Nissan X-Trail - Putting the Rear Lights at the Front

Nissan makes good cars. Don't believe me? Check out the Nissan GTR, which is one of the best super cars in the world.

So, it really boggles the mind when Nissan comes out with funny cars that don't quite cut it like how the Nissan GTR does. One of them is the Nissan X-Trail.

Boxy and retro looking, the X-Trail is probably one of the weirdest looking sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in existence, next to the Suzuki Jimny. And it just got weirder, in that the latest variant comes with headlights that look like they should have been in the rear.

It's almost as if Nissan's designers loved how some of their tail-light designs looked so much that they just couldn't resist putting one of them on the new X-Trail. And since the design wouldn't fit in the rear, they thought, "Hey! Lets put them in the front!"

So, now, not only does the X-Trail look terribly boxy, it looks butt-ugly at the front, too.

Note that the new X-Trail being sold in Malaysia is the 2-wheel drive version. Hence, its tyres are more suited for highways and byways, and not for off-roading or for sandy/muddy terrain.

So, why the heck are the wheel wells so damn big? They look like they're meant for accommodating super-sized tyres that are used for off-roading.

Sigh!

To be fair, the new X-Trail has some extras thrown in to keep it contemporary, such as key-less entry and start-up, MP3 player, rear air-con ventilation and drinks cooler, as well as six-speed auto-transmission.

Still, with all of the new X-Trail's design oversights and a whopping price of RM149,000+ on the road, it would be one of the last things I would consider buying if ever I were in the market for a new SUV, especially when there are newer and far more interesting alternatives around like the contemporary looking Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage.

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Addendum: Not many car manufacturers can carry through boxy designs with real style. Rover is one and Kia is another (see the Kia Soul). Looking at the X-Trail, Nissan in not among those that can.

Also, with great looking competition around to trump the X-Trail in terms of design, you really would do better to consider such alternatives.

A good example is the new Hyundai Tucson. Check out the chic curves and slanted lines. At about RM140,000 for its high-spec version, it looks to be a much better buy than the boxy-ass, butt-face X-Trail.