Nissan X-Trail T31 (2007–2013)

What changed from the T30

The T31 is bigger and more practical than the first X-Trail, yet looks like a close relative. The upright, square-cut body stayed; most of the changes are underneath and inside.

The car moved from the FF-S platform of the T30 to the Renault–Nissan C platform, the same base as the Qashqai. It grew to about 4.63 m long, roughly 175 mm more than the European T30, and boot space rose to 603 L with the rear seats up. The biggest change for European buyers was under the bonnet. The 2.2 diesel of the first generation gave way to the 2.0 dCi developed with Renault, offered in two outputs and, in the 150 PS version, with a six-speed automatic.

The four-wheel-drive system also evolved. The T30 introduced ALL MODE 4x4 with AUTO, 2WD and LOCK settings; the T31's ALL MODE 4x4-i kept that logic and added yaw control, hill-descent control and hill-start assist. The T31 was not sold in the United States or Canada, where Nissan offered the Rogue instead.

For the bigger picture, the overview of all X-Trail generations compares the T31 with the T30 before it and the T32 and T33 that followed.

Design, platform and interior

The T31 is a conventional five-seat SUV with a high roofline, near-vertical tailgate and plenty of glass. Under the skin it shares its C platform with the Nissan Qashqai, which made the X-Trail the more rugged, more spacious of the two crossovers.

Practical touches were a strong point at launch. UK road tests noted a drawer under a washable, removable upper boot floor, a 40/20/40 split rear seat and a ski hatch. Moving the high-level brake light above the rear window allowed privacy glass on the tailgate as well. Higher trims had a panoramic sunroof, keyless entry and heated, power-adjusted front seats.

The 2010 facelift was mild: small exterior changes and redesigned front seats that freed up more legroom for rear passengers. In the UK, the launch trims Trek, Sport and Aventura were replaced in 2009 by Acenta and Tekna. A later N-Tec+ version added Around View Monitor, which shows a 360-degree view of the car on the centre display.

Engines and drivetrains

European T31s used one diesel family and two petrol engines. Spec databases list most European versions with four-wheel drive. The table gives outputs in kW first, with the metric PS figure the sources quote.

Performance figures are taken from published spec data. The 2.0 dCi 150 with the automatic is quoted at 12.5 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, a top speed of 181 km/h (112 mph) and 8.1 L/100 km (29 mpg US) on the NEDC combined cycle. The 173 PS manual is the quickest European version: 10.0 seconds, 200 km/h (124 mph), 7.4 L/100 km (31.8 mpg US) and 198 g/km of CO2. The 2.5 petrol with CVT needs about 9.3 L/100 km (25.3 mpg US).

ALL MODE 4x4-i is a part-time system. The driver chooses between front-wheel drive, an automatic mode that sends up to half of the drive to the rear axle when the front wheels slip, and a lock mode for low-speed work on loose surfaces. Japan's market received the 2.0 diesel in September 2008 as the 20GT, the first diesel X-Trail sold there.

Dimensions and capacities

The table shows a European 2.0 dCi 4x4 from the pre-facelift period. Sources differ slightly on the exact length; figures of 4,630 and 4,640 mm are both quoted.

Towing limits depend on the engine. The 2.0 dCi is quoted at 2,000 kg (4,409 lb) braked, while the 2.5 petrol with CVT is listed at 1,350 kg (2,976 lb). Check the figure for the exact car before buying a caravan or horsebox to match.

Safety: Euro NCAP 2007

Euro NCAP rated the T31 four stars in late 2007, testing a left-hand-drive 2.0 dCi. The car scored 30 points for adult occupant protection, 43 points for child occupant protection and 12 points for pedestrian protection, which equalled two stars out of four on that scale.

The child score was the headline. At 43 points it was the highest child-occupant result Euro NCAP had recorded up to then. The adult score was held back by the frontal impact, where the car lost points for the front passenger's legs and the driver's neck.

Ratings from 2007 cannot be compared directly with today's five-star results, because the test programme has added new crashes and active-safety checks since then.

Reliability and known issues

UK buying guides describe the T31 as generally dependable and better than the first-generation X-Trail. The common warning concerns the diesel particulate filter (DPF).

• DPF clogging on 2.0 dCi cars that do mostly short trips, which can be costly to fix.
• Wear on early cars used for towing or real off-road work: check the 4x4 system, suspension and underbody.
• On any high-mileage diesel, look for a full service history and evidence of regular motorway driving.

No large independent survey gives the T31 a reliability score, so these points come from buying guides rather than failure statistics.