I insert the key into the ignition — and the cabin fills with a familiar diesel rumble, while a slight tremor runs through the body. Immediately, I recalled the military KrAZ-255B. But this feeling quickly dissipated: as soon as the engine reached operating mode, it almost stopped making noise and vibrating. The Japanese announced the new diesel as ultra-economical and ultra-eco-friendly — it's high time to test these promises in practice. Especially since the stated characteristics promised traction comparable to petrol V6s — a real "locomotive" torque. City driving showed that the dynamics are quite decent: there's no jerk at the start, but the acceleration doesn't weaken as speed builds, which pleasantly surprised me. I also noticed that the car holds its course perfectly and confidently handles corners with considerable lateral loads. I decided to drop by the autodrome and there performed a "slalom" and a lane change at speed a couple of times. The well-tuned suspension, precise steering, and quick-witted electronics allowed these exercises to be done quite briskly on ice. The exam is passed. But the main interest is how the crossover will behave off the asphalt. On a snowy rut in the field, the X-Trail drives confidently even in 2WD mode. I turn into virgin snow — and we start slipping! I switch the selector to auto mode, activate the hill descent and ascent assist button — and the slipping stops, the car moves quite confidently. This continued until we sat on the belly. I engaged reverse gear — and we easily backed out along our own tracks. We tested climbs, descents, and side slopes — in short, everything possible. It drives steadily everywhere, with only snow flying from under the wheels. The enormous torque allows driving under load, and the electronics prevent the wheels from excessive spinning. At the same time, the diesel doesn't roar like a Hummer, but softly and calmly growls. As a result, you drive without any strain. My acquaintance really liked this car — she said that a million for such a car is not expensive at all. The only thing I never got to see was the cyber-monsters from the wheels!
