# X-Trail 2.5L fuel consumption



## milou500 (May 5, 2005)

I am a new member of this forum and I hope somebody can help me to find where my problem is: It is not a big problem. I like my new (7200 km) X-Trail and we are dedicated to Nissan products as my wife has an Altilma 2.5 2003. Both vehicles are equipped with the QR25DE engine but gas consumptions are drastically different. For comparison purposes, we have made the same measurements several times on the same road (hwy 40 between Quebec City and Montreal) at 110 km/h on cruise. Invariably, the Altima does 7l/100km while I can't get much less than 10L/100km. I agree that drag coefficient of the X-trail is probably higher but not enough to explain this 40% difference.
The Transport Canada figures for the Altima is 7.1 and 8.3 for the X-Trail. I accept that the X-Trail will consume more gas because of inherent design characteristics including weight, drag, etc... But why, the same engine perfoms so differently in both of our vehicles? I found on various forums that the X-Trails range from 8 to 11 l/100km on hwy and found some people happy but other disapointed. Has anyone an answer on this?


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## chansen (Feb 7, 2005)

You may want to let it break in a little longer before comparing the two, but the drag coefficient may be enough to explain an extra 2L/100km. The squared-off tail of the X-Trail has got to hurt consumption pretty badly at 110km/h. I know we don't notice a huge difference between highway and city consumption with ours. It's only about 0.5 L/100km better on the highway.


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## milou500 (May 5, 2005)

chansen said:


> You may want to let it break in a little longer before comparing the two, but the drag coefficient may be enough to explain an extra 2L/100km. The squared-off tail of the X-Trail has got to hurt consumption pretty badly at 110km/h. I know we don't notice a huge difference between highway and city consumption with ours. It's only about 0.5 L/100km better on the highway.


Thanks for your comment. It is true that when we refer to drag we think of drag generated by the front of a vehicle. But as you said, the shape of the back of the vehicle is as important. And that's where the big difference lies between an X-Trail and an Altima. 

The dealer said that I would have to wait a bit more to allow the ECU to "recognize the right settings applicable to my driving habits". This statement leaves me perplex...

I would say that other than that, I am very satisfied with this vehicle especially in heavy snow conditions that we have unfortunaly frequently up here.

By the way, how much l/100km do you get on the hwy?


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## chansen (Feb 7, 2005)

We're getting 9.5 on the highway, and 10 in the city. But it only has 5700km on the odometer. First oil change is due next week. Going synthetic.


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## mfreedman (Jun 13, 2004)

chansen said:


> We're getting 9.5 on the highway, and 10 in the city. But it only has 5700km on the odometer. First oil change is due next week. Going synthetic.


Best mileage I've had is 9.5/100 - my X has 18K KM on it now. Don't expect much improvement no matter how 'broken in' it gets.


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## chansen (Feb 7, 2005)

Hey, it's still an SUV, even a small SUV, under 10 L/100km. Not too shabby.

Check out the consumption of a Jeep Liberty?


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## XTrail1 (Feb 24, 2005)

I have achieved 35.23mpg with mine under well behaved conditions. On average I get 30-32mpg and I'm very happy with that.


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## milou500 (May 5, 2005)

Thanks to all of you for these comments. I am getting more ans more convinced that I will never get much better than 9-9.5 L/100km. When mfreedman gets the sync lube in his X, it would be interesting to know the impact on FC.

But I really like tis vehicle so it does not really matter that much. Thanks


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## Bror Jace (Apr 26, 2003)

I think it's a combination of things:

1) Break-in. My QR25DE perked up quite a bit when I hit the 1 year mark. At that time I changed the oil, the air filter and gas mileage went up about 5-6%. 

2) Drag. This has been discussed.

3) Weight. Greater weight adds load to the engine. Depending on the electronic engine management, the engine may richen its mixture when sensing load. A richer mixture will lessen fuel economy considerably.

I like to drive my SpecV on back roads in 6th gear at around 50mph ... not too bad for roads posted at 40-45mph. However, I think the greater load on the motor (this is the minimum recommended speed for this top gear) offsets the fact I am turning fewer RPMs and my fuel economy doesn't increase under these circumstances. 

At my height (summer of 2004) I got about 31mpg with my SpecV in mixed driving. Currently, I drive a LOT more shorter trips and I only get about 27-28mpg.


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## notaire (Aug 10, 2004)

I average 10l/km for both city and highway. Don't expect much better than that with the boxy shape of the X-T. By the way, I think it's pretty good for a small SUV. Only the CR-V and the RAV4 can do better.


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## XTrail1 (Feb 24, 2005)

notaire said:


> I average 10l/km for both city and highway. Don't expect much better than that with the boxy shape of the X-T. By the way, I think it's pretty good for a small SUV. Only the CR-V and the RAV4 can do better.


And I hear they don't! The Tucson is even worst.


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## mfreedman (Jun 13, 2004)

XTrail1 said:


> And I hear they don't! The Tucson is even worst.


Does going to synthetic oil make that much difference ? Why ?


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## Oreo (Nov 5, 2004)

Hi Everyone,

As I posted before I was getting 29 to 29.5 mpg (imp. gals) with winter tires. The same tires I had on my 03 Maxima and was getting 26-27mpg with it. I have since put my all season back on and have not noticed any difference in the fuel consumptions. Although, the tires that came with my Xtrail are the Bridgestones with the aggressive tread. I currently have 24000km on my Xtrail and as soon as these tires wear out I will purchase a good highway tire to save fuel. I was hoping to get the Dunlop tires on my Xtrail when in came in last fall, but oh well.

Greg


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## XTrail1 (Feb 24, 2005)

mfreedman said:


> Does going to synthetic oil make that much difference ? Why ?


I would say only in the winter but not likely in the summer. Syn will make for easier starts and more protection in the first few minutes of running. During the summer you will get added protection against thermal breakdown.


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## Bror Jace (Apr 26, 2003)

*mfreedman*: _"Does going to synthetic oil make that much difference ? Why ?"_

Some. An oil can make a difference by being thinner (Mobil 1 tends to be on the thin side for each weight) and this produces less drag on the motor. It doesn't add horsepower and economy, really, just frees up some.

It also can be "slipperier" because of a better additive package which produces a fluid with a lower coefficient of friction ... but some of the better conventional oils and synthetic blends can equal the best synthetics.

In short, don't expect a significant, or even noticeable difference unless you maintain _meticulous_ records of your fuel economy ... every tankful.


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## Wamou (Apr 26, 2012)

Hi there I recently bought a Nissan X-trail 2005 2.5l automatic and get an excessive fuel consumption (15l/100km 70% city 30% highway) and I don't have a heavy foot ! 
I changed spark plug, clean injectors and changed air filter...
I know that is aa SUV an I will never get a 7l/100km but 15 is really high !
Do you have some things to do to improve this ?

Thank you !


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## Wamou (Apr 26, 2012)

Is there anybody here ?


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## jande9 (Aug 4, 2012)

Hi, I just bought a 2006 and I am getting about 11.5 l/100k in pure city driving, including some air con use.

15l/100k is pretty low. My old Quest with a 3.6 V8 got that.

I supposed you checked the obvious, plugs, tire pressure, filters, driving style, computer read outs etc.

The only other thing I can suggest is feeling the wheels after a long run. Sometimes the brakes can drag and affect mileage and they will be hot after riding for a while.


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## Calculus (Feb 12, 2012)

You should be around 11L/100km.

I have a 2006 xtrail with 133000 km on it.

Serge


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## PLNCRZY (Mar 8, 2004)

If you notice... watch the RPMs at 105km/h VS 110km/h ... you will se a HUGE difference... (at least in my xtrail) ... My xtrail does not like going faster than 105km/h .. Any faster and it slips out of overdrive... so I get about 8.5lt/100km at 104km/h. I get 9.5lt/100km combined city/hwy driving.

Makes a HUGE difference with good clean oil, air filter and make sure spark plugs are changed as per schedule.


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## salimsaid (Jun 5, 2017)

Wamou said:


> Hi there I recently bought a Nissan X-trail 2005 2.5l automatic and get an excessive fuel consumption (15l/100km 70% city 30% highway) and I don't have a heavy foot !
> I changed spark plug, clean injectors and changed air filter...
> I know that is aa SUV an I will never get a 7l/100km but 15 is really high !
> Do you have some things to do to improve this ?
> ...


Hello Wamou, my xtrail is also doing 14l/100km city driving , did you manage to fix yours ? did it improve on mpg ?


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Salimsaid, for mainly city winter or summer driving with lots of air con useage, 325 to 375 kms per 50 Liters is fairly normal (especially with gas containing ethanol). If its any consolation people with 2018 X trails and Rogues do not get much better real life gas mileage. If the O2 sensors where never changed they have probably gotten lazy and you are using more gas than you should. Problem with that is that it has other bad effects down the road. But as I said right now your mileage is not that off, particularly if you like to accelerate from stop lights and press on the gas. I bet you if you try to be conservative and accelerate slowly and drive using hypermileage techniques you could get up to 425 km out of the same 50 or so liters.


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

Does anyone knows if the ac comes on when the button is on windshield defrost?


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