Nissan X-Trail (T33) review: a genuinely modern mid-size crossover for Bahrain
4/5motorssouq Editorial Team
The current X-Trail is the strongest case Nissan has made in this class in years: a genuinely new platform, a five-star safety rating, and ProPILOT Assist as standard equipment on mid and upper grades — features buyers previously had to step up to a Tucson or CR-V to get. It is new enough on the used market that resale data is still thin, but as a first-owner buy it undercuts the class leaders on price for a comparable specification.
Pros
- All-new platform with a genuine five-star Euro NCAP rating
- ProPILOT Assist standard from mid grades, class-leading on the highway
- 181 hp 2.5L engine and CVT with no turbo or dual-clutch to worry about
- 585-litre boot and competitive rear-seat space
- Noticeably quieter and better-riding than the T32 it replaced
Cons
- Too new on Bahrain's used market for reliable resale data
- Third row is a short-trip solution, not a genuine seven-seater
- Independent workshop familiarity is still building up
- No AWD-biased off-road capability worth mentioning
Nissan replaced the entire X-Trail platform for this generation rather than facelifting the old one, and it shows the moment you drive it: the steering has actual feel, the ride is settled rather than floaty over Bahrain's patched secondary roads, and the cabin is quiet enough at highway speed that the old car's road noise complaints simply do not apply anymore.
Safety and technology step up
The five-star Euro NCAP rating is not just a certificate — ProPILOT Assist, standard from the mid grades up, genuinely holds lane and distance on the causeway run with less driver fatigue than a basic adaptive cruise system, and the surround-camera system makes Manama's tighter multi-storey car parks less stressful than the outgoing model ever was.
The 2.5-litre four and CVT combination is conventional rather than exciting, and that is the right call for this class: 181 hp is enough for confident merging, fuel consumption around 6.2 L/100 km combined is genuinely competitive, and there is no turbocharger or dual-clutch gearbox to worry about down the line.
Living with it
Seven-seat versions exist for buyers who occasionally need the extra capacity, though the third row is a short-trip proposition rather than a genuine family solution, much like every rival in the segment. The 585-litre boot in five-seat form is properly competitive, and rear-seat space against the class leaders is essentially a wash.
Because this generation is still new, resale data in Bahrain is thin — there is no multi-year track record yet the way there is for a Tucson or CR-V. Buy it on the strength of the car itself rather than a resale projection, and expect Nissan's dealer network to remain the main service point for the first few years until independent workshops build up parts familiarity.