X-Trail T33 inspection checklist

Look for: Some owners report the car pulling toward one side or wandering, a potential safety concern; usually alignment, tyre or a suspension/steering setup issue rather than a structural fault.

Look for: Like all new cars the T33 has been subject to safety recalls/service campaigns through the model run (Australian Product Safety / Nissan). Unrectified recalls are a real risk on used examples.

Look for: Nissan's Jatco-built Xtronic CVT is the headline durability concern. Owners report shudder/judder on light throttle, a rising whine, hesitation or jerky take-up, and there are owner reports of outright CVT failure (one documented at around 119,000km). Neglected fluid and city/towing use accelerate wear; Nissan CVTs have a long, well-publicised litigation and failure history.

Look for: Multiple owners report intermittent 'e-Power' system warnings, loss of lights/dash, cruise/sensor dropouts and in some cases the car derating or stopping and needing a tow. The series-hybrid stack (inverter, generator, motors, control software) is complex and dealers have at times struggled to diagnose it, with extended repair waits reported.

Look for: Owners report repeated flat 12V batteries and electrical glitches; like many modern hybrids the e-Power relies on a 12V system for wake/start logic, and a tired or undersized 12V battery triggers cascading faults and no-start events.

Look for: The 2.1kWh lithium drive battery and the twin motors/inverter are the long-term cost risk on an ageing e-Power. The battery is small and worked hard (constantly charged/discharged), and out-of-warranty replacement of battery or motor/inverter components is expensive. Long-term durability data is still limited given the model's age.