Nissan X-Trail vs Toyota Fortuner: Which one should you buy?

Nissan recently added a second vehicle to its Indian portfolio, called the X-Trail. The company brought a fully loaded single-spec variant of the SUV via the CBU route, as a result, the X-Trail’s price is Rs 49.92 lakh (ex-showroom). This makes the Nissan X-Trail pricier than the Toyota Fortuner. 

So, let’s see how the new Nissan X-Trail stacks up against the Toyota Fortuner. 

Specifications

As mentioned earlier, Nissan India brought the fully loaded single-spec of the X-Trail SUV to our shores. That said, it has only one engine option, which is a 1.5-litre KR15 VC turbocharged petrol engine that can generate 161bhp at 4800rpm and 300Nm of peak torque between 2800 and 3600rpm. Additionally, it has a mild-hybrid support. 

The X-Trail is a front-wheel drive SUV and the front wheels are spun via a CVT automatic gearbox. 

In contrast, the Toyota Fortuner has two engine options: a 2.7-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine and a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine. The former produces 163.60bhp at 5220rpm and 245Nm of peak torque at 4020rpm, while the latter produces 201.15bhp at 3420rpm and 420Nm of peak torque between 1380-3420rpm.

It is worth noting that the Fortuner diesel-manual variant produces 420Nm of torque, while the diesel-automatic variant produces 500Nm of peak torque. 

Further, the petrol engine doesn’t have a 4x4 setup, except for the diesel variants. 

The Toyota Fortuner’s 2.7-litre petrol variant has a standard 5-speed manual and an optional 6-speed automatic unit. In parallel, its 2.8-litre diesel engine has a 6-speed manual and an optional 6-speed automatic gearbox. 

Both petrol and diesel versions of the Toyota Fortuner have a large fuel tank capacity of 80 litres, while the Nissan X-Trail petrol has a capacity of 55 litres. 

Weighing the petrol-based variants of these two SUVs, the Fortuner has more power but less torque than the Nissan X-Trail. 

Besides that, the Fortuner is deemed to be more capable than the X-Trail as the former uses the ladder-frame chassis, while the latter uses a monocoque chassis. 

The Fortuner has a tyre profile of 265/60 R18, while the X-Trail’s tyres measure 255/45 R20. 

Dimensions

In terms of proportions, the Toyota Fortuner is bigger in every aspect than the Nissan X-Trail. This Toyota SUV measures 4795mm in length, 1855mm in width, 1835mm in height, and 2745mm in wheelbase.

On the other hand, the Nissan X-Trail has a length of 4680mm, a width of 1840mm, a height of 1725mm, and sits on a wheelbase of 2705mm. 

Both are three-row SUVs and have a seating capacity of seven. But, weighing the figures, the Fortuner gets an edge. 

Features

Let’s take the Toyota Fortuner Legender as a contender to weigh with the Nissan X-Trail. 

The Fortuner Legender boasts connected car technology, a cooled glove box, voice commands, a hands-free tailgate, one-touch tumble second-row seats, one-touch operating windows (all), front ventilated seats, and front-powered seats. 

It also has a perforated leatherette upholstery, a rear window washer, front and rear fog lamps, an electric tailgate, puddle lamps, and a JBL-sourced audio system. The audio system consists of 11 speakers, including an amplifier and a subwoofer. It supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. 

But, unlike the Nissan X-Trail, the Fortuner misses out on a fully digital instrument cluster. Speaking of the X-Trail, this vehicle has notable offerings, such as a 12.28-inch digital instrument cluster, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlamps, a tyre pressure monitor, a 360-degree view camera, and a panoramic sunroof. Unlike the Fortuner, it has fabric-made seats. 

The common features of these two SUVs include 7 airbags, an 8-inch touchscreen display, anti-glare IRVM, brake assist, LED lights (front and rear), traction control, a rear camera with guidelines, SOS Emergency assistance, etc. They also house roof rails, a height-adjustable driver seat, an adjustable steering wheel, drive modes (Eco, Normal and Sport), an idle start/stop system, and an engine start/stop button, to name a few. 

So, these are some features of these two SUVs. 

Pricing

The regular Toyota Fortuner’s price starts at Rs 33.43 lakh for the base-spec 4x2 Petrol MT variant and goes up to Rs 51.44 lakh for the top variant, the GR S 4x4 Diesel AT. This version has 7 variants.

In contrast, the Fortuner Legender has two variants - 4x2 Diesel AT and 4x4 AT. They are priced at Rs 43.66 lakh and 47.64 lakh, respectively. 

On the other hand, the Nissan X-Trail has a standard variant, priced at Rs 49.92 lakh. 

These are ex-showroom figures, as of August 2024. 

Conclusion

We feel Nissan could have made a better comeback with the X-Trail, as its direct rivals are far more equipped, in terms of features and specifications, and that too, at a competitive price. We hope you now know, which one to pick.