Two engines, one popular SUV
The MR20DE is a 1,997 cc in-line four with an aluminium block and head and a silent timing chain, introduced in 2005. It powers the X-Trail T31, the first-generation Qashqai, the Sentra and Sylphy, the Serena and, as the Renault M4R, several Renault models. The QR25DE is a 2,488 cc four with an aluminium block, a steel timing chain and balance shafts, in production since 1999 and revised in 2007; it powers the X-Trail T30, T31 and T32, the Altima, the Teana, the Rogue and the Sentra SE-R.
The overlap that matters is the X-Trail T31 of 2007 onward: the same body left the factory with either engine depending on market and trim. That is why an X-Trail order has to name the engine, not just the car.
| MR20DE | QR25DE | |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | 2.0 L in-line four, petrol (1,997 cc, 84 × 90.1 mm) | 2.5 L in-line four, petrol (2,488 cc, 89 × 100 mm) |
| Valvetrain | DOHC 16-valve, silent timing chain, variable valve timing | DOHC 16-valve, steel timing chain, variable valve timing, balance shafts |
| Typical output | About 145–150 hp | About 152–182 hp |
| Years | 2005 onward | 1999 onward (revised 2007) |
| Typical vehicles | X-Trail T31, Qashqai, Sentra, Sylphy, Serena | X-Trail T30/T31/T32, Altima, Teana, Rogue, Sentra SE-R |
| Usual gearbox | CVT (the gearbox we list is a CVT) | CVT or conventional automatic, depending on car and year |
| Published price (per unit, FOB, full container) | US$ 340 | US$ 470 |
| Matching gearbox (mixed configurations only) | US$ 190 — CVT, two-wheel drive only | US$ 250 — two-wheel drive only |
Are the MR20 and QR25 interchangeable?
No. Displacement, block, engine control unit, harness and gearbox calibration are all different, and swapping one for the other in an X-Trail is a conversion rather than a repair. Order the engine the car was built with: the model code on the vehicle plate or the code stamped on the block decides it — the engine identification guide shows both places, with Nissan's own diagrams for the MR20DE and QR25DE.
The same care applies to the smaller Nissans. The HR16DE (1.6) of the Tiida, Note, Juke and Kicks is also in our published catalogue at US$ 300; the 1.5-litre HR15DE of the Sunny and the 1.8 MR18DE of many Tiidas are different engines, supplied on request.
About the CVT
Most MR20DE cars, and many QR25DE cars, left the factory with a CVT. If you add gearboxes to a mixed container, know what you are buying: used gearboxes are sold untested and as-is, because a CVT cannot be judged without driving it under load. The MR20DE gearbox we list is a CVT, and both it and the QR25DE gearbox are two-wheel drive only — they do not fit the AWD X-Trail or Qashqai.
Our check is the same for every engine: cleaning, handling, a manual crankshaft rotation with a tool to confirm the mechanism turns, and photos from every side, delivered to you as an order file — Engine 1, Engine 2 and so on. It is not a compression, leak-down, bench or running test, so it does not prove how an engine will run once installed. You don't need to travel to buy, but you or your representative are welcome to visit for a Guangzhou Inspection Day and review your prepared lot in person, with a USD 1,000 visit deposit credited to your order.
Which markets ask for which
The Gulf, Saudi Arabia and Iraq buy both: the QR25 for the Altima and the larger X-Trails, the MR20 for the Sentra, Sylphy and the 2.0 X-Trail and Qashqai. Egypt and the CIS lanes lean to the MR20 and the smaller HR16. In Kenya the X-Trail T31 2.0 is a common used import, and the MR20 follows it. More on each family is on the Nissan MR20 and HR16 page and the Nissan QR25 page.
What it costs, and how to order
Both are published models: MR20DE US$ 340 and QR25DE US$ 470 per unit, FOB, Grade A only, engines supplied as removed from the vehicle (what is fitted varies by unit and shows in each engine's photos), inside a full container of 90 (20-ft) or 130 (40-ft) engines, or in the mixed configurations of 45 + 45 and 65 + 65 with used gearboxes (US$ 190 for the MR20DE CVT, US$ 250 for the QR25DE — both two-wheel drive only). Build the mix on the quote page; availability of every model is confirmed in the quotation.
Sources
- Nissan MR engine — Wikipedia (specifications, years and applications)
- Nissan QR engine — Wikipedia (specifications, years and applications)
- ENGICOR prices and terms: our own published list, recorded monthly in the used engine price index.
Price a container yourself
Build the mix you want in the online quoter — 90 engines in a 20-ft or 130 in a 40-ft, or 45 + 45 / 65 + 65 with gearboxes — and the FOB total reaches your inbox the same minute, at our published per-unit prices, every engine Grade A. Prefer to ask? Tell us the destination country and the models you need and we reply within one business day, usually within hours.
Frequently asked
What is the difference between the Nissan MR20DE and the QR25DE?
The MR20DE is a 2.0-litre (1,997 cc) four introduced in 2005 for the X-Trail T31, Qashqai, Sentra, Sylphy and Serena; the QR25DE is a 2.5-litre (2,488 cc) four with balance shafts, in production since 1999, for the X-Trail, Altima, Teana and Rogue. Both use a timing chain and an aluminium block.
Can a QR25DE replace an MR20DE in an X-Trail?
Not as a straight replacement — different displacement, ECU, harness and gearbox calibration make it a conversion. Buy the engine the car was built with; the code on the plate or the block decides it.
How much does a used MR20DE cost wholesale?
US$ 340 per unit at ENGICOR, FOB, Grade A only, inside a full container of 90 or 130 engines. The QR25DE is US$ 470. Gearboxes, in the mixed configurations only: MR20DE US$ 190 (CVT), QR25DE US$ 250 — both two-wheel drive only.
Do you sell the MR20DE with its CVT?
Yes — the MR20DE gearbox we list is a CVT, two-wheel drive only, in the mixed configurations (45 engines + 45 gearboxes or 65 + 65). Used gearboxes, CVTs included, are sold untested and as-is (in their current condition).
Is the HR16DE the same as the Sunny engine?
The Sunny sold in the Gulf and Egypt usually has the 1.5-litre HR15DE, a different engine. The HR16DE (1.6) of the Tiida, Note, Juke and Kicks has a published price of US$ 300 per unit; the HR15DE is supplied on request.