The Jaguar might be the star of this class, but the X-Trail is one of the best of the rest.

There’s no problem coping with any suitable match, thanks to the brawny diesel engine. With 266lb ft of torque delivered at 2000rpm, the Nissan accelerated from 30-60mph in just 13.3 seconds. The outfit needed 12.04 metres to stop from 30mph – respectable, but not as impressive as the Jag.

For a 4×4, stability in the lane-change test was good. However, the light steering gave little feel through the wheel and there was lots of body roll. At high speeds the X-Trail took a while to pull straight after sharp steering inputs.

Our practicality testers were impressed with the Nissan’s huge boot, which swallowed every item of luggage except the Aquaroll. Other thoughtful touches such as the 12V socket in the boot boosted the X-Trail’s score further.

The big disappointment, however, was the hill-start test. Normally this is easy meat for a powerful 4×4, but more than one judge complained that the handbrake initially held the outfit, only to let it roll backwards a second or two later.