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X-TRAIL to Undergo Real Tests this coming Rainy Season
With the rains starting to pour in earlier than expected, a deluge of near-Biblical proportions may be expected along Espana, Washington, Pasay Road and many other main thoroughfares in Metro Manila.
Not only will the drenching downpour and consequent flood cause heavy traffic, towing companies and street urchins in their good Samaritan mode will also find brisk business pushing to higher ground, drowned vehicles, specially those pretending to be SUVs.
But for the Nissan X-TRAIL, the rainy season will just be a piece of cake, because it is primarily designed to take the most challenging road conditions, including flooded streets and rutted roads that characterize Metro Manila during the rainy season. It can clear up to 18 inches of water without a hitch due to the good ride height and good location of its air intake, which is just below the hoodline.
"We are quite confident that the Nissan X-TRAIL can easily survive the floods and the rainy season without a hitch," Raymond B. Tribdino, market and product planning manager said.
The Nissan X-TRAIL, unlike other SUVs wannabes, is equipped with a revolutionary four-wheel drive system borrowed from the mighty Skyline GT, and is considered among the most advanced in the world.
Known as "All-Mode Four Wheel Drive," the X-TRAIL's system offers a choice of two-wheel drive, full-time four-wheel drive or auto mode. In Auto the advanced engine and transmission management computer does the selection depending on terrain, speed and torque requirements. This is does by basing its decisions on inputs from five (5) sensors in the vehicle.
In 4x4 mode, the "no-slip on start-ups", feature gives the X-TRAIL engaging performance on-road while allowing exciting performance off the road. This allows it to plod through deep water without losing traction as all four wheels operate each time the accelerator is depressed.
"All-Mode 4x4 is so important in water crossings," explains Masahiro Toi, X-TRAIL's Chief Product Planner. "The engine delivers great amounts of torque to the wheels which if not used properly will only lead to wheel spin. The X-TRAIL does not need to detect wheel spin at start-up because the all four wheels spin first, providing good grip and plenty of traction."
The X-TRAIL's high ground clearance combined with its high-mounted air intake makes it difficult for floodwaters to intrude its engine when wading through an urban river.
The locally manufactured X-TRAlL was also recently cited for its high assembly quality with a Vehicle Evaluation Survey (VES) ranking which is the highest in the region - even better than in Japan.
"When a vehicle is frequently exposed to bad streets, you run the risk of it getting rattles or minor parts getting loose. With the high build quality of the X-TRAIL, there is nothing to worry about using it over bad streets frequently during the rainy season," Mr. Tribdino said.
Likewise, there are hundreds of testimonies from Sentra owners who claim their car can wade through floodwaters more than knee-deep without stalling. And if the Sentra, which is a passenger car, can perform such a hard task, what more of the X-TRAIL?
The Nissan X-TRAIL is among the best-selling SUVs in the market today because of its class-leading interior space, torquey 2.0 and 2.5 liter engines, traction-grabbing 4x4 drivetrain and the convenient All-Mode 4x4 switch that allows changing from 2WD to 4WD at any speed.
"Truth be told, most SUV buyers know little about the X-TRAIL's attributes--its drivetrain and high build quality-and it's innate ability to swim in knee-deep water." Mr. Tribdino said.
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