Used Nissan X-Trail 2007 - 2014 review

For the second-generation Nissan X-Trail, the Japanese company took an evolutionary approach to the styling. If you just take a passing glance, you could easily mistake it for the original model, introduced in 2001. The trick in telling them apart is that there’s a kink in the rear pillar of the 2007 model, plus it’s a bigger, taller and more slab-sided car.

The interior was an improvement on the old X-Trail, with higher quality materials. There are still some cheap feeling plastics in there, but they’re not as prevalent as they were in the 2001 X-Trail. Refinement and overall comfort are significantly better, too, but rear seat space is actually worse; head room is fine, but leg room is strangely limited.

There are no such problems in the boot, which was the biggest in the class at the time the car was launched. The load compartment is also covered in a rugged, wipe-clean material, so those with muddy weekend hobbies won't have to worry about dirtying carpet.

The X-Trail came with a choice of two 2.0-litre dCi diesel engines (with 147bhp or 170bhp), while the original 2.0-litre petrol option was dropped in pretty short order for a 2.5-litre unit.

Most X-Trails came with a useful ‘All-Mode’ four-wheel drive system (two-wheel drive was available as well) and it’s a good car to drive, with chassis balance and steering response that were genuinely impressive for an SUV in 2007.

The Nissan X-Trail is a car that is still in quite high demand, and that’s in spite of it having been replaced by a far more upmarket model. The huge boot and rugged four-wheel drive system seem to be keeping it well and truly on buyers’ radars. Consequently, you’ll need to budget at least £4500 for even the oldest 147bhp X-Trail from late 2007.

A 2011 Acenta model with the 170bhp engine and a full service history will set you back in the region of £7000, while a last-gasp 2012 X-Trail, in top-spec Tekna trim, requires a budget of £11,000.

The X-Trail is not a cheap car to run. In spite of being fractionally lighter than the previous model, the basic 2.0-litre 147bhp diesel engine has very high emissions (190g/km) and quite poor fuel economy of just 39mpg in official tests.

The 170bhp version is much better, with emissions of 168g/km and average economy of 44mpg, but the downside is that it can be had with a manual gearbox only.

For those wanting an automatic box, it actually improves the 147bhp engine’s performance slightly, shaves 2g/km from the CO2 emissions figure and adds 1mpg to the fuel economy.

Unless you’re a total diesel-phobe, it’s not worth going for the 2.5 petrol; fuel economy of 29mpg and 230g/km emissions mean it’s just too expensive to run.

The Nissan X-Trail was quite a sophisticated car for its day, with options including a bird's-eye view parking camera, a relatively affordable sat-nav system, a panoramic glass roof and the All-Mode four-wheel drive set-up, which gives the X-Trail really quite serious off-road abilities.

All models came with anti-lock brakes, electric windows and door mirrors, Isofix child seat mounts, and climate control. Top-spec Tekna models also feature a CD multi-changer, cruise control, front fog lights, leather trim, parking sensors and sat-nav.

There’s not a huge difference in performance between the two diesel options, but while the 147bhp version would generally be cheaper to buy – and it’s the only variant available with an automatic gearbox – the 170bhp X-Trail is the one to go for. Not only is it more powerful, but because the X-Trail has a hefty body to haul around it’s actually more frugal in real terms.

Our favourite used Nissan X-Trail: 2.0 dCi 170bhp Tekna

The third-generation Honda CR-V, launched in the same year as this version of the X-Trail, is a very close competitor. It has a slightly smaller boot, but hits back with roomier rear seats and a classier interior. The Honda's 2.2-litre i-DTEC diesel engine is a little worse off for emissions, but the CR-V is a good quality car that is comfortable and enjoyable to drive.

Land Rover’s second-generation Freelander went on sale the year before the X-Trail and remains a class act to this day. Handsome, very capable both on-road and off, and with far better reliability than the original Freelander, it’s a serious rival for the X-Trail.

The ever-popular Toyota RAV4 matches the X-Trail in terms of reliability and ruggedness, but by the time this X-Trail came out, the RAV4 had fallen behind in terms of overall sophistication and creature comforts, something not rectified until the 2012 replacement. It’s also a little smaller than the Nissan X-Trail, with an awkward side-hinged cargo door instead of a proper tailgate.

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