenities.

No fold-down armrest with cupholders, no directional air vents and that panoramic glass roof doesn’t have a sliding cover so those in the front and back cop the full brunt of the summer sun. I can vouch for the ouch too because I had this Cross Country during record-high summer temps in NSW and my gigantic forehead (due to a hairline that keeps creeping rearward) suffered a roasting. That’s about the only circumstance – no sunroof cover and extreme heat – in which it’s okay for someone to wear a hat while driving.

In terms of storage, with both rows in use, there’s a listed 318L of volume in the rear cargo area and 1000L when the second row is stowed away. The rear cargo area has a light and bag hooks and there’s a charging cable and tyre-repair kit in the shallow underfloor storage space.

It’s well worth noting that this vehicle, despite being marketed as an all-wheel drive vehicle with adventure potential, doesn’t have any spare tyre onboard.

At the front of the Cross Country, there is seven litres of cargo volume in what I call the 'Froot' (front boot) rather than the 'Frunk' (front trunk).

The Volvo EX30 Cross Country is top-of-the-range in the three-variant EX30 range and it has a manufacturer suggested list price of $69,990. It’s the best variant in the range if you’re keen to travel beyond the bitumen. For reference, at time of writing, the 2026 Volvo EX30 Single motor Extended range Plus is $59,990, before on-road costs, and the Extended Range Ultra is $66,290, excluding on-roads.

Standard features include a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and over-the-air software updates), wireless charging, AWD, three driving modes, a Harman Kardon stereo with front sound-bar, a 360-degree camera view, semi-autonomous parking assist and 19-inch alloy wheels.

It also has LED headlights and tail-lights, a digital key (Bluetooth phone unlocking), heated steering wheel, power tailgate and a fixed panoramic glass roof (but no sliding cover).

In terms of off-road-specific features it has a 'Performance' drive mode (which optimises all-wheel drive), 'Hill Descent Control' and front and rear skid plates.

Exterior paint options include 'Cloud Blue', 'Crystal White', 'Onyx Black', 'Vapour Grey' and 'Sand Dune'.

For reference, vehicles that you might consider rivals in the same realm as the Cross Country – such as the Kia EV3 (about $63,950 MSRP for a top-spec GT-Line), Zeekr X (about $64,900 MSRP for the top-of-the-range all-wheel drive variant), and Skoda Enyaq (about $65,990 MSRP for the 85 Sportline) – are a few grand cheaper while packing as much, if not more, features onboard and managing to look and feel more premium than the Volvo. The Cross Country's price is creeping up for a vehicle that is quite spartan inside. More about that soon.

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.

The EX30 Cross Country has a twin-motor electric set-up, producing a combined 315kW and 543Nm. It has a single-speed transmission and a 69kWh battery.

Drive modes include 'Standard', 'Performance' (taps into all-wheel drive and is the preferred mode for light off-roading) and 'Range' (defaults to rear-wheel drive to get most out of battery).

It does not have any off-road driving modes (like Sand, Mud or Snow) but it does have 'Hill Descent Control'.

Claimed 0-100km/h time is just 3.7 seconds.

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.

Official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) energy consumption is listed as 19.1kWh/100km. On this test, I recorded 18.4kWh/100km, which is impressive, especially considering I took this Volvo on some tracks that pushed the limit of its capabilities.

For reference, the 2026 Subaru Solterra AWD Touring has claimed energy use of 16.0kWh/100km, but I've yet to test it to gauge its real-world energy consumption, under pressure in tough (for an AWD) conditions.

The EX30 Cross Country has a 69kWh battery and according to Volvo can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 30 minutes on a fast 175kW DC charger.

It took me about 18 hours to get it from 20 to 80 per cent on a household socket (16 amp/3.6kW).

It has a listed driving range of 417km (WLTP) on a full charge. Official driving range is “up to 417km (WLTP)”.

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.

This compact, all electric SUV has a ton of power and torque from the get-go. It’s impressive on almost all surfaces and it really is fast.

It has listed kerb weight of 1910kg and a turning circle of 11m, and this is a highly manoeuvrable vehicle.

The driving position is at best low and sporty, and there’s adequate visibility, even though it is pinched in places, especially looking back towards the rear of the vehicle.

This is a smooth and refined compact SUV that's nice to drive on- and off-road.

The Cross Country punches well above its weight in terms of power and torque and throttle response is great. It even errs on the side of too energetic, but steering is precise, the transmission is slick and the brakes have plenty of bite.

You’re able to change driving characteristics on the main screen by cycling through the drive modes (Standard, Range and Performance). Performance is a key mode when you hit the dirt because that fully engages and optimises the all-wheel drive system to give you that sure-footedness on looser surfaces.

Range is aimed at optimising the vehicle’s energy efficiency and Standard is not too bad for general day-to-day driving conditions.

When you do get off road, it handles minor corrugations well. It also deals with deeper, more severe potholes reasonably well. It’s pleasantly surprising that it stays so settled and composed while you're going through some lumpy and bumpy stuff.

The Cross Country is not an off-road animal as such, it can handle things when the road surface becomes more traction-compromised than you may normally face. But with limited ground clearance (even if it’s 19mm higher off the ground than the regular EX30 for a total of 190mm) the Cross Country is not a rock-crawling beast.

It doesn't have any off-road driving modes, however it does have hill descent control. But that's really for mild inclines and downhills where it has to hold a safer speed than it may otherwise achieve.

In terms of dimensions, it's not that well set up for off-roading. You don't want to take this anywhere near four-wheel drive only terrain. But having said that, it is more than capable of handling light to moderate off-road conditions – mild corrugations, some deeper potholes here and there, loose gravel, loose stones, those sorts of things.

In fact, there's no reason why you can't drive this vehicle on well-maintained tracks in dry conditions to your favourite campsite in a national park, even if it's a bit slippery.

The suspension set-up – Macpherson strut front, multi-link rear – is well suited to on-road driving. And while the Cross Country tends to feel a bit firm in places, it remains composed and settled when things become lumpier and bumpier, say, for instance on dirt tracks and gravel roads.

Its raised suspension (compared to the regular EX30) is on the firm side of things and it become a little jittery when the road becomes more corrugated and less well-maintained. But otherwise it is mostly well settled, well composed and ride and handling is nicely controlled.

This Volvo’s towing capacity is 1600kg.

Its all-season tyres – Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance SUV (235/50R19) – are on 19 inch rims and that’s not a package well suited to off-roading of any kind, really. There’s always the option of swapping them for some all terrain tyres on an 18-inch rim and that combination would instantly make this Cross Country even better for mild to moderate off-roading.

The Volvo EX30 Cross Country has the maximum five-star ANCAP rating from testing in 2024.

It scored 35.27 out of 40 (88%) for Adult Occupant Protection, 42.03 out of 49 (85%) for Child Occupant Protection, 50.36 out of 63 (79%) for Vulnerable Road User Protection, and 14.48 out of 18 (80%) for Safety Assist (includes AEB, driver monitoring and lane support system).

As standard, it has seven airbags and a comprehensive suite of driver-assist tech including AEB (with pedestrian, vehicle, large animal and cyclist detection), 'Lane Departure Warning' (intrusive in operation, but easy to switch off), a 'Driver Alert System' (also over-reactive but easy to switch off), adaptive cruise control, hill descent control, a 360 degree camera view (with a 3D view) and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

As mentioned, it’s missing any real off-road driving modes but then again, the Cross Country isn’t built to tackle anything too rough and tumble.

There is a ISOFIX child seat attachment on each outer seat in the second row and top-tether anchor points on all second-row seatbacks.

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.

The Volvo EX30 Cross Country is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty (with roadside assistance included) and an eight-year/160,000km warranty applies to the battery set-up.

A five-year/150,000km servicing plan applies and is free – and that is well worth noting here. While free/complimentary servicing is not unheard of in the EV space – it's offered with Audi e-tron, Polestar 4 (Long Range AWD), Genesis (GV70), BYD (Sealion 7) and more – the fact Volvo offers it on a variant that may spend at least some time on unsealed roads is commendable.

Servicing appointments are set for every 24 months/30,000km, whichever occurs soonest.

Volvo Group Australia has more than 40 dealerships as well as numerous Volvo-approved workshops across the country.