A solid workhorse, with seven seats and a very comfortable ride.
Pros Excellent ride comfort Minimal NVH Half-decent looker Solid build quality Plenty of internal storage Great family car for the money Standard safety features
Cons Exceptionally poor infotainment system Outdated switchgear and cabin Poor bluetooth telephony Tough competition
The seven-seater Nissan X-Trail is currently the biggest SUV the firm builds. It’s a good-looking family car that rivals the Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento and the Skoda Kodiaq. The X-Trail’s interior has a similar design to the one found in the Nissan Qashqai, so it’s simple to use if a little uninspiring to look at, and the car’s standard five-inch touchscreen display means there isn’t a sea buttons to contend with. While there is plenty or room for five adults inside, the two seats that fold out from the boot are best reserved for children. Even with them in place, though, the X-Trail has enough boot space for a few suitcases.
Pros Comfortable Well-equipped Decent off-road
Cons Third row seats are a bit cramped Not exactly head-turning looks CVT automatic is not as good as rivals with DSG
The X-TRAIL TL is clearly not a 4WD as our beach run proved – and the diesel could be both more responsive at low rpm and more economical. However, this is a comfortable, quiet, smooth and sure-footed medium SUV with plenty of room for holiday gear in the back.
Pros Supple ride Comfortable, versatile interior LED headlights
Cons Lack of low-rpm grunt Fuel consumption higher than claimed Foot-operated parking brake
The Santa Fe receives a visual freshening for 2021 that includes bolder front-end styling and improvements to its interior. Three new powertrains are offered: A 2.5-liter four-cylinder replaces the standard 2.4-liter unit, a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder replaces the optional turbocharged 2.0-liter, and a hybrid variant powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder and an electric motor joins the lineup. The Santa Fe gains a push-button shifter, several new optional driver-assistance features including a semi-autonomous driving mode, larger 8.0-inch and optional 10.3-inch infotainment displays, an optional 12.3-inch digital gauge display, and standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Following in the larger Palisade's footsteps, the Santa Fe also gains a fancy Calligraphy trim level with quilted leather upholstery, a color head-up display, standard all-wheel drive, unique exterior accents, and more upscale interior embellishments.
The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe pushes efficiency with a new hybrid model.
PROS Larger standard and available touchscreens Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models More efficient, potent powertrains Revised transmission
CONS Expected price increase Calligraphy edges into Genesis turf Unknown standard features Unknown value
Pros Comfy, spacious, clever tech
Cons Not very interesting, not as cheap as it was, lack of choice RE engines