Feedback

2023 Nissan X-Trail e-Power Review: Hybrid Theories for Seven

Lionel Kong
15/06/2023

Back to Page 1: Introduction and Interior

Driving Experience

Here’s where things get a little technical. Nissan’s hybrid drive system is unique in that the engine, in this car a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder, doesn’t drive the wheels of the car directly.

2023 Nissan X-Trail e-power in Singapore

The engine’s job is to power a generator that charges the onboard batteries, which power the two electric motors in the car. There’s one at each axle for intelligent four-wheel drive, which is why this car gets the slightly awkward e-4orce name as well.

2023 Nissan X-Trail e-power in Singapore


It’s a powerful car, however the suspension is soft and comfortable so it doesn’t really encourage spirited cornering. There’s no multi-speed gearbox here, as the drivetrain is very much like that of an EV, with power from the motors sent to the wheels through a reduction gearbox for each motor.

2023 Nissan X-Trail e-power in Singapore

On paper it’s a tiny bit quicker in a straight line sprint than the Toyota Harrier Hybrid, but that’s not the whole story as in typical EV fashion it jumps from a standstill to around 60km/h very quickly, before tapering off slightly on forward punch. 

2023 Nissan X-Trail e-power in Singapore

A pair of buttons on the centre console engages EV-only mode and e-pedal driving. EV-only is useful only if you have a light right foot and keep the power output below 30 percent as displayed on the power metre. If you accelerate harder the petrol engine will fire up to help generate more power for the electrical systems. Also, don’t expect the car to maintain a steady state cruise for more than ten minutes on electric power alone. Once the batteries drop to 25 percent charge, the petrol engine begins the recharging process.



e-Pedal is that unique mode where the accelerator pedal ‘engine brakes’ the car with regenerative braking to more aggressively recharge the batteries when you release it past a certain point. In practice, we found that e-Pedal driving works better in low speed driving around housing estates, while the standard drive mode is more efficient on highways where the car can cruise more effectively.

2023 Nissan X-Trail e-power in Singapore

Unlike most crossover urban SUVs, the X-Trail has a proper off road driving mode where the can intelligently know which wheels are slipping and which wheel to direct power to through the clever use of individual wheel braking. Combined with its high stance, this is a big, comfortable car that’s more versatile than many others.

2023 Nissan X-Trail e-power in Singapore

Active safety systems are pretty much standard equipment on almost all new cars these days and the X-Trail is no exception. Packaged as the Nissan Intelligent Mobility suite, it includes lane departure warning and the very useful adaptive cruise control, which follows the car ahead of you and will automatically apply the brakes to maintain a driver-set safety gap when the car ahead slows down.



As you would expect from a true hybrid, the engine switches on and off quite unobtrusively and doesn’t disrupt the driving experience. We returned 6.5L/100km in fuel economy over three days and that’s even better than the official specification of 6.7L/100km.

2023 Nissan X-Trail e-power in Singapore

With Singapore’s huge taxes on petrol, using the excuse that it’s to encourage people to drive EVs, we’re not going to have many years of internal combustion engine-only cars left here. Yet you’ll almost never find a petrol-electric hybrid car owner complaining about fuel economy. They’re a good balance and you’ll never have to worry about driving across to Malaysia either. 


Can you drive from Thailand to Singapore in an electric car?

Conclusion & Competition

The big talking point is how expensive cars have become and the Nissan X-Trail is no exception with its S$255,800 with COE sticker price at time of launch. Compare this to the slightly smaller five-seater Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, now going for around S$220k with COE. At the time of the Tucson Hybrid’s launch in late 2021 it cost just S$162k with COE. It looked expensive then, but now they look like bargain prices. 

2023 Nissan X-Trail e-power in Singapore

The product itself is an excellent family vehicle that is also very versatile with its configurable seating. It may be wide and kind of long but it’s not all that difficult to drive in tight spaces, and arguably has much better all-round visibility than many large MPVs.

2023 Nissan X-Trail e-power in Singapore

It actually has another credible 5+2 SUV competitor in the form of the Peugeot 5008. The French Peugeot however, is not a hybrid, is only front-wheel driven, and has just 129 horsepower from its 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbo engine compared to the Nissan X-Trail’s 201 horsepower. But don’t dismiss the Peugeot just yet, as it has a nicely upmarket cabin feel and is very economical on fuel as well. It’s also much cheaper on the account of its simpler mechanicals and Category A COE classification.  

2023 Nissan X-Trail e-power in Singapore

The last word on the Nissan X-Trail e-Power is that in Singaporean specification, it’s got more than enough power for a Malaysian road trip, boasts an almost luxurious level of comfort, and is very efficient on fuel as well.

2023 Nissan X-Trail e-Power e-4orce Prestige

Drivetrain type Petrol-electric full hybrid 
Engine 1,497cc, turbocharged inline-3 cylinder
Power142hp at 4400rpm
Torque250Nm at 2400rpm 
GearboxSingle speed
Electric MotorFront (201hp / 330Nm), Rear (134hp / 195Nm)
BatteryLi-ion, 1.75kWh
System Power201hp
System Torque 525Nm
0-100km/h7.9 seconds
Top Speed180km/h
Fuel Efficiency6.7 L/100km 
VES Band B / neutral
AgentTan Chong Motor Sales
PriceS$255,800 with COE and VES
Availability Now
Verdict A powerful and efficient car for large families, with a great lounge-like feel to the cabin

Pages: 1 2

Tags:

7 Seater e-power Hybrid nissan SUV x-trail

About the Author

Lionel Kong

An old hand from the bad old days of crazy COEs, the straight-shooting, ex-CarBuyer editor is back in the four-wheeled world. Rumours that he went to another country to start a Judas Priest tribute band are unfounded.

Related Models

Loading...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

CarBuyer – Revolutionizing The Online Car Marketplace In Singapore

Buy Used And New Cars Online
Start your car buying journey with CarBuyer as we connect you seamlessly to the industry’s best CaseTrust-SVTA accredited car dealerships. As a one stop car online portal you can now buy your new ride, be it a pre-owned car or a brand new car from trusted dealers all over Singapore, all in one place. Our ever expanding listing of quality and covet-worthy cars, new and second hand, from both owners and trusted car dealers, will leave you spoilt for choice. Refine your search by vehicle type, registration year, price, mileage, engine type, transmission, annual depreciation value and more to find the car that best suits your needs, taste and lifestyle. You can even search for your car by dealer or directly by owner.

Sell Your Car In An Instant With Confidence
We all know how selling a car in Singapore can be a daunting task especially for a first time car seller; from trying to get a valuation for your car, finding a trusted dealer, to getting the best quote on your vehicle. CarBuyer understands the hassle and even the costs involved and have as such partnered with Huawei to develop a FIRST in Southeast Asia AI car valuation tool that is able to provide a car’s resale value at the snap of a finger. Backed with a consortium of trusted CaseTrust-SVTA accredited car dealers you can be assured that you are getting the best price for your vehicle and do not have to worry about any hidden costs.

The Ultimate Car Shopping Experience Online
CarBuyer platform is the first of its kind to be backed by Huawei’s Artificial Intelligence and cloud computing, enabling it to be able to offer users transparency and enhanced security, all with the one aim of enhancing customer experience. So come on over to buy and sell used cars online at the best prices at CarBuyer Singapore. Connect easily with dealers in real-time via our online video call feature, or schedule a test drive when you’re ready. Have some questions? Get them answered instantly with our chatbot moderated by our responsive team. Stay in the loop with our car-related tips, reviews and news. Learn the ins-and-outs of your car, as well as global and Singapore’s car updates at your own pace.