Skip advert
Advertisement

Nissan X-Trail (2013-2022) review - Practicality, comfort and boot space

Impressive interior space, seven seats and a decent boot make the X-Trail a very strong all-rounder.

Practicality, comfort and boot space rating

4.4

How we review cars
RRP
£35,535 £49,685
Avg. savings
£7,447 off RRP*
Find your Nissan X-Trail
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

On first impressions, the X-Trail makes a great case for itself as a family car. It has decent cabin space and Nissan has effectively consolidated its crossover line-up by offering the X-Trail as a substitute for the old seven-seat Qashqai+2.

However, if you do want that third row of seats, the X-Trail only offers them as a £1,000 option, even on the most expensive model. We’d prefer it if the extra chairs were included as standard at the top of the range, and we'd recommend seriously thinking about whether you'll actually use the seats enough to justify the extra outlay. 

Still, the standard five-seat X-Trail offers lots of appealing practical touches, with unusually wide-opening doors, plenty of storage space, including a compartment with a lid between the seats and a useful glovebox. Then, there’s that generous rear load area.

Size 

The X-Trail is one of the larger cars in the medium-sized SUV class. Its 4,690mm length is the same as the Hyundai Santa Fe, while the Ford Kuga is shorter at 4,626mm. It’s slightly narrower than both at 1,820mm versus 1,882mm (Kuga) and 1,880mm (Santa Fe). The X-Trail is tallest of the three at 1,710mm, but there’s not a lot to split them. 

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

X-Trail

2024 Nissan

X-Trail

21,220 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £22,400
View X-Trail
X-Trail

2015 Nissan

X-Trail

49,830 milesManualDiesel1.6L

Cash £10,999
View X-Trail
X-Trail

2021 Nissan

X-Trail

22,408 milesAutomaticPetrol1.3L

Cash £19,899
View X-Trail
X-Trail

2019 Nissan

X-Trail

29,195 milesManualDiesel1.8L

Cash £14,099
View X-Trail

However, thanks to its updated platform co-developed with Renault which features a 76mm wheelbase stretch versus the last version, the X-Trail offers decent space in the cabin. 

Leg room, head room & passenger space

The X-Trail has good cabin space, including decent legroom. The rows of seating are arranged in a tiered theatre-style system, where every row sits a little higher than the one in front, so the rearmost seats don't feel as claustrophobic as they could. This doesn’t come at the expense of headroom, though, as there’s plenty of space in the back seats.

The rear doors open outward to almost 80 degrees, aiding access for passengers and for fixing child seats. The optional third row comprises a pair of flat-folding seats, but they are only big enough for children – despite the fact that the middle row slides fore and aft to make more space for the extra passengers or for luggage. There are a trio of seatbelts in the second row, and the outer seats have ISOFIX child seat mounts.

Boot

With all seven seats in place the Nissan offers 445 litres of space, while in five-seat form there's 565 litres. Fold both the middle and third rows and you benefit from a huge 1,996-litres. But, while the load space is good, it’s still slightly smaller than the Peugeot 5008 and Skoda Kodiaq can offer.

The X-Trail has some very neat practical touches, like a boot floor that moves up and down to create horizontally-separated loading areas – in fact, Nissan claims the versatile X-Trail has 18 different configurations for the load area.

Towing

The Nissan X-Trail has different towing capacities depending on which engine and transmission combo you choose, starting at 1,500kg and rising all the way to 2,000kg. Drivers looking for the maximum pulling potential will have to settle for a manual diesel.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    1.5 MHEV 163 Acenta Premium 5dr Xtronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £35,535
Select car

Most Economical

  • Name
    1.5 E-Power 204 Acenta Premium 5dr Xtronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £37,540
Select car

Fastest

  • Name
    1.5 E-Power E-4orce 213 Acenta Premium 5dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £39,790
Select car

New & used car deals

Nissan X-Trail

Nissan X-Trail

RRP £36,225Avg. savings £7,447 off RRP*Used from £22,000
KIA Sorento

KIA Sorento

RRP £41,375Avg. savings £3,765 off RRP*Used from £24,700
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,065Avg. savings £2,792 off RRP*Used from £11,995
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,019 off RRP*Used from £11,895
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Range Rover Sport SV gets massive £35k price drop as it enters series-production
Range Rover Sport SV Black - front

Range Rover Sport SV gets massive £35k price drop as it enters series-production

There’s also a new SV Black trim, and a Range Rover Sport Stealth Package for non SVs
News
1 Jul 2025
Arrivederci Roma: new Ferrari Amalfi slots in as brand’s latest entry-level model
Ferrari Amalfi - front static

Arrivederci Roma: new Ferrari Amalfi slots in as brand’s latest entry-level model

A slick new look and more power are the headlines for Ferrari’s new baby, but it’s probably some simple new buttons that will get customers’ attention
News
1 Jul 2025
Geely is coming to the UK, and its assault will start with EX5 SUV
Geely EX5 - front

Geely is coming to the UK, and its assault will start with EX5 SUV

Geely has looked to Lotus to ensure it's new electric SUV lives up to our driving expectations
News
2 Jul 2025