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Cons Exceptionally poor infotainment system Outdated switchgear and cabin Poor bluetooth telephony Tough competition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
PROS Larger boot than standard Tivoli Smarter new front bumper Huge standard specification Manual or auto, two- and four-wheel drive
CONS No petrol engine Same passenger space as Tivoli Not a thrilling drive Diesel engine quite noisy
The Ssangyong Tivoli XLV offers good space and practicality to families on a budget. However, if you can afford to spend a little more, there are much more competent family SUVs available.
Pros Spacious interior Generous standard equipment Competitively priced
Cons Noisy engine Crashy ride Stodgy handling
The SsangYong Tivoli XLV takes the stylish Tivoli and makes it bigger. It looks a bit more awkward than before, but it’s also more practical.
PROS Extremely versatile Generous warranty Good value
CONS Noisy engines Challenging styling Not the most economical
