Nissan

Which year Nissan X Trail is most reliable?

Based on 136,375 vehicles (2001–2021) and millions of DVLA MOT records.

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Not just "newer is more reliable"
These rankings compare each year at the same mileage point — a 2003 X Trail at 80,000 miles is judged against a 2014 X Trail at 80,000 miles, not its full lifetime average. Verdicts are also relative to this model's own average, not a universal scale. That's the difference between "old cars wear out" and "this year is genuinely more or less reliable."
Years to look for
2016–2021
Above-average pass rate — these years consistently do better than other X Trails
Below model average
2001, 2003
Lower pass rate than other X Trails — worth checking the MOT history before buying
See common failures for 2001 →
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Dataset
136,375
vehicles · 2001–2021 · millions of MOT records
CarHunch sweet spot — 2011–2018
These years hit the reliability-to-value sweet spot: a 78.1–88.2% pass rate, well above this model's median, but old enough to have depreciated significantly from peak price. If budget matters alongside reliability, start your search here.

Pass rate by year

Year Pass rate Vehicles
2021
91.8%
1,912 Recommended
2020
90.9%
4,570 Recommended
2019
89.0%
5,553 Recommended
2018
88.2%
8,831 Recommended
2017
86.7%
17,573 Recommended
2016
84.0%
15,362 Recommended
2015
82.3%
8,693
2014
81.9%
4,085
2013
81.6%
1,633
2012
80.3%
1,743
2011
78.1%
2,198
2010
75.6%
1,553
2009
74.9%
2,498
2008
74.1%
4,369
2007
74.2%
6,914
2006
73.8%
9,838
2005
74.7%
12,085
2004
74.5%
11,283
2003
73.0%
9,078 Below avg
2002
73.8%
5,531
2001
72.2%
1,073 Below avg

Click any year to see full MOT history, common faults and comparisons for those cars. Verdicts are relative to this model's own average — a good Land Rover year is judged differently from a good Toyota year.

How each year holds up at higher mileage

Each line is a different model year. The mileage ranges are divided into 5 equal groups based on how this model is actually driven in the real world — so you're comparing like-for-like, not arbitrary round numbers.

Only years with enough data across at least 3 mileage ranges are shown. Newer years appear in blue; older years in amber.

How is this measured?

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What "pass rate" means

The percentage of all MOT tests that resulted in a pass — counted across a car's whole life, not just its first test. Higher means fewer failures over time.

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Mileage groups built from real data

We split this model's real-world mileage history into 5 equal groups — so each slice contains the same number of cars, not an arbitrary round number like "0–30,000 miles."

Does age still matter?

Yes. A low-mileage 20-year-old car has still had 20 years of weather, perishing rubber, and ageing electrics. Comparing at the same mileage narrows the gap between old and new — but doesn't erase it entirely.

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Why this beats surveys

Our figures come from the DVLA's national MOT database — over 50 million real test results from accredited garages, with no opinions involved. Most reliability guides are based on owner surveys with a few hundred responses per model.

What next?
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