We are talking about 40mm of lift for an xtrail. Any higher and the cv shafts will need modification. Also, the whole reason for adding height is that it allows for larger tyres to be fitted which in turn provide higher levels of grip.

Here in aus, many owners have raised there xtrails with no issues. Our cars arent race cars, no one expects to go around a corner with any speed but you can imagine, with much wider gripping tyre it wouldnt be any easier.

I agree, as long as you're not expecting sports car handling, I wouldn't expect to have a problem. I'd probably worry about a high speed swerve on tarmac though (e.g. an animal in the road or something) though. The Electronic Stability Control software will be optimised to expect a particular level of grip, spring stiffness, roll stiffness, C of G height etc. I assume Nissan will have tested with quite a safety margin in mind (e.g. fully-laden, grippiest tyres, full roof rack load), so maybe it would be OK, but I'd still be slightly nervous. I don't suppose the tyre width would improve things - more grip might make things slightly worse, if anything. I don't know this for a fact, I'd just be nervous of it. I've had dealings with ESC on modified vehicles before (not 4x4s) and it's quite difficult to modify things without upsetting it!

Quite. If you *need* to lift an Xtrail for a particular use case... then you've probably selected the wrong vehicle in the first place.

Aitch

Well tell that to the many Xtrail owners who have already raised their vehicles. I like the xtrails ability as a hybrid. I can do good mileage driving on the open highway but use it for light offroad use. Fitting larger tyres to any SUV is pretty normal and is something Nissan has infact done to its own line up of xtrails with tyre upsizing for the latest series 3 and 4 here in Aus having 225/60/17 which is a small lift in itself. A small lift makes it easier to drive on tracks that have some gutters or when driving in sand on beaches.

Not a lift that I would attempt but looks pretty mean ---->

went to breathe fresh air with couple of guys.
Kept up with bigger trucks all the way. Broke my rear bumper of course.

Pedders lift + 235/65 tires
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hRpeuaX-dM#t=20

Looks like you had a fun day out

Im intending on doing some of that myself when I finish the upgrades this week.

Lift kits can be bought from peddlers uk and underbody protection from sgs4x4.com at a reasonable price

Here is my lift after 3 months with Pedders kit. Tires are 235/65 R17
Ground clearance from lowest point is about 25cm

Some powerslide fun...

Is it just me that doesn't look at the X-Trail as a 4x4 / off roader but rather a large car with selectable 4 wheel drive to help you in certain situations?

I have had a MK1 Pajero, Series 3 Landy and a Suziki Jimny and all of those vehicles I would consider a capable off road equipped 4x4 in stock form if you add tyres to suit.

To each their own but over the years, if I have learned anything, it is that something stock being used as it was designed is a far better option than modifying something to do something it wasn't designed to do. It's a lot cheaper and a lot more fun!

I think that X-trail fills the gap between urban SUV and serious 4x4 (like LandCruiser). It can do 99% the same things that LC but axles will not stand punishing like live axles(eg. hit by rock).
I've taken it to mudding several times and depends on size of my balls, it'll go the same places as Cherokees and Patrols, if there are no hard obstacles on the way.
So yeah. It's a small 4x4 meeting 99,9% of needs for 4x4.