Dubai: With an all-powerful Patrol, the family favourite Pathfinder and the cute Juke crossover in its line-up, one would have thought Nissan had covered most bases in its SUV offerings for the UAE and Gulf markets. That is not how Arabian Automobiles (AAC), the Nissan dealership for Dubai and northern emirates, sees it.
“In the next three years or so, the number of SUVs and crossovers sold should overtake sedans in the UAE and that means a volume manufacturer needs as many SUV models in its line-up as possible,” said Salah Yamout, Director of Sales and Marketing at AAC. “The growth rates for SUVs are already running at a higher clip than passenger cars in recent years, except for in 2013 when sedan sales enjoyed a sharp pick-up. It will be a trend that will continue in the coming years ... the SUV is entrenching itself as the favoured choice of the UAE car owner.”
This is why the just launched all-new X-Trail will be featuring prominently in the AAC strategy. Its price range of Dh75,000 to Dh120,000 places the model squarely in the high-volume entry- to mid-tier SUV range. It is also the category where the stakes are the highest given the sheer number of competing models that are in the fray, all hoping to connect with potential buyers and convince them to switch over from driving a sedan.
The X-Trail, now into its third-generation and available in three variants, has got what it takes to convince. Through the years it had managed to win over its share of volumes in the UAE. But a revamped — a more in tune with the times — look, and which hews closer to the current Pathfinder’s, does impress. The manufacturer has also packed in enough on-board features while ensuring that this does not overwhelm the sticker prices.
And what is under the hood does everything that it is expected to. A 2.5-litre, four-cylinder can turn out a neat 170-hp at 6,000rpm.
“On a like-for-like basis, the latest X-Trail offers more by way of features than the competition and at a lower price point,” said Yamout. “Given the forecasts for SUV dominance in the coming years, we will need models across all categories and not just rely on our highest selling models to do it for us.
“With the introduction of the X-Trail, we have a settled line-up of SUV models, and, just as important, in the early part of their current-generation cycles.”
