PaulDClark

Go on then, which is better?

Go Banana's !!

I've had an X-trail (diesal SE+) for about 18 months now and can thoroughly reccommend it.

I do about 1200 miles a week commuting from near Consett to Leeds and it copes with the twisting roads and motorways with ease. I have just done almost 100,000 miles and I have had no problems and no I don't work for Nissan !!

We live in the bottom of a valley and in the Winter when it snows, it gets us out with ease and frineds of ours use it for towing caravans and boats.

I found when I test drove the Raz4 vs the X-trail that I got more gismo's and value for money although the Rav4 is still a good car.

We like it so much that we are considering getting another when we get to Perth later in the year, in fact my cousins in Perth have just bought one as they have a two young babies and its great for carting all the stuff around.

hope it helps.

Warren

cruisey

X-Trail by a mile. RAV4 is still a bit of a hair dressers car IMHO We're thinking of having an X-Trail when we get out there, great car! Worth getting just for the air-cooled cup holders.....

PaulDClark

Cheers, really liked the look of the new X-Trail Series II, but its a bit more than the Rav4...

How much discount can you get off dealers for cash on new cars?

I'll be looking at 2 machines...

Toyota Echo

Nissan X-Trail

GengaKev

Thinking about the X-trail too, it compares wel with both the RAV4 and the Honda CRV thing. From the the site you can get to dicounts availible.

Check out www.yahoo.drive.com.au/news/reviews/

Perth summer 2004

GengaKev

http://yahoo.drive.com.au/news/reviews/

Sorry, link should be the one above, doh

Amazulu

I have a RAV4 but it was a close call for the X-Trail (X-Trail had a longer delivery time). I think that the X-Trail is more of a proper 4x4, it's a bit cheaper too. Here's my verdict:

RAV4

Better handling, very fast, feels almost like a GTi
Great interior, instrument panel
Crap side opening tailgate, a real design fault

X-Trail

Weird, central instrument panel
Not so nice interior
Clever way rear seats fold down
Proper tailgate

There's not much in it.

joninoxford

I have driven both daily whilst temping delivering them to new customers. The Rav4 is brilliant if you want a city car that drives like a car, with the extra clearance for occasional off road use. One even managed to get from Port Douglas to the Northern Tip of Australia (previously thought to be possible only in a giant 4X4 Land cruiser or Land Rover) I read a few years ago. The Nissan X-Trail is a proper, large 4X4, but is unsuitable for city driving because of its width and high fuel consumption.

HUP

Are you talking about UK or Oz here?

We bought 2 Nissan X-trails at the end of last year in Victoria. They are the STR model with factory fitted top lights and roof rack, bull bars, headlight and bonnet protectors and tow balls. Originally quoted full on the road costs of $39000 ended up getting two for $70000 (One for us and one for the outlaw)

Its been a great drive and yes we have taken it off road. Fairly gentle tracks at the moment as we need a few lessons.

GengaKev

Confused to why the X-Trail is too wide for city driving?,
The RAV4 is 1735mm wide and the X-trail is 1765mm!!!. Are you thinking one of the larger Nissans?.
$35000 each with all those extras is a good price though...

HUP

Also a quick word on buying cars here. Make sure when you budget for your car make sure you budget for stamp duty. Also when you have bought the car you'll be introduced to the extras man (woman in our case) and I would strongly suggest you go for one of the window tint options as it does help a lot.

The majority of car salemen we met over here were shockingly bad (Not you Andy!!!). Ferntree Gully Nissan provided us with great service and we achieved the main aim when we bought the cars in that we went home happy and not feeling ripped off.

PaulDClark

New Series II Ti Automatic in Silver, is 40K with stamp duty according to my spreadsheet and data from Discount New Cars.

Amazulu

Saw a motoring program on TV is South Africa,
where they took a selection of 4x4's (Pajero, Landcruiser, Shogun etc) to Namibia for road testing. They were trying to drive up a huge & very steep sand dune. The only one to make it to the top was the RAV4.

Philanthropist5

no contest, Landrover Discovery

downunderpom

Totally agree!

Discovery drives like a car, not a truck, and goes like the proverbial off a shovel. Usually leave the competition for dead at the lights... Good for town and country driving. Use it all over our property (pretty rough terrain). Usually get 400+kms out of a tankful ($65-70) - 3.9 litre V8i.

RAV4 just doesn't have the muscle, and is usually seen as more as a 'girly' car..... (Sorry!)