Nissan Australia’s X-TRAIL – already among the compact SUV segment leaders - is enjoying a major lift in dealer enquiry since the new, better equipped model arrived in showrooms last month.

Nissan Australia General Manager, Marketing, Ross Booth said the new X-TRAIL was expected to improve on sales of the previous model – which was already among the best sellers in the compact SUV market regularly achieving more than 1,000 registrations per month.

The new X-TRAIL was launched locally last month, including VDC Vehicle Dynamic Control (also known as ESP) and front side and curtain airbags standard across the range in the Australian market.

Booth said the new X-TRAIL reflected Nissan’s progress in raising safety levels across its SUV range. (VDC was previously unavailable in the X-TRAIL range.)

Overseas, the new X-TRAIL was awarded a sturdy four star rating in the latest European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP).

The European specification X-TRAIL – which was not equipped with VDC Vehicle Dynamic Control – scored maximum points in side impact and pole crash tests for adult protection.

“X-TRAIL found a clear niche in the compact SUV market and now, more then ever, offers passenger-car like ride and handling in urban environments without abandoning the durability, practicality and looks of a traditional off-roader,’ he said.

“A popular advertising campaign, featuring Boris the Crocodile, is also striking a topical note with customers who identify with the adventure orientation of X-TRAIL,” he said.

The second generation X-TRAIL is manufactured at Nissan Kyushu plant in Japan. It offers much greater interior storage space than its predecessor and Nissan’s latest electronically controlled 4WD system, making it far more capable off-road than many of its rivals.