Review: Practical, comfortable, well-equipped and good to drive, Nissan’s Qashqai is hard to beat

Published on 5 March, 2023

Overview

In the annals of automotive history, there is likely to be a whole chapter devoted to the Nissan Qashqai, a car that kickstarted the crossover craze in 2007, and one that is our test car this week.

Since then, 50,000 Qashqai cars have found a home in Ireland, with more than three million sold in Europe and five million globally.

A third generation launched in 2021 and, while still unmistakably a Qashqai, it sported sharper lines and a more edgy design.

Inside, practicality is what this car is all about and the high-set driving position is comfortable and great for visibility. A new 12.3in touchscreen houses all the key information and entertainment systems and is easy to use. Parents of young children will welcome the ease of access to the back seats, thanks to doors that open up to 90 degrees.

Buyers can opt for a 1.3 petrol hybrid or an e-Power hybrid option with a 1.5 petrol engine.

Though not a plug-in, the e-power hybrid combines a petrol engine and an electric motor but operates differently to a standard hybrid system. Whereas with a regular hybrid system the car is powered directly by a petrol engine, an electric motor alone or a combination of both, the e-power hybrid uses the petrol engine to generate the electricity to power the electric motor, which, in turn, drives the wheels. It’s not a range extender as such, but works essentially like having a electricity generator on board.

The overall benefit of the system is to reduce emissions and improve fuel consumption, Nissan says. It reckons our test car should return 5.4 litres per 100 km with emissions of 122g/km.

On the road, it feels solid, reasonably refined and has plenty of power. The e-power hybrid feels more akin to a full EV but, unlike an all-electric vehicle, you can never run out of range, as it were.

The Qashqai comes with an impressive list of standard safety equipment. Prices for the range start at €35,100; our range-topping car was €51,900. Each of the four trim levels — SV, SV Premium, SV Tech and SVE — offer increasing levels of goodies but even on the basic model there is no scrimping on the equipment.

Rivals include the Volkswagen Tiguan (€40,755), Skoda Karoq (€35,290), Ford Kuga (€44,637), Toyota CH-R (€34,065), Kia Sportage (€37,500) and Peugeot 3008 (€40,600).

The Qashqai was once a game changer and Nissan is again trying to reinvent the wheel. The e-Power is designed to be a stepping stone for those concerned with range and the public charging network. But it’s not a cheap option. Though it’s an interesting concept, I struggle to see why families who want to boast they are saving the planet would not opt instead for the all-electric Nissan Ariya, which costs roughly the same.

The Qashqai has spawned many imitators over the years and in a market saturated with SUVs and crossovers it’s still one of the bestselling cars for good reason — it is practical, comfortable, well-equipped and good to drive.

But the jury is out on Nissan’s ePower. For a company that led the electric charge, marketing a petrol-powered hybrid as innovative seems a step back.

Star rating: 3/5

Under the bonnet

​Nissan Qashqai e-Power SVE

​​Starting price: €35,100 (€51,900 as tested)

Engine: 1.5 petrol e-power

Transmission: Automatic

Co2/Motor Tax: 122g/km/€200

Economy: 5.4l/100km

Towing capacity: 750kg

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