GRR Garage: Nissan X-Trail – To Geneva through the blizzards

I was due to travel to Geneva for work reasons most illogically via Antwerp in Belgium on the way out, and two separate locations in France on the return journey, so driving made far more sense than flying. Having already booked my trip, hotels en route, and so on, a suitable vehicle to get me safely through the frozen wastes of Northern Europe at the time, never mind the initial shorter leg down to the Kent coast to cross the Channel, was key, and frankly my own little Italian bomb would not realistically have been up to the challenge.

Cue the light bulb moment, and a few hours later, roll forth the switchable 4x4 Nissan X-Trail that GRR currently has on long-term evaluation. The car was available to use for the my 10-day Continental jaunt, and ideally-suited to the atrocious weather conditions that potentially faced me over the next 1,600+ miles or so, from the low lands of the Benelux, to the heights of the Jura mountains surrounding Geneva.

Having quickly loaded the X-Trail’s commodious boot with enough luggage, ‘road trip’ provisions and winter weather gear to see me through this long trip, I glugged many, many litres of diesel into the very empty-tanked Nissan – almost melting my credit card in the process – and set off Kent-bound for the car ferry far earlier than usual, expecting to encounter major snow and congestion, none of which thankfully materialised, despite all of the hype by various media channels warning motorists of the perils of travelling in the snow. I arrived at Dover over two hours early, as there was virtually no traffic on the roads, and even less snow!

When I arrived in Dunkirk, the snow was considerably heavier and deeper than it had been on the British side of the Channel, but with most of the road surfaces, main or otherwise, far better treated than they had been over here. I left the X-Trail in its ‘Auto’ mode, the SUV automatically switching from 2WD for all-wheel-drive as and when needed, much to my relief when I arrived at a few unexpected untreated snowy stretches on the Belgian motorway.

Venturing mildly off-road briefly to get to my hotel venue, the Nissan’s 4x4 system inspired real confidence, which a feeling of full control on the icy and very slippery snow-covered surface, despite the steering feel being far too light and over-assisted, just as it is in regular everyday driving conditions, as with so many other modern cars, especially SUVs.

A couple of days in Antwerp saw the initial huge snow piles gradually reduce and almost disappear, so by the time I left for Geneva, the need for the Nissan’s reassuring 4x4 abilities had virtually disappeared. The car’s satellite navigation system wasn’t as reassuring, however, as although easy to set a destination, its other functionality wasn’t as intuitive. The sat nav was pre-set on the ‘fastest route’ setting, and trying to re-programme it for the shortest route option totally defeated me!

The sat nav tried to direct me from Belgium to Geneva via The Netherlands and Germany, when I had planned to drive there via Luxembourg, which the system really didn’t like. Tired of battling with it repeatedly late at night, I gave in and found somewhere to rest my weary head in Germany, before setting off again the following morning on the final stretch to Geneva on totally snow-free roads.

An initial stint on the German high-speed autobahn reminded me how comfortable and long-legged the Nissan is, but also just how surprising thirsty the X-Trail is at speed (as well as at lower urban road speeds) and also how much wind noise the car generates, neither helped by the fitment of roof bars.

Bored with the endless strains and noise of the autobahn, I chose to deviate off the sat nav’s preferred route, and slide into France via Mulhouse with its calmer roads and more cheerful scenery, where the X-Trail felt much more at home, and thankfully for my wallet, proved to be less thirsty. Getting closer to Geneva via Pontarlier, the snowy landscape gradually returned, with the Nissan’s 4x4 system coming back into useful service over the slippery white-out top of the Jura mountains.

The X-Trail’s efficient dual-zone climate control, warm steering wheel and heated seats kept me nice and toasty through the Jura, with the four-wheel-drive proving reassuringly sure-footed for most of the route to my hotel, even if the twists and turns of the mountainous bends showed-up the weaker, unengaging side of the Nissan dynamics and laughingly lifeless steering feel. However, I did arrive at my destination unflustered and intact, unlike a handful of scared-looking drivers in their sliding rear-drive saloons and estates.

With the opening of the 2018 Geneva Salon just hours away, I enjoyed a good night’s sleep, almost as restful and uneventful as my near-800-mile drive from Antwerp to Switzerland. I shall be back to tell you more about my return journey in the Nissan very soon.