NISSAN was one of the first car makers to introduce what are now known as crossovers, which have become the must-have vehicle for people who want a high-riding, compact SUV-style mode of transport at a reasonable price.

Several manufacturers have followed suit, but Nissan still leads the way offering a choice of Qashqai, X-Trail and Juke models.

Last year, Nissan crossover sales exceeded 400,000 in Europe which works out at a market share of 12.7 per cent and Nissan says it demonstrates the special styling, excellent efficiency and advanced technologies that its crossovers offer is what today's UK customers are seeking.

The crossover trend started with the Nissan Qashqai which was launched in 2007.

Despite early reticence, it has become the most successful model in Nissan's 80-year history. By the end of 2007, Nissan had already sold close to 100,000 Qashqais in Europe, and now eight years on, more than 2.6 million have been sold worldwide.

In 2010, Nissan took the lead again with the launch of the Nissan Juke, its compact crossover, bringing another entirely new sector into the mainstream market.

The Juke has gone on to sell over 650,000 units in Europe alone (over one million globally), and carved a market for small Crossovers which now account for 700,000 new car sales each year across Europe.

The new generation X-Trail was launched last year and completes the range - appealing to larger traditional SUV buyers.

Designed from the very outset to include an optional seven-seat format, the cabin features a raked theatre seating layout that ensures every passenger has a great view out.

It also comes with top-class premium materials and intelligent design throughout and the X-Trail now offers new standards for rear seat access, space for optional third-row passengers and in-car technology.

The X-Trail also showcases the latest-generation NissanConnect system that offers smartphone integration and several innovations including in-built apps to enhance the connected driving experience.

Two engine options are available to X-Trail buyers - a powerful yet frugal dCi 130ps diesel and a recently-added 1.6-litre DIG-T 163ps petrol engine which I put through its paces on some demanding mountainous routes in the French Alps.

Available in two and four-wheel-drive forms (petrol in two-wheel drive only) the latter features Nissan's latest-generation ALL MODE 4x4-i transmission plus Nissan's Chassis Control system which certainly irons out most potholes and rough surfaces.

The new four-cylinder petrol version offers 163bhp with a claimed 0-62 mph sprint time of 9.7 seconds and Nissan say fuel consumption is around 41mpg on a combined run with CO2 emissions at 149 g/km.

It handled really well on the twisty mountain roads we faced and the six-speed manual gearbox was extremely slick.

Despite the demanding Alpine roads the X-Trail performed well on tight hairpin bends and pulled well up steep inclines and despite being two-wheel drive it stuck to the tarmac with no hint of slipping sideways when pushed hard.

On a stretch of motorway it cruised along with little wind, road or engine noise but in sixth gear it struggled with acceleration. What it would be like with a full load of seven people plus luggage remains to be seen.

This latest version of X-Trail has a starting price of £21,995 for the entry level Visia and on up to £28,445 for the top grade Tekna model.