NordicTrack X16 Elliptical Review | Unlock Your Stride

Dimensions/Storability

Like most ellipticals, the NordicTrack X16 requires a significant amount of space. Its dimensions are 58.5” L x 29.5” W x 74” H, but the pedal movement requires you to allocate additional space around the elliptical when it is in use. The pedals move about 1’ forward and backward, but I would provide at least 1.5’ in front of and behind the elliptical.

Since the pedals go so high, you need a ceiling height about 2’ taller than the tallest elliptical use.

For ceiling height, we recommend a minimum height of 8’ for anyone 6’ tall. We calculated this height by measuring the step-up height, which is 15”, and the maximum height of the elliptical pedals is 18” to 24”. You likely won’t be standing straight up on the 24” pedal because your knee should be bent at that point of the stride.

The X16 is heavy. It’s 289 lbs. I can move it if I must, but it’s heavy, so I don’t like moving it often or far. You’ll need to dedicate a space for the X16. You can move it by lifting the front of the machine on the opposite side of the pedals, engaging the wheels to roll it around.

There is a handle you can hold to tilt the elliptical when you need to move it.

Onboard Workouts & Apps

I love touchscreens and video training content on ellipticals. Sometimes, I like to stay unplugged while working out, but it’s not on the elliptical. NordicTrack features iFIT, which is great for all levels of fitness, and my savior from boredom.

Here’s what you can expect from the $39 per month membership.

iFIT

I love that iFIT has elliptical-specific classes in the studio and outdoors, as well as allowing elliptical users to take the treadmill classes.

iFIT features thousands of trainer-led workouts. There are over 17,000 on-demand classes and counting. These are in a variety of disciplines like treadmill, exercise bike, rower, and elliptical.

There are elliptical-specific workouts. These are filmed in professional studios and feature an instructor to guide you through the workout. If you’ve ever gone to an in-person group workout class, this is the format these workouts follow.

The outdoor-filmed workouts don’t follow an instructor on an elliptical. Instead, they follow an instructor walking, running, hiking, and even rollerblading, snow-shoeing, and ice-skating in areas all over the world. Talk about unboring!

I really like the hiking classes on the X16 because I love exploring the rugged terrain with the automatic incline adjustments.

Workouts that you might think are only available or possible on a treadmill are available on the NordicTrack X16. I’ve taken everything from a guided walk through a haunted house to a rollerblading workout through Miami on NordicTrack’s ellipticals.

The elliptical workouts are truly iFIT’s most unique classes. It might sound weird to take a rollerblading workout, but it is fun. Some of the most fun I’ve had testing iFIT is in these classes on an elliptical. The outdoor workouts set iFIT apart from other training services.

Mat classes are also available on the elliptical, though I prefer to watch them on my phone, tablet, or TV—they are easier to see in this format.

A cool iFIT feature on the X16 is SmartAdjust, where the elliptical automatically adjusts the incline/decline and resistance. The incline/decline will match the terrain shown on the screen as closely as possible. The resistance adjusts based on the instructor’s cues and your previous workout history. You can turn SmartAdjust off if you don’t want customized resistance.

Create your own workout with the target programs, custom intervals, Google Maps feature, and template workouts.

If you don’t want to take a class, tap the “Create” button to create a workout. These let you set target goals and customize interval workouts. A general screen, showing a track as you see in manual mode, is displayed in these workouts.

iFIT released the Google Maps is available for the X16 Elliptical. With this feature, you can draw a workout anywhere in the world that Google has data. Then, you can watch an overview of the map with your marker progressing along the route at the speed you are pedaling the elliptical. The incline will adjust to match the terrain of the route you drew.

The AI Coach is an intriguing iFIT feature that we have been testing over the last few months. It’s not yet as sophisticated as I would like it to be, but I think it has potential. If you enable this feature, you can text the AI Coach, Tailor, for training advice and recommended classes. Tailor’s most useful feature is the ability to schedule iFIT classes for you on the elliptical.

The X16 Elliptical has Amazon Music, Audible, Netflix, PlutoTV, Prime Video, Spotify, and iHeartRadio.

Streaming apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are available to stream on iFIT equipment with a subscription. You have to have an iFIT subscription to access these, and you’ll need your login information to use each streaming app. Many training platforms are incorporating streaming apps, so it’s nice to see iFIT jump on the trend.

Spotify is another available app. It is a huge improvement from the Feed.FM radio, which supplies genre radio stations with only six skips per hour. You can also use Amazon Music if you use that service.

Overall, iFIT is a huge component of the NordicTrack X16 Elliptical. I highly recommend checking it out.

Onboard Workouts

With a free iFIT account, you can access some of the template workouts with automatic resistance and incline adjustments on the manual training screen.

The X16 works without a subscription to iFIT. Currently, there are onboard workout programs and a couple of iFIT trainer-led workouts available for free. You need to create a free iFIT account to use these, so just keep this in mind. Without a free account, you can use the manual training mode only. I recommend not connecting the X16 to Wi-Fi in this case.

Console

The console focuses on the 16” touchscreen, but there is also a cup holder, a few buttons, speakers, and a fan.

The 16” tilting touchscreen is an upgrade for the X16. It is one of the largest screens I’ve seen on an elliptical. Due to the nature of ellipticals, 20”+ screens don’t typically fit. It may feel a little low for taller exercisers, but the tilting ability helps.

There aren’t many adjustment buttons on the console. The X16 has buttons for the incline/decline and resistance. If you want to jump between different resistance levels and incline and decline levels, you’ll need to use the buttons on the touchscreen. There are also offscreen buttons for adjusting the fan speed and volume.

There are three ways to adjust the performance settings: the onscreen buttons, the console buttons, and the handle buttons.

The X16 also has buttons on the moving handles to help you adjust the resistance and incline while training. I find them easy to use while in a workout.

The fan is just below the touchscreen. It provides a good amount of airflow, but you cannot change the angle. I found the fan effective for cooling me off while I was training.

The front-facing speakers are loud and clear, but you can also pair Bluetooth headphones to train more quietly.

The speakers are front-facing. They are clear and offer a sufficient volume range. You can adjust the speaker volumes on the console or customize an audio mix of the iFIT class and apps on the screen. The audio is also Bluetooth and can pair with your headphones.

The oversized cup holder below the console holds your water or your phone. There isn’t a device rack to watch something besides iFIT and the streaming apps (with a subscription). You could put the X16 in front of your TV, but considering how much functionality is on the touchscreen, I suggest subscribing to iFIT.

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Build Quality

The NordicTrack X16 is a center-drive elliptical that weighs a significant amount. It also holds up to 375 lbs, which indicates excellent durability, performance, and construction.

Frame

The X16 Elliptical is large and sturdy.

The frame is steel and supports the base of the elliptical. The pedals and handles are steel, too. The feet underneath the floor stabilizer are adjustable. Overall, the frame on the X16 feels very sturdy.

Pedals

The textured pedals provide adequate cushioning for comfortable training and no foot soreness.

The pedals are oversized and padded. They’re compatible with regular athletic shoes and large enough for most shoe sizes. The padding might not seem necessary, but it is. I’ve used plenty of ellipticals without it, and the padding reduces foot numbness, which is common on ellipticals. I did not experience any numbness or pain while training on the X16 Elliptical.

A unique feature of the NordicTrack X16 is the variable stride length. It provides a free stride you can adjust as you’re working out. They adjust to mimic a treadmill, stair-stepper, and elliptical. The full stride length is 32” long but shortens to as little as an inch.

I can hit my stride comfortably on the NordicTrack X16 Elliptical with its 1” to 32” variable stride length.

I found a comfortable stride length on the X16 for my 5’4” frame. I don’t think the longest stride feels much like using a treadmill, but it does mimic a running stride more closely than other ellipticals.

It may feel challenging, at first, to keep your stride consistent and smooth, but after training on the X16 for a while, you get the hang of it.

Handles

Since I’m shorter (5’4”) with shorter arms, I like to grip lower on the handles.

The handles move in conjunction with the pedals for a full-body workout. They’re long, so you have plenty of areas to grip them, depending on your height. I like to grip lower on the handles, while Matt, who is 6’5”, likes to grip the upper portion.

I wish there were stationary inner handles for targeted lower-body training. It would also help when getting on and off the X16. There isn’t a way to lock the handles or pedals, so keep this in mind. It may not be the best option for those with poor balance.

Flywheel

As a central-drive elliptical, the X16 has two flywheels on each side of the pedals.

Two 10-lb flywheels are on either side of the pedals. The X16 is a center-drive elliptical. This design makes sense because of the long, adjustable pedal motion.

We like to see flywheel weights of at least 20 lbs, which the X16 meets when you combine the weight of the flywheels. Flywheel weight helps contribute to the overall weight, durability, and consistency of the pedal stroke.

Incline

I’m heading downhill at a -10% grade on the X16 Elliptical in my iFIT workout.

A unique feature that is becoming more common on home ellipticals is incline and decline. The X16 inclines up to 10% and declines to -10%. The frame pivots up and down to change your positioning on the elliptical.

I feel more of my posterior muscles engage when inclined, and more of my anterior muscles engage while declining. The incline and decline functions are pretty quiet and not disruptive.

Resistance

Scroll through the onscreen buttons to reach the maximum resistance level (26) fast.

The X16 also uses adjustable magnetic resistance, making it quiet and smooth to use. There are 26 levels. We noticed that the NordicTrack AirGlide 14i was more challenging at the lowest level than expected, but the X16 has a nice range. The lowest levels feel easy, while the top levels feel very challenging.

Magnetic resistance is low maintenance compared to friction resistance because there is no friction pad to wear out over time. It’s also convenient because you can track the resistance and incline levels on the touchscreen.

Warranty

NordicTrack includes a 10-year frame, 2-year parts, and a 1-year labor warranty with the X16 Elliptical. This is their standard warranty. This warranty length is pretty standard for this price range.

Considering this is a large and heavy machine, having at least two people for assembly is a good idea to make the process easier.

Should You Buy The NordicTrack X16 Elliptical?

If you’re looking for a premium elliptical that steps outside the box of standard ellipticals, I would definitely take a look at the NordicTrack X16. The 32” adjustable stride makes this a 3-in-1 machine.

The 32” stride is a bit long for my short frame, but I can easily shorten my stride to get a great low-impact workout. Taller folks have plenty of room, too.

iFIT is another aspect that makes the X16 stand out. The library of thousands of trainer-led workouts filmed outdoors makes for a fun training experience. I especially like taking unique workouts like rollerblading and snow-shoeing on ellipticals with iFIT.

The other iFIT features are awesome, too. I have a great time jamming out to my favorite Spotify playlists and streaming shows and movies from Netflix.

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NordicTrack X16 Elliptical Q&A / FAQ

Can you use the NordicTrack X16 Elliptical without iFIT?

Yes. We encourage consumers to check out iFIT on the X16, but it isn’t required to use the elliptical. When you create a free iFIT account, you can access some onboard workouts and iFIT trainer-led workout videos. Manual mode is also available.

What is the NordicTrack X16’s weight limit?

It handles up to 375 lbs.

Is this a paid review?

We were not paid to write this review of the NordicTrack X16. We are affiliates, and we make commissions with our affiliate links. This doesn’t increase your purchase when you use our links, but it does allow us to keep making reviews. We work with several brands, including NordicTrack. This way, we can test all kinds of ellipticals and other cardio equipment to better recommend products.

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