Nissan Qashqai Review & Prices

If you’re looking for a family SUV packing plenty of tech at a fair price, the Nissan Qashqai is one to consider. It’s one of the UK’s most popular cars, even in the face of strong competition such as the Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Karoq, and earned Highly Commended status in the Family Values category of the 2024 Carwow Awards.

You can think of the Nissan Qashqai as The Beatles of SUVs. It wasn’t the first of its kind, but it revolutionised the genre and spearheaded a surge in demand for high-riding family cars.

This latest version of the modern icon is the best-looking yet, thanks to its prominent V-shaped grille and svelte rear end. As standard, you’ll get 17-inch wheels but if street cred is a big concern you’ll want to upgrade to a higher-spec model with 20-inch alloys.

Hop inside and you’ll find the Nissan Qashqai to be just as stylish. Quality is impressive across the board, but it’s the Tekna+ cars that really stand out thanks to their posh leather upholstery. Space in the rear row of seats isn’t incredible for any adult passengers, but there’s more than enough room to keep the kids comfy.

Group test video: Honda HR-V v Hyundai Tucson v Kia Sportage v Nissan Qashqai

Entry-level Qashqais make do with an old-school radio system, but higher-spec cars come with either an 8-inch or 12.3-inch infotainment system. The software itself is a bit clunky compared to alternatives and can be quite laggy too.

There’s not an incredible amount of boot space either. There’s a max of 503 litres, though going for a version equipped with a Bose stereo drops to 479 litres. For reference, a VW Tiguan has up to 615 litres while the Skoda Karoq offers 588.

You’ve got the choice of a 136bhp or 154bhp petrol engine. The more powerful version is the one to go for — offering decent performance for overtaking and merging without severely affecting fuel economy.

There’s a hybrid Qashqai e-Power too, though this is more expensive than the standard petrol model and doesn’t really offer enough of an improvement in efficiency to justify it.

It’s not much fun to drive but the new Qashqai is comfortable over bumps and light steering and good visibility make it really easy to drive around town and park. There’s a bit of tyre roar on the motorway if you go for those eye-catching 20-inch alloys, but on a cruise, it’s all rather relaxing.

All in all, the Nissan Qashqai looks the part and drives nicely. It’s a shame boot space and the infotainment lags (in the latter’s case, literally) behind alternatives.

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The Nissan Qashqai offers strong value in the mid-sized SUV category, it undercuts most alternatives in base Visia trim and doesn’t skimp too much on equipment levels to do it – aside from the infotainment system. 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 £40,980 for the 188bhp e-Power hybrid model in top Tekna+ trim, the 261bhp Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid is quicker, more frugal and almost £2,000 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. 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. The light steering and tight turning circle also help when zooting 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 154bhp model if you plan to travel fully loaded often or regularly head out onto the motorway. The new 188bhp 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 (excepting the e-Power model), 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.

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

Even the lankiest adults will be able to stretch out in comfort up front, where they 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.

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 great – better than in the old Qashqai which was already spacious – 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 latest Nissan Qashqai’s cabin is a big step up from its predecessor, you get Nappa leather and leatherette dash coverings on the top trims and even lower-spec models have high quality plastics and buttons that feel solid and well made.

The overall style of the interior is better too, it’s not adventurous in the vein of something like the Peugeot 3008, yet it’s more traditional layout has its own appeal. A decent 12.3-in digital instrument panel replaces the old car’s analogue setup.

The infotainment system isn’t quite up to the standard of the best alternatives out there, and it gets off to a poor start in the entry-level Visia trim which gets a rather basic stereo that incorporates a CD Player (remember those?) and a DAB digital radio.

Where most alternatives offer touchscreen infotainment systems in their base models you will need to move up to the Acenta Premium trim to get access to an 8-inch touchscreen here. It comes with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a rearview camera, although responses can be a bit laggy when switching between functions.

N-Connecta trims get an upgraded 12.3-inch touchscreen, which adds NissanConnect services and wireless Apple CarPlay (Android Auto is still wired). The Tekna trim adds a 10.8-inch head-up display which is sharp and easy to use. Wireless phone charging is also standard on this and the Tekna+ trim.

There are three engine options on offer here, first off you have a choice of either a 136bhp or 154bhp 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.

The 136bhp model emits 143g/km of CO2 and manages 44.5mpg, while the 154bhp version emits 145g/km and returns 44.1mpg. Go for the four-wheel drive version and that drops to 155g/km and 41.2mpg, 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 188bhp, 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 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.

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.