Nissan X-Trail

At a glance: segment, names and where it is built

The X-Trail is Nissan's compact SUV, positioned above the Qashqai and well below the much larger Nissan Patrol. In some markets the line-up also includes the smaller Nissan Kicks, which sits under the Qashqai.

Since the T32, the same car has been sold in North America as the Nissan Rogue; the T31 was not offered in the US or Canada. Counting both names, Nissan reported more than 8.1 million X-Trail and Rogue sales by June 2025, and the T33 is sold in 95 countries.

European cars come from Japan: in 2019 Nissan Europe confirmed that the X-Trail for Europe would be built at its Kyushu plant. The model's quarter-century is a recent chapter in the history of Nissan, and the full Nissan range shows its place among the brand's other models.

Four generations at a glance

Nissan counts four X-Trail generations, identified by the chassis codes T30, T31, T32 and T33. Some spec databases list nine or more "generations", but they treat facelifts and a van version as separate entries.

T30 (2000–2007)

The first X-Trail went on sale in Japan in November 2000, using the FF-S platform of the Primera and Almera. The T30 introduced Nissan's ALL MODE 4x4 system with AUTO, 2WD and LOCK settings; LOCK fixed the torque split at 57:43. In Europe the main engine was the 2.2 diesel, upgraded from 84 kW (114 PS) to the 2.2 dCi with 100 kW (136 PS) at the June 2003 facelift. Japan also had an X-Trail GT with the SR20VET 2.0 turbo, rated at 206 kW (280 PS).

T31 (2007–2013)

The second generation moved to the larger C platform and to ALL MODE 4x4-i, which added yaw control, hill-descent control and hill-start assist. Its key European engine was the 2.0 dCi (M9R), developed jointly with Renault, from 110 kW (150 PS), alongside MR20DE and QR25DE petrol units.

T32 (2013–2022)

The T32 moved the model towards a road-focused crossover. It sits on the CMF-C/D platform shared with the Qashqai, gained an optional third row and reached European showrooms in July 2014. Launch engines were the 1.6 dCi with 96 kW (130 PS) and the 1.6 DIG-T with 120 kW (163 PS), with a CVT (Xtronic) or 6-speed manual. A facelift came in 2017, and ProPILOT driver assistance arrived with a later update. The T32 hybrid was a Japan-led model, not sold in Europe.

T33 (2020–present)

The fourth generation appeared first as the 2020 Rogue in North America, was revealed as the X-Trail in China on 19 April 2021, went on sale in Japan in 2022 and made its European debut in September 2022. Diesel was dropped. A facelift for Japan followed in August 2025.

Engines, transmissions and performance

Every European T33 is petrol-based and electrified, with three drivetrains: a 1.5 VC-Turbo three-cylinder mild hybrid, e-POWER with front-wheel drive, and e-POWER e-4ORCE with all-wheel drive.

e-POWER is often mistaken for a conventional hybrid. It is not. Its 1.5 VC-Turbo petrol engine works only as a generator, and the wheels are driven by electric motors, so the engine has no mechanical link to the road. e-4ORCE adds a second motor, giving dual-motor electric all-wheel drive. The mild hybrid is the simpler option: 120 kW (163 PS) and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) through a CVT, with front-wheel drive only.

Performance figures usually quoted for the T33 are 0–100 km/h in 8.0 seconds for the e-POWER, with 330 Nm (243 lb-ft), and 7.0 seconds for the e-4ORCE, which has 525 Nm (387 lb-ft) in total. Older diesels are slower: the T32 1.6 dCi CVT is listed at 11.4 seconds and the T30 2.2 dCi 4x4 at 11.5 seconds.

Dimensions, interior and boot capacity

The X-Trail has grown from about 4.46 m on the T30 to roughly 4.64–4.68 m on the last two generations, and the T32 and T33 share a 2,705 mm (106.5 in) wheelbase. The T31 length differs between sources, so that row is approximate.

With the rear seats folded, the five-seat T32 offers up to 1,982 L (70.0 cu ft). The seven-seat T32 leaves only 135 L (4.8 cu ft) behind the third row, so the extra seats suit occasional use.

T33 key specifications (e-POWER e-4ORCE)

Fuel economy by generation

The T33 e-POWER e-4ORCE is listed at 6.2 L/100 km (37.9 mpg US) on the WLTP combined cycle, and e-POWER versions start from 132 g/km of CO2. Older X-Trails were rated on the NEDC cycle, whose figures are lower than WLTP, so the two are not directly comparable.

Typical NEDC-era combined figures:

• T30 2.2 dCi 4x4: 7.6 L/100 km (30.9 mpg US).
• T31 2.0 dCi 4x4 automatic: 8.1 L/100 km (29.0 mpg US).
• T32 1.6 dCi CVT: 5.1–5.3 L/100 km (44.4–46.1 mpg US).

Safety ratings: Euro NCAP by generation

Euro NCAP has tested every X-Trail generation, rising from four stars for the T30 and T31 to five stars for the T32 in 2014 and the T33 in 2022. Protocols tighten over time, so stars only make sense with the test year.

For the T32, Euro NCAP awarded five stars in 2014, and Nissan noted maximum points in the bumper and leg-impact tests. The T33 result, published in November 2022, applies to the e-POWER version.

Reliability and known issues by generation

No large independent survey ranks the four generations, so the practical guide is the pattern of faults reported by UK buying guides and parts specialists.

• T30: the 2.2 diesel is linked with turbo failures and timing-chain problems.
• T31: diesel particulate filter (DPF) clogging, typically on cars used for short journeys.
• T32: DPF clogging again, plus warped brake discs, clutch failures and camshaft sensor faults; the CVT draws more criticism for how it drives than for breakdowns.
• T33: too new for long-term data; e-POWER is more complex than a plain petrol engine, which could raise repair costs later.

Rivals

The X-Trail is most often compared with the Toyota RAV4, Mitsubishi Outlander, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester and Škoda Kodiaq. Buyers also weigh it against Nissan's smaller Qashqai, which shares its underpinnings. In that company, the T33's main talking point is e-POWER, in which the petrol engine does not drive the wheels at all.