Nissan Qashqai Review & Prices

The Nissan Qashqai is the platonic ideal of a family SUV - it’s almost become synonymous with the ‘crossover’ class and arguably started the whole craze back in 2007 when Nissan debuted the first model as a replacement for its Almera hatchback.

It’s like a NOW Album - popular, and almost impossible to have a strong opinion on either way. And being good without being outstanding in any particular area seems to have worked for the Qashqai, as it’s one of the best-selling cars in Europe. That’s an especially proud moment for the UK, as the Qashqai’s built in Sunderland - so if you’d like to buy British, this is a good way to do it.

The latest model is a revision of the third-generation Qashqai, launched in 2021. For 2024 Nissan’s given it a new lease of life with a cosmetic nip and tuck. A smarter front bumper and intricate grille blends seamlessly into the new LED daytime running lights. There are new wheels, while round the back, there are new LED taillights, plus Nissan’s introduced a sporty-looking new trim level called N-Design.

Inside, the Qashqai’s been given a lift thanks to a new Google-powered infotainment system, some extra tech, and high-spec models feel plusher thanks to a swathe of Alcantara upholstery across the dashboard.

The facelift doesn’t touch the car's mechanicals, but the visual update does help it to stand out a little more among more boldly-styled Qashqai alternatives such as the Toyota C-HR, Kia Sportage or new Peugeot 3008.

It hasn’t altered practicality, either. The Qashqai’s boot remains a good size at 504 litres, which is about on par with the 510-litre SEAT Ateca or 520-litre Peugeot 3008 - but dwarfed by the new VW Tiguan’s up-to 615 litres of space. Rear seat space, too, is plenty for six-foot adults or bulky child seats, but not the biggest around. 

The new infotainment looks very similar to the old one, using the same crisp 12.3-inch display and the same sort of skin over the interface. But it now has Google services baked-in, including native Google Maps - far superior to the Nissan maps of the old car. You also get the Google Assistant to help with voice commands, as well as downloadable apps from the Play Store.

The engine range is unchanged, so you get the choice between a mild hybrid petrol with two power outputs or Nissan’s clever e-Power full hybrid. This does have a petrol engine but it never drives the wheels - instead, it acts as a generator while the electric motors do the entire job of moving the car. It’s like driving an electric car, though not as quiet or refined as the petrol engine cuts in and out - and you don’t have the capability to plug in or run on electricity for long spells.

Regardless of the engine you choose, the Qashqai is refined, comfortable and pretty much painless to drive. It won’t thrill in the corners, but it won’t stress you out in a traffic jam either. It won’t cost the earth in fuel, but neither does it top the charts. Like the rest of the car, it’s very moderate.

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The Nissan Qashqai offers strong value in the mid-sized SUV category, it undercuts most alternatives in base Acenta+ trim and doesn’t skimp too much on equipment levels to do it. The spacious Skoda Karoq just about matches the Qashqai in entry-level guise, but you’ll want to avoid its lethargic 110bhp engine which means the base price goes up.

Spec the Qashqai to the hilt and the value prospect diminishes somewhat; at more than £40,000 for the e-Power hybrid model in top Tekna+ trim, the Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid is quicker, more frugal and cheaper. It’s best to stick to lower and mid-range trims, where you get plenty of kit and decent performance for your money.

Good visibility, light controls and a comfortable ride mean more in this class than outright performance, and it's certainly not particularly quick

In town

You sit quite high up in the Qashqai and there’s plenty of adjustment in the driver’s seat and steering column, so it’s really easy to find a comfortable driving position.

It’s not a small vehicle, but standard rear parking sensors and an even more useful surround-view camera in higher trims takes the stress out of tight parking spots. It's also got a useful fisheye view that can look both ways for you out of a T-junction.

The automatic gearbox is preferable over the manual if you find yourself crawling along in traffic most days, although it can be a bit hesitant out of junctions. That's not the case with the e-Power, which thanks to its electric drive responds instantly just like an EV. The light steering and tight turning circle also help when zooming around town. The suspension will happily soak up bumps, even on models fitted with the larger 20-inch wheels.

On the motorway

Neither of the two base engine options are particularly powerful, so you’ll definitely want the slightly perkier 160hp model if you plan to travel fully loaded often or regularly head out onto the motorway. The 190hp e-Power model is even better, offering smooth and strong acceleration with a slight improvement in fuel economy over the others. You do pay extra up front though.

The optional auto ‘box on the petrol models is smooth at higher speeds and aside from some minor tyre noise, the cabin is hushed, and the Qashqai feels stable on the road. Features like blind spot assist and adaptive cruise control – standard on all models – makes long journeys even more relaxing.

There’s a bit of tyre noise at motorway speeds and it can get a bit noisy when you put your foot down, but generally this is a relaxing and comfortable car to do long distances in.

On a twisty road

The Qashqai doesn’t lean much in fast corners, but it doesn’t feel particularly fun to drive along a challenging bit of road. It turns accurately and brakes sharply but something like a Mazda CX-5 or Toyota C-HR feel more suited to an enthusiastic driving style. While there's a 'Sport' mode included on the e-Power model, we couldn't really tell a difference between this and the normal driving mode. The best thing to do is simply drive the Qashqai in a more relaxed fashion.

The spacious and well-thought-out interior offers plenty of practical touches, although other similar models have a larger boot

Most drivers ought to be able to get comfortable up front, though the seats don't quite have the range of adjustment of a Skoda Karoq. We found that our 6'2" tester had his seat as far back as it would go, and the steering wheel doesn't have the biggest range of adjustment either.

Front passengers can make use of a set of large cupholders set into the centre console as well as generous door pockets which will take big water bottles as well. Got to stay hydrated these days.

Two different types of USB ports and a 12-volt plug point are provided ahead of the stubby gear lever, and you can place personal items out of sight in the smallish glovebox or the more generously proportioned central bin. There's also a wireless charging pad on most models, with a lip to keep your phone secure.

Space in the back seats

In the rear, the two comfortable outer seats will comfortably accommodate adults, while the central one will be best left for children or teenagers. Legroom is pretty good – better than in the old Qashqai, but not as good as in the new Tiguan – and headroom is generous too, even if you have the panoramic sunroof fitted.

The rear doors open 85 degrees wide, aiding ingress and egress, and two scoops in the door pockets will take a pair of water bottles. The fold down central armrest incorporates some rather flimsy cupholders as well.

Boot space

Compared to alternatives like the Kia Sportage and Volkswagen Tiguan, the Qashqai falls a bit short in terms of boot space. With 503 litres compared to the 591 litres of the Sportage and 615 litres in the Tiguan, you may need to leave a bag behind, but it’s still spacious enough to take a baby stroller and a couple of squishy bags.

You can now spec an electrically-operated tailgate, which makes loading easier when you’re carrying armfuls of shopping, as does the low load lip. Fold the rear seats down and you get 1,539 litres of space, still less than the Sportage and Tiguan, but the boot floor is flat and wide so you can make the most of the space available. N-Connecta models have a configurable boot floor, however this takes boot space down to 479 litres. If you take the Tekna+ model the Bose sound system’s amplifier further impinges on boot space, so you get just 436 litres. Hooks, tethering points and a 12-volt socket are provided across all models.

Much-improved cabin quality and decent tech make the Qashqai competent if not particularly exciting inside

The Qashqai’s interior is a pretty nice place to sit, but aside from the posh materials and attractive design it’s also really easy to use - which is much more important. It doesn’t have the wow factor of something like a Peugeot 3008, but the improvements that came with the 2024 facelift do add in some fetching metal-effect trim on the centre console and a huge swathe of Alcantara suede across the dashboard, both of which are very pleasant.

All Qashqais now come with a large, 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. On base cars, the feature list is pretty standard but all other trims have a full suite of Google-powered upgrades. The most important of these is built-in Google Maps - far superior to most built-in sat-navs in terms of accuracy, updates, and ease-of-use. 

You also get access to the Google Play Store which means you can download additional apps, such as Waze for navigation, Spotify for music or your favourite podcast app. 

The screen is big and clear, but once you’re out of the Google-specific apps it’s not the most straightforward to navigate. The same goes for the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which isn’t particularly attractive and can be a bit of an information overload. It’s a shame this can’t display maps in full screen like the VW Tiguan’s system can.

Underneath the touchscreen you’ll find a full panel of climate controls, which is great to see - so many new cars have these either partially or completely operated through the touchscreen, which isn’t much fun to do on the move. There’s even a few useful shortcut buttons immediately above these, including one to dim the touchscreen for night driving and a shortcut to the Qashqai’s 360-degree camera system.

Overall build quality feels good - who’d expect less from a car built in Sunderland? Apart from the nice fabric panel, there are some pleasantly squidgy plastics atop the dashboard and the doors, but you don’t need to look too far to find scratchier ones. That’s par for the course in a car like this, though, and even the cheap materials feel hard wearing.

There are three engine options on offer here, first off you have a choice of either a 140hp or 160hp turbocharged mild-hybrid petrol unit, fitted with a six-speed manual. The more powerful unit can also be had with an automatic transmission and four-wheel-drive. We would opt for the automatic transmission here as it provides smooth forward progress and suits the nature of the Qashqai well. Being a (CVT) continuously variable unit it does tend to make the engine drone under hard acceleration, though.

Both the 140hp and the 160hp models emit 142g/km of CO2 and return 44.8mpg on paper. Go for the four-wheel drive version and that drops to 155g/km and 40.9mpg, so only go with this option if you really need it.

The hybrid tech utilises a small electric motor to enhance economy and performance, but it’s not something you would notice while driving and it doesn’t have any electric-only driving capabilities. For that you will need the range-topping e-Power version. It is called a petrol/electric model by Nissan, but it too isn’t a traditional hybrid model. It combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor to produce 190hp, the petrol engine charges a small 2.1kWh lithium-ion battery which in turn power the electric motor which is connected to the front wheels.

It all sounds a bit complicated, but the end result is a very smooth and responsive driving experience - rather akin to a fully electric car - and the cutting in of the petrol engine to charge the battery is unobtrusive. It can drive for limited periods on battery power alone, and you don’t plug it in since the petrol motor does all the charging.

The regenerative braking is strong enough to allow one pedal driving in most scenarios, although with an average fuel economy of 52.3mpg on paper (around 45mpg in the real world) and 122g/km CO2 rating, it doesn’t quite provide the fuel savings you might be expecting. It also doesn’t benefit from the BIK and road tax exemptions that are afforded pure EVs.

The Qashqai scored a full five out of five stars in the Euro NCAP ratings, scoring 91% for both adult and child occupant safety. Safety assists were rated even higher at 95% - this is one safe SUV.

Active passive and safety features include rear cross traffic alert, blind spot intervention, forward collision warning and lane intervention systems. Adaptive cruise control and rear parking sensors are also standard across all models. Nissan's made it really easy to switch off the EU-mandated speed limit warnings in the Qashqai - you simply need to set it up once as a 'Custom' mode, and then it's just two button presses at the start of every drive.

The Qashqai has regularly toped the medium-sized SUV sales charts and yet the previous model was not considered the last word in reliability by owners. The new model feels considerably more substantial and well-built, addressing many of the concerns raised with the older Qashqai.

It’s too soon to tell how it will fare in the reliability stakes, but everything seems to pointing to a much-improved product. There have been two minor recalls so far, with one being for a steering assist system that can cause a noise while in operation.

A pretty standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty is offered here, with the opportunity to extend coverage as long as the car is less than 10-years old and has covered under 100,000-miles. The EV dedicated components also come with their own five-year/60,000-mile warranty.