Piper

I will echo what Flynn has already said.

Basically, the X trail is a good package ... I've had an Aventura 2.2dci from new since March '06 and it's generally been ok. It's a great motorway cruiser and very nippy, with very good handling. The Aventura's leather interior is very comfy and welcoming, with a well built "feel" to it. Passengers like it and it's got a decent sized and well shaped load area.

Engine juddering does occur, but it's not a major issue. Rattling from the dash in colder weather (passenger airbag hatch, I think) is an irritant, but no more than that and a "sloppy" handbrake is liveable with as long as one remembers it when parking on an incline! All of these issues should be reasonably straightforward to remedy when the car goes into the dealer for ECU tweak.

Which brings me to my major gripe. The attitude of Nissan UK and their local dealer in getting the ECU issue resolved has been lamentable. Poor communication has really dented my faith in Nissan and, worse for them, has knocked my belief in their (otherwise very good) product. However, I should point out that I received even worse customer service from VW when I bought a brand new Polo a few years ago and it borke down 30 mins after I took delivery!

Would I buy an X Trail today, if I was starting from scratch? 0% finance was / is a big attraction, certainly, but in product terms the competition has really "hotted-up" in the last 6 months. Putting the finance issue aside, I'd probably spend my money on the new Hyundai Santa Fe, or wait and take a look at the new Honda CRV. I see that Mazda and VW are about to launch compact 4x4s as well which promise to be strong and competitive packages.

Hope this helps