One tough crossover
KING of the hill: No obstacle is too steep or too slippery for the X-Trail CVT 4WD. Photos by Charles E. Buban
If Beeboy Bargas says this particular vehicle could do it, then don’t hesitate to play around and experiment with it.
Indeed, the off-road expert and managing director of Landcraft Adventures Inc. has so much confidence in the X-Trail CVT 4WD that he allowed the Nissan compact SUV to go traipsing around one of his “playgrounds,” the Angeles Dirt Motorsports Track in Pampanga.
“Most compact crossover in the category and price range of the X-Trail CVT 4WD is not sufficiently equipped to deal with the off-road course that we have built in this 19-hectare facility. I just want to prove that there’s more to this Nissan crossover than meets the eye—it is one of the most capable off-roaders out there,” Bargas assured motoring media participants attending last Friday’s Nissan On Road/Off-Road Weekend Experience in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Secret
The secret, as Bargas explained, lies in the X-Trail CVT’s 4WD fully automated system that is smart enough to determine when and how much power to distribute to the rear wheels (like most crossovers, the X-Trail CVT is basically a front-wheel drive) whenever a loss of traction is detected (especially during hard or sudden acceleration or when there is wheel spin).
OVERSIZED mudhole? No problem
In a nutshell, the 4WD system of the X-Trail CVT ensures that, no matter how severe the road condition may be, it will try to provide the necessary grip.
“The automatic four-wheel drive system installed in the X-Trail CVT uses advanced electronics to ensure drive is transferred between wheels and axles, the moment grip problem is detected. The system is also able to anticipate low traction situations and engage four-wheel drive in advance,” explained Bargas.
Shine
“We have chosen to hold this event for one excellent reason: We want the media participants to experience the X-Trail CVT in a place where its hidden attributes will truly shine,” said Johnson Wang, AVP for marketing, sales and after-sales of Nissan Motor Philippines Inc.
Wang added that the fact that they gave media participants the license to “abuse” the X-Trail CVT 4WD in this sort of environment attests to their crossover’s rigidity, power and off-road prowess.
The one-day activity was divided into three events: the first part—and arguably the toughest—required each participant to take the X-Trail CVT 4WD to a series of extreme off-road exercises under time limit.
The second and third event required the participants to finish the off-road jungle course at the shortest time possible while the X-Trail CVT’s 4WD system was switched either on two-wheel drive or on automatic four-wheel drive mode.
BARGAS (center) explains the finer points of off-roading to NMPI executives De Leon (left) and Allen Chen, president and CEO of NMPI
Misconception
“There is a misconception that in off-roading, one only needs a heavy foot and a vehicle with big wheels and high ground clearance. The truth is, this driving discipline requires more patience as well as finesse on the part of the driver. As long as that person has a higher level of attention, nerves and having that so-called situational awareness, he or she will definitely succeed in off-roading,” explained Bargas.
To emphasize the need to drive with more finesse—a necessary skill in off-road driving—an open top 2-liter water container was attached on the hood of the X-Trail CVT 4WD.
“The object is to finish each of the three events and still have the most amount of water in the container,” Bargas said, adding that having this contraption on the hood trains the off-road driver to go easy on the gas as well as the brake pedal.
THE X-Trail CVT 4WD triumphs come hell or high water. Photos by Charles E. Buban
Penalties were imposed whenever the evaluator caught the participant backing up in some stages when it was not required, scrapping the bottom or sides of the vehicle on the uneven surface, letting any part of the vehicle touch the buntings and markers (imagine if these were trees, boulders and other obstructions as they could wreck this P1.5 million crossover).
“As what the media participants in this event have already proven and if X-Trail CVT 4WD owners may have not realized yet, they are driving one of the most well-rounded crossovers in the market. Within this rugged-looking and solidly built crossover is an easy-to-drive package that will make drivers and occupants enjoy the ride, wherever their travel may take them,” assured Val de Leon, SVP of NMPI.
