Nissan X-Trail for towing and offroading - thoughts?

Thanks for the tips - I also was considering an older Patrol, but the wife is keen on a newer X-Trail.

What caravan do you tow and what is the ATM / towball weight?

17ft Coromal, the toe ball weight is about 110/120kg at most and I have a manual 5 speed. Only used 5th gear on a good straight run with no head wind or when we had a tail wind. Pulled the van really well up through the Great Ocean Rd, Alpine Country and Adelaide Hills. Took our time but mindfull of other road users.

My Forester manual has low range but couldn't be called a proper 4x4.

...

That aside the X-trail can do some off road. Prob the Suzuki Grand Vitara is better acc to the published tests.

But serious tow vehicles?

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I'm really struggling with the choice of tow vehicle. On the one hand, I'd like to go to Fraser Island and Rainbow Beach. I have been to the Fraser coast twice without a suitable vehicle and have been turned off by the cost of the tours once you factor in the cost for a family of 4. I've also found that everytime we leave NSW, we find dirt tracks all over the place and end up not going as we currently have a Subaru Liberty. On the other hand, my wife isn't keen on a Patrol-sized vehicle for day to day stuff.

Thanks, this is really good info! What sort of places are we talking about where the underbody of a soft roader is likely to drag?

Basically on sand, any of the inland tracks and quite often the cuttings onto the beach. Dragging isn't a big problem unless the centre is packed and you loose traction.

I have scraped the belly on basic forestry and national parks tracks here around Brisbane as well. It never stopped me however, it made the day less enjoyable and I chose not go some places that I am happy to do now.

Thinking about it a bit more, I guess what I have found is that the tracks are set up for the bigger 4wd's not by design but because that is what usually traverses them so that is what the ruts and water drain humps etc. fit.

The only other issue I can see is recovery points. Some people are pedantic about using only after market "Rated" recovery points to snatch/winch off. These sorts of accessories are generally not available for the soft roaders so you might find some people are reluctant to help. Also most 4wd clubs require rated recovery points to participate in club activities.

You will feel a bit left out too... in the Rav I stuck out like a sore thumb. I was always the only soft roader anywhere I went, and felt like people were thinking... what are you doing in that thing in here, your gonna get stuck and expect us to help arn't you.

Just think about what your use is going to be... carefully. If your thinking about doing some 4wding, maybe see if a 4wd club will let you tag along in a rental 4wd or something to see if its what you really want to do.

Don't forget running cost... the big 4wd cost more to keep... Your paying every week for fuel to move a 2 ton light truck... Tyres, $300+ each on modern 4wd's with 17inch wheels. Everything is more heavy duty so more expensive to work on and get parts for.

This is the trade off.

BTW, My brother has a x-trail, it does everything he asks of it, no problems. He also took a forester all over fraser without any issues.