Annual review: Why does the new X-Trail retain the title of Japanese SUV sales champion?

The performance of the SUV market in 2019 can be said to be a mixture of worries and joys.

What is worrying is that as the main market segment, the SUV market as a whole performed poorly in 2019. According to data from the Passenger Car Association, cumulative sales of SUVs in 2019 were 9.182 million units, a decrease of 3.6% year-on-year in 2018.

The good news is that if you look closely at the specific sales data of various models in the SUV market, it is easy to find that although the overall market has declined to a certain extent, the market has shown an optimized development of survival of the fittest. Among them, the performance of Dongfeng Nissan X-Trail is quite representative.

The following author will use the case of Dongfeng Nissan's new X-Trail, a Japanese SUV that defends its sales crown, to explain the changes and changes that the sales crown has experienced in 2019.

The market is changing, but the king remains unchanged

Xinqijun is actually a typical case of survival of the fittest in the market. Why do you say that?

Change: The SUV market in 2019. Although the overall sales of SUVs have shrunk to a certain extent compared with before, the decline in overall sales is not the main theme of the SUV market. The real big changes actually occur in the competition for turf between various car series. In the new enclosure pattern, the second-tier independent brands that originally accounted for a large proportion have almost become cannon fodder in market competition, while the first-tier independent brands can only try their best to maintain the original market range and ensure that they do not lose their territory. Overall, the share of domestic brand SUVs fell by 14% in 2019.

The market segments lost by domestic brands have been snatched up by joint venture brands. Among them, the most eye-catching ones are the German and Japanese brands, with joint ventures once again taking the dominant position and recreating the old "two-hero competition" situation between Germany and Japan.

No change: Compared with the changes in the SUV market, the new X-Trail, the defending sales champion of Japanese SUVs, has performed very steadily in the market in 2019. In 2019, cumulative terminal sales reached 212,629 vehicles; a year-on-year increase of 3.9. Broken down to each month of 2019, the sales volume of Xin Qijun has always been "stable". The sales volume in most months is around 17,000 units. The highest monthly sales volume was 23,623 units in March. Because the Spring Festival holiday takes up a lot of time, the lowest single-month sales volume occurred in February, and the lowest monthly sales volume in normal months was also July. 15,600 vehicles. In most months, the sales ranking of the new X-Trail has remained unchanged, ranking first among Japanese joint venture SUVs.

Why is the new X-Trail able to maintain stable sales despite the changing market situation?

Taking advantage and continuing to optimize

With the overall weak performance of the auto market, consumers have actually begun to experience some changes. The most typical one is to be more cautious about the choice of buying a car. At times like this, the only thing that can impress consumers is hard power. The continued hot sales of the New Qijun can be analyzed from the following reasons:

Changes and changes in product power: omnipotent and intelligent evolution of product power

In 2019, the new Qijun’s The product strategy focuses on stability and strives to build its "all-round product strength" in order to adapt to the needs of the widest range of consumer groups. Let’s compare it with the main competitors on the market. At the same time, let’s take a look at how Qijun makes trade-offs and balances between changing and unchanged product capabilities.

Unchanged: In terms of power, the new X-Trail offers two engines, 2.0L and 2.5L, matched with a CVT gearbox that can simulate a 7-speed. In the current era of turbocharging, the two naturally aspirated engines have the smoothness and reliability that are most valued by home users on the basis of good power output. In comparison, whether it is the Japanese rival's 1.5T with CVT or the German rival's 1.4T with 7DCT, their reliability, stability and reputation are not as reassuring as those of naturally aspirated engines.

In terms of space, the new X-Trail only has a larger advantage than its rivals in terms of size, making it more attractive to Chinese consumers who have no regrets. In terms of seating options, the new X-Trail also provides a 7-seater model, enriching consumers' choices.

In terms of comfort, which Dongfeng Nissan has always emphasized, the new X-Trail is overwhelmingly ahead of competing products of the same level. It is equipped with Nissan's "zero-gravity seat" called a large sofa, which can provide drivers and passengers with a riding comfort that is not inferior to that of a sofa at home.

In addition, it must be said that as an urban SUV model, the new X-Trail provides sufficiently powerful off-road capabilities. The 2.5L model comes standard with a 4×4-i intelligent all-mode four-wheel drive system. On non-paved roads, the LOCK mode of the four-wheel drive system provides a 50:50 torque distribution between the front and rear, coupled with an electronic brake differential lock (B-LSD). In some environments, it can achieve the passing ability that can only be achieved by hardcore SUVs. The four-wheel drive systems provided by CR-V and Tanyue are all fool-operated timely four-wheel drive. They are more used to provide better driving stability on paved roads, and their off-road capabilities are not outstanding enough.

The powertrain is smooth and reliable, the 7-seat space is more practical, the comfort advantage of the brand gene, and the off-road performance that surpasses its class... The versatility of the new X-Trail in terms of product strength just covers the vast majority of choices. The core needs of SUV model consumers. With all-round product capabilities in urban and off-road areas, it is not difficult to understand that the Xinqijun can dominate its class and become the benchmark for all-round SUVs in the 200,000-class class. It has dominated the sales of Japanese SUVs for a long time.

Change: No matter how good the product is, it needs to keep pace with the times in order to maintain its advantage. On September 20, 2019, the 2020 new X-Trail was launched. As an annual facelift model, the 2020 new X-Trail focuses its changes on improving the sense of technology. For example, three 2.5L models are equipped with the class-leading ProPILOT super smart driving, making the X-Trail the first Japanese joint venture SUV equipped with L2 level automatic driving assistance system. The author has actually tested this system. In the actual road environment, the system's operating logic and actual performance can bring an excellent user experience.

In addition, the new X-Trail has also introduced the Auto?Hold automatic parking function for three 2.5L models. It can provide a more convenient use experience on stop-and-go urban roads. At the same time, a new 2.0L level - Zhilian Premium Edition, equipped with comfortable configurations such as LED automatic headlights and an electric passenger seat, further strengthens product strength in a targeted manner.

The image has changed and remains unchanged: brave and responsible, manly and warm

The image remains unchanged: except for the optimization and upgrading of product capabilities. In 2019, the image of communication between Xinqijun and users has further evolved on the original basis. At the marketing level, the manufacturer has always defined the Xinqijun as a brave and responsible male image, that is, the "backbone" of the family. His role is that of someone who can be relied on at any time. Whether it was Qijun’s previous scientific expedition trip to Antarctica or the 2019 adventure into no-man’s land, going deep into the hinterland of Dachaidan in Haixizhou, Qinghai Province, “exploring the edge of the universe” in the vast Gobi, on the Qinghai plateau, the place closest to the starry sky No man's land, conquer unknown road conditions. While demonstrating the powerful product capabilities of the new X-Trail, it also continues to convey its almighty, wise and courageous nature. It can be said that in the mainstream urban SUV camp, X-Trail has been the "hardest" and most responsible player for many years.

Change: Just like a person cannot have only one side, behind the tough image, Q-Trail also deliberately showed its warm side in its 2019 brand marketing. Just like a father, who also plays a male role in the family, he must not only be almighty, wise and courageous, but at the same time, what the father often brings to the family is warmth and affinity. Therefore, in 2019, Xinqijun combined the hot topics of Father's Day to create the topic #tributetofather#, focusing on social hot spots, trying to communicate emotionally with the public in a younger way, and showing the warm side of a tough man.

It can be said that over the years, Qijun's brand building and image label have always been closely related to the theme, at the forefront of the times, and catered to the deep emotional needs of consumers. This is why it has always been active in the mainstream users' vision and has become one of the most popular models in this market.

So, how to grasp the changes and changes in X-Trail’s product strength, image and cultural connotation? What is the underlying reason behind it?

Enterprise spirit, core of strength

After the new X-Trail was launched in 2014, it has been the best-selling Japanese SUV. The industry status has never wavered.

The new X-Trail has become a phenomenal benchmark model in the Chinese auto market. Behind this, I have to mention Dongfeng Nissan, which created this product. Dongfeng Nissan is a highly mobile car company that advocates "half a step ahead" and insists on running fast in small steps. With the core values ??of "respecting the market, respecting consumers, and respecting partners", by continuously consolidating the strength of the entire value chain system, we always maintain harmonious development among manufacturers, consumers, and partners, and in this process, consumers have gained Best user experience. This is not complicated to say, but it is the great wisdom of "Tao to Simplicity". To give a simple example, if you can unify the power of 820 dealers across the country and achieve the ultimate pre-sales and after-sales service experience, how can an SUV like Q-Trail, with its strong product capabilities, not have great sales?

No matter how the market structure changes, we must persist in what should not change and keep pace with the times in what should change. Only in this way can we create such an enduring SUV. What should be changed and what should not be changed is fundamentally a reflection of corporate values ??and system strength.

At the same time, in terms of products, services, technology and marketing, Dongfeng Nissan has also formed its own unique style of "half a step ahead while being down-to-earth". For example, in terms of leading industry technology, Dongfeng Nissan released the "Dongfeng Nissan Intelligent Driving Action Plan" at the 2019 Chengdu Auto Show, taking the lead in deploying autonomous driving technology in joint ventures. In terms of service quality, in 2019 when the "Three Guarantees Law" was questioned, Dongfeng Nissan took the lead in issuing the "Worry-Free Quality Commitment" and became the first joint venture car company in the industry to make a "7-day replacement guarantee" commitment. In terms of conveying brand connotation, Dongfeng Nissan has launched diversified cross-border marketing around sports, music, culture, variety shows, etc., including naming the Chengdu Marathon for three consecutive years, and launching the 14th-generation Sylphy in Chengdu-Guangzhou-Suzhou together with M Dou "Easy Travel", Loulan's tribute to #爱的RHOCHI20ANNIVERS, and the new Qashqai teaming up with Zhang Yishan to unlock the city, etc., continue to enrich and improve Dongfeng Nissan's brand connotation.

These changes and changes are all vivid manifestations of the "self-evolution" of the company's strong system power based on corporate values.

Final remarks

2019 is the year when the SUV market officially returns to rationality. After several years of blowout development, the overall state of the SUV market is somewhat deformed. "Standing on the wind, pigs can fly." This sentence from an Internet tycoon is unreasonable. And when the storm passes, only the true eagle can continue to soar in the blue sky.

The success of Xinqijun may not seem complicated, but behind it is the support of a powerful system. Dongfeng Nissan's values ????and system strength are the internal reasons why the new X-Trail continues to shine in the market. Although it looks simple, it is difficult to copy. In the ever-changing market, Dongfeng Nissan's new X-Trail has set a successful example for us on how to maintain the rhythm and balance of "change" and "unchanged".

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This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.