Nissan X-Trail  

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Compact 4WDs lived up to expectations as one of the hardest-fought categories in the 2007 Drive Car of the Year showdown. Although Toyota has released a V6 version of the RAV4 that retails from below $40,000, the four-cylinder that won this category last year returned to defend its title against all-new, comparably engined rivals.

And its defence needed to be robust against new-generation versions of two of the most successful vehicles in the class - the Honda CR-V and Nissan X-Trail. 

The RAV4's main artillery is an all-round competency that has seen the Toyota installed as the category benchmark.

One judge thought the RAV4 was the sportiest drive of the contenders, although the CR-V also boasts respectable handling.

A five-speed manual combines with the 2.4-litre four-cylinder to generate eager progress, although the engine gets noisy higher up in the rev range.

Nothing dates a car faster than fresh competitors, however, and the RAV4 gradually lost its shine as the week-long test program progressed. Literally in some cases - the plastic finish on the top of our test car's gearknob had started to peel away.

While the RAV4 received a tick under the Comfort and Practicality criterion for front seats that offered excellent under-thigh support, there was a cross under the same heading for the Toyota's swing-arm tailgate. Complete with a heavy spare wheel, the tailgate is clumsy compared with the more conventional top-hinged hatch doors fitted to both the X-Trail and CR-V.

There was a distinct difference in emphasis between the two challengers for the RAV4's crown. The Honda has become even more tuned for the city than its predecessor, and the X-Trail continues its slant towards a true crossover, complete with a semblance of off-road ability. It even looks like the old X-Trail, which does run the risk of buyers not recognising it as an all-new model.

The CR-V won plaudits for its brilliantly executed interior. "The perception of the quality is a class above the others," said one judge. "You can't fault it; the interior is beautiful," said another.

 

On-road manners and roadholding are also merit points, accompanied by a 2.4-litre four that is a mixed bag. The engine is refined and linked to a smooth-shifting auto, but in Honda tradition it prefers to work with revs rather than torque. The result is that progress is not always as effortless as desired.

No such problem for the X-Trail, which won support for its drivetrain. Our Nissan contender was equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that offers an infinite number of gear ratios designed to optimise both performance and efficiency.

All three compact 4WDs produce 125kW and not dramatically dissimilar torque outputs from their near identically sized engines, but the X-Trail was the quickest in our standing-start performance tests - and by some margin to the CR-V (9.3 v 10.8sec for 0-100km/h and 17.5 v 18.7sec for the 400m sprint. RAV4: 10.0 and 17.7).

"The CVT gets a lot out of the engine," one judge said. "It is excellent on steep hills."

And for those inveterate cog-swappers out there, Nissan has arranged a set of six pre-determined ratios if you want to work the CVT manually. It even gives the engine a blip when you select a lower gear.

The second-generation X-Trail has vastly improved the quality of its interior plastics, and it also scores against its part-time 4WD rivals with the addition of 4WD lock, hill start assist and hill descent control that can all be beneficial when off-road terrain becomes more challenging.

Flexibility is a crucial factor for compact-4WD buyers, and the X-Trail boasts the biggest load area whether rear seats are up or down. The rear compartment features a sliding drawer under one side of the cargo floor, and the latter can be removed to create more space. And skin-divers and mountain bikers will appreciate the waterproof linings.

While a price disparity ($6000) was exaggerated by the presence of a mid-trim CR-V (Sport) and base-trim X-Trail (ST), standard curtain airbags aren't available on the least expensive version of Honda's small 4WD where they are on the $33,990 entry-level Nissan.

One judge voted for the CR-V, arguing the Honda's extra cost was justified by its superior interior, but the X-Trail received seven hands for a convincing majority win.

Drive blog:
Toyotas are often vehicles that are easy to recommend because of the car maker's reputation for both reliability and competency. The danger with making cars that just tick the boxes, however, is that it gives rivals the opportunity to overtake by shining in some crucial areas.

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