“Some say she has driven over 50 types of car and can parallel park a Jaguar XJL. Others say she can strap in three children at once without even breaking a sweat… All we know is she’s The Expert.”

We put our world-wise driver (She’s not quite The Stig, but she knows her stuff) to the test and asked her to compare two of our popular family-size cars to help customers decide on what’s best for the job. Read on below…

Nissan X-Trail v Vauxhall Zafira Tourer 7 Seater

Nissan and Vauxhall have revised models aimed the family market, the Nissan X-Trail and the Zafira Tourer. Any parent with a growing family, knows the importance of safety, and the need for luggage space when planning to take a long trip.
How do these models compare in terms of style and technology, interior features, as well as safety and maneuverability?

The Nissan X-Trail has a sculptured sporty appearance with sleek lines, their aim, style and efficiency – a family car for those who don’t wish to compromise. The Vauxhall Zafira offers a more progressive product than in the past, with a sleek and sportive appearance, however in this competitive market the Nissan is stronger. The Vauxhall Zafira is alike it in features available with alloy wheels and in a selection of vibrant colours. The Nissan X-Trail can be tailored to meet the needs of the consumer.

Comfortable and easy to drive, there is plenty of leg and headroom providing excellent visibility. The rear door opens 80 degrees, child seats can be easily installed with plenty of room in the central seats, and ISOFIX situated at the back. The X-Trail is available with 5 or 7 seats and diesel and petrol options. In comparison the middle two seats of the Vauxhall Zafira are narrow and there is not enough room for car seats, however would still be possible to accommodate teenagers and adult passengers.

The Nissan X-Trail is designed to meets the needs of the modern family, whether collecting the children from school or an adventurous off-road trip. The Nissan X-Trail is economic to use on long journeys, with a fuel consumption of 61.4 mpg. Engineered for impressive road handling, the ‘mode 4 x4-1’ button increases safety when taking the vehicle ‘off road’, increasing stability and control of your vehicle. A fuel saving front wheel drive facility, and an automatic mode, changing to rear wheel drive in poor weather conditions is more economic and increases safety. The Vauxhall Zafira Tourer is easy to drive, with a high quality engine, visibility can be slightly restricted, and is however ideal for day to day demands, rather than more challenging driving situations.

Does the X-Trail compare to other off road vehicles, maybe not, however the aim of this product aimed at the needs of the family and no more, in regards to performance. Overall performance of the Vauxhall Zafria doesn’t compare to the Nissan due to reduced suspension, the Vauxhall Zafria offers a smoother journey.

Parking the Nissan X Trail and Vauxhall Zafira is convenient with the aid of parking assist, and night-time driving is improved by the striking LED Boomerang Lights improving visibility and therefore safety. Interior features include cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, air con and a panoramic sunroof. The Vauxhall Zafira also offers an ‘On Star adviser’ who is automatically available able to contact the emergency services, there is also a smart phone APP to check tyre pressure. The boot space is a major plus the Nissan X-Trail offers a capacity of 550 litres and with the back seats down 1,982 litres. The Vauxhall Zafira offers less boot space, however with the back two seats lay down there is more than adequate space for a long journey.

When looking at the two cars the Nissan X-Trail is aesthetically pleasing and scored a full five stars in its Euro NCAP crash tests. The Vauxhall Zafria is more of an everyday family friendly car, reliable and also very safe also with a 5 star rating, due to its six air bags and stability controls for slippery conditions.

So which is the winner? Both cars have different selling points but we’ll leave the deciding up to you. Let us know how you found the #XTrail or the #ZafiraTourer by tweeting us @EasirentCarHire.to be in with a chance to win an Apple iPad Pro.

You can read all our editions of Ask The Expert here.

For prices on both these models and more information please visit our fleet page.