new x trail or new freelander 2

[darren_374234478]

could anyone with experience of these new cars please let me know what you think, makes the best alround tow/solo car.

Many Thanks,

Darren

 

[DJM]

Hi Darren,

I opted for the FL2 earlier this year before the new X trail was launched. My reason for buying the FL2 was because LR had the diesle auto which Nissan didn't at the time I purchased. If your choice is an auto gear box be careful with the X trail because you are very restricted with what weight caravan you can tow. I'm very happy with the towing performance of the FL2 despite it being a bit thirsty. However the engine is still "tight" and should improve in the future. My van weighs approx 1500Kg and the FL2 tows it easily and is so very stable in high cross winds and undulating roads etc.. On the downside I had the rear diff fail at 4400 miles due to a fractured weld on the diff crown wheel. All repaired under warranty and a nice compensation package from LR after composing several choice emails to my dealer and LR. Go and test drive both and see if they will lend you their demo model so you can actually tow your van. That is what I did before I purchased mt FL2.

Hope this helps.

 

[clivea]

Hi Grimbo,

what mpg do you get from the FL2 for your normal driving on A raods and M ways? I have aSorento auto which does 30-32mpg for my normal 'restrained' driving and 22-23mpg towing 1400kg. I am considering cahnging the Sorento but am undecided whether to stay with a 4wd and go back toa Mondeo estate, which may impose some restrictions on out of season and CLs.

Cheers

Other Clive

 

[DJM]

Hi Clive,

My mpg is very similar to your Sorento. My car has still only done around 6000 miles so the engine is still "tight" but I'm averaging 30mpg with stop start town driving and about 35mpg on motorway driving (solo).

Towing 1500Kg in strong headwinds in France at 60-70 mph it returned 21-22mpg. In the UK with cruise control set at 60mph in calm conditions approx 25mpg. My previous car was a BMW 320D estate and towing the same van I got 30-32mpg but no where near as accomplished or as stable as the FL2.

Hope this helps, happy trails.

 

[Geoff_5093882]

Hi Darren,

I have owned a Nissan X-Trail DCI for 2 years now and think its a very good tug, I get 39mpg per tank with normal driving and 29mpg towing. It is a very comfortable ride and I believe the new X-Trail is improved over my "old" version. The only thing that would put me off the FL2 is Cost to buy and to run so if money is no object it would be tough to choose, that said I would chose my boxy X-Trail again. The biggest issue is Nissan dealers seem to be notoriously poor at aftersales care which is a factor to bear in mind.

Geoff

 

[Bryn1]

Hi Darren

Before buying a new 173 bhp diesel X-Trail Sport I considered the FL2 - the second cheapest one - including driving them solo. These are my pros and cons:

Both v capable, comfortable, quiet, and with a smooth ride, the FL2 remarkably so.

The FL2 is heavier (good) but a bit less powerful.

The XT2 is more economical (from the brochures). Today we have covered 150 miles of mainly dual carriageway at 70 mph with an overall 47 mpg according to the trip computer - the real figure is probably 43 mpg after allowing for a tail wind and instrument optimism, which isn't too bad.

But the greater fuel consumption of the FL2 is likely to be offset by its lower predicted depreciation.

We only wanted 4WD for towing off pitches (and maybe for pulling tree roots out) and the X-Trail's 4WD capability is more than good enough for us. The FL2 is even better, I understand. Handily, if the X-trail stops on a 1-in-10 slope or steeper, the footbrake stays on for a few seconds after lifting your foot off the pedal until the drive is taken up. Stops that embarrassing roll back. I expect the FL2 does something similar.

X-Trail has a longer boot with the rear seats down. But you have to remove the headrests. All the seats are good, and so are those of the FL2. The X-Trail's spare wheel is a full-size alloy, carried inside the boot floor. Don't remember what the FL2 has.

The Caravan Club in their recent towcar tests said that "stability should not be a problem" with the XT. I expect the FL2 would be at least as good as its pedigree suggests.

The XT comes with a big fully-opening sunroof as standard!! But it does restrict headroom in the rear.

And it has a very nifty rear-view camera as an extra - too expensive for me though...

XT dislikes? - darkened rear side windows; needing the ignition key in to open the fuel filler cap and use the 12v sockets; needing the ignition on to open the windows; clock not visible to the passenger, so nothing too annoying yet.

Reliability? The old FL had a bit of a reputation, but the new one is made in a different factory - Halewood I understand, so might be OK. It wouldn't have been a worry to me. The old XT's diesel engine had turbo problems, but the new car has a different diesel engine - so fingers crossed.

Phew! - After all that, really the two cars are pretty close. The mags say FL2 1st, CR-V 2nd, XT2 3rd. Since I'm not a journalist I made my own mind up, but with slightly different requirements the decision could easily have gone the other way. I don't think you can go wrong with either. It's fun choosing!

Bryn

 

[trevor123]

Hi Darren, We just brought our x-trail six months ago and we love it, bag of room inside back and front, we get 40/42 onlong run and round town ect 35 to the gallon and towing 30/28 as for the car we are very please with it, but do watch the kerbweight diffrent model from 1515 to 1640 and the new one I belive are 1700kw, a great car to drive, Good Luck Trevor

 

[clivea]

Hi Clive,

My mpg is very similar to your Sorento. My car has still only done around 6000 miles so the engine is still "tight" but I'm averaging 30mpg with stop start town driving and about 35mpg on motorway driving (solo).

Towing 1500Kg in strong headwinds in France at 60-70 mph it returned 21-22mpg. In the UK with cruise control set at 60mph in calm conditions approx 25mpg. My previous car was a BMW 320D estate and towing the same van I got 30-32mpg but no where near as accomplished or as stable as the FL2.

Hope this helps, happy trails.

Grimbo,

thanks for the information. I had heard that the FL2 was not strong on economy despite being manual and quite a bit lighter than the Sorento. I plan to include the Outlander/Tigaun in my considerations, but like you once you have towed witha weighty car I would be reluctant to go back less satisafctory match. Perhaps an S-max, ATC motor mover and plastic roll-up mud tracks might be the alternative!

Cheers

Other Clive

 

[clivea]

Hi,

looking at the Nissan New X Trail brochure I could not believe that the 150hp auto model has a trailer (braked) load of 1350kg. A sheep in wolves clothing! Or in Qashquai's clothing.

 

[darren_374234478]

Hi Darren

Before buying a new 173 bhp diesel X-Trail Sport I considered the FL2 - the second cheapest one - including driving them solo. These are my pros and cons:

Both v capable, comfortable, quiet, and with a smooth ride, the FL2 remarkably so.

The FL2 is heavier (good) but a bit less powerful.

The XT2 is more economical (from the brochures). Today we have covered 150 miles of mainly dual carriageway at 70 mph with an overall 47 mpg according to the trip computer - the real figure is probably 43 mpg after allowing for a tail wind and instrument optimism, which isn't too bad.

But the greater fuel consumption of the FL2 is likely to be offset by its lower predicted depreciation.

We only wanted 4WD for towing off pitches (and maybe for pulling tree roots out) and the X-Trail's 4WD capability is more than good enough for us. The FL2 is even better, I understand. Handily, if the X-trail stops on a 1-in-10 slope or steeper, the footbrake stays on for a few seconds after lifting your foot off the pedal until the drive is taken up. Stops that embarrassing roll back. I expect the FL2 does something similar.

X-Trail has a longer boot with the rear seats down. But you have to remove the headrests. All the seats are good, and so are those of the FL2. The X-Trail's spare wheel is a full-size alloy, carried inside the boot floor. Don't remember what the FL2 has.

The Caravan Club in their recent towcar tests said that "stability should not be a problem" with the XT. I expect the FL2 would be at least as good as its pedigree suggests.

The XT comes with a big fully-opening sunroof as standard!! But it does restrict headroom in the rear.

And it has a very nifty rear-view camera as an extra - too expensive for me though...

XT dislikes? - darkened rear side windows; needing the ignition key in to open the fuel filler cap and use the 12v sockets; needing the ignition on to open the windows; clock not visible to the passenger, so nothing too annoying yet.

Reliability? The old FL had a bit of a reputation, but the new one is made in a different factory - Halewood I understand, so might be OK. It wouldn't have been a worry to me. The old XT's diesel engine had turbo problems, but the new car has a different diesel engine - so fingers crossed.

Phew! - After all that, really the two cars are pretty close. The mags say FL2 1st, CR-V 2nd, XT2 3rd. Since I'm not a journalist I made my own mind up, but with slightly different requirements the decision could easily have gone the other way. I don't think you can go wrong with either. It's fun choosing!

Bryn

thanks for all your comments, very much appreciated. I must admit we like both cars, although the xt2 is better value for money, and appears to have much more luggage space so hopefully we wouldnt need the roof box and be able to take my windsurfing kit on our hols! We will prob test drive them both in xmas hols and then hopefully make a decision. Do you think the 170 hp is better than the 148 for towing.

 

[DJM]

Hi Clive,

As I originally said in my first post above "If your choice is an auto gear box be careful with the X trail because you are very restricted with what weight caravan you can tow."

Also I think the fuel consumption figures which are being quoted for the new Xtrail are for the manual gearbox. Therefore if you want an accurate comparison the manual FL2 returns high thirties solo.The top and bottom of it is if you want a smaller size automatic transmission 4 x 4 which has the capability to tow an average weight caravan, your choice is very restricted.