2024 Nissan Qashqai Ti e-Energy assessment

Sturdy gross sales of electrified Toyotas has proven Australians need hybrid choices, and Nissan is lastly ready to money in.

Having launched the larger X-Path e-Energy in 2022, it’s added the smaller Qashqai to the vary this yr.

Dimension-wise, it’s a match for the Toyota Corolla Cross. However with solely the flagship Ti trim on supply, it’s priced extra intently consistent with mid-range variations of the larger (and wildly fashionable) Toyota RAV4.

As if a pair of Toyota crossovers wasn’t sufficient, the Qashqai now faces off with a hybrid Hyundai Kona, and could have hybrid variations of the bigger Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson to take care of shortly.

How does the smallest Nissan hybrid stack up?

How does the Nissan Qashqai examine?

View an in depth breakdown of the Nissan Qashqai in opposition to equally sized automobiles.

Nissan

Qashqai

How a lot does the Nissan Qashqai value?

The one Qashqai e-Energy on supply in Australia is the range-topping Ti, with a sticker worth north of $50,000.

2024 Nissan Qashqai pricing:

• 2024 Nissan Qashqai ST: $33,890
• 2024 Nissan Qashqai ST+: $37,890
• 2024 Nissan Qashqai ST-L: $42,190
• 2024 Nissan Qashqai Ti: $47,390
• 2024 Nissan Qashqai Ti e-Energy: $51,590

Costs exclude on-road prices

To see how the Qashqai traces up in opposition to the competitors, try our comparability instrument.

What’s the Nissan Qashqai like on the within?

Even lower-end variations of the Qashqai really feel good behind the wheel, however the Ti actually is beautiful.

From the waxy leather-based trim on the flat-bottom steering wheel to the quilted leather-based seats, there are many touches readily available right here that make this really feel like a fairly premium little SUV.

Together with heated seats, you get a heated steering wheel for cold Melbourne mornings. It’s meaningfully extra particular than a Corolla Cross, and has a really completely different vibe to the extra rugged RAV4.

The place it all the time felt such as you had been propped on high of the seats within the previous Qashqai, the brand new ones supply help in all the appropriate locations. The view over the sculpted bonnet makes it really feel like a correct SUV, reasonably than a high-riding hatchback as was beforehand the case.

The infotainment system is significantly better than the low-res, low-tech touchscreen that served within the final Qashqai. It now has wi-fi Apple CarPlay, moderately engaging graphics, and sharp responses.

It’s very practical; though, it’s nonetheless not on a par with the uber-modern Hyundai Kona’s setup.

Likewise the digital dashboard, which presents an honest unfold of knowledge however nonetheless can’t match it with what you get within the newest Volkswagen Group merchandise. The setup in associated Renault merchandise appears to be like and feels extra fashionable than this unit, which is shared with Mitsubishi.

There’s loads of storage up entrance, with deep cupholders and a slot beneath the dashboard. You additionally get an honest bin underneath the central armrest, and spacious door pockets.

Entry to the rear comes courtesy of doorways that open to 90 levels, which anybody loading a baby will recognize.

The huge opening makes it simpler to get youngster seats in with out painful contortion, and greater adults are extra simply in a position to clamber in if required.

As soon as in, there are above-average ranges of leg room and head room. Additionally helpful are the twin USB ports and air vents, together with the central fold-down armrest. It’s a really usable house, extra consistent with a Kia Seltos than the outgoing Kona.

We carried a carload of fully-grown adults with out an excessive amount of hassle, and also you’ll be capable to get youngsters within the again seat with out many complaints. The center seat continues to be for emergencies although.

ISOFIX factors characteristic on the outboard rear seats, and there’s a trio of top-tether factors for youngster seats.

Quoted boot house is 452 litres with the rear seats in place, increasing to 1376 litres with them folded.

A part of the additional quantity is probably going right down to the Qashqai e-Energy’s inclusion of a tyre mobility equipment rather than the house saver spare fitted on petrol variants – one thing to contemplate for those who enterprise out of city usually.

What’s underneath the bonnet?

Put together to get a bit nerdy, as a result of this technique is completely different to the hybrids Australians know.

Reasonably than immediately driving the wheels via a traditional transmission or CVT, the petrol engine is mated to a motor-generator and an inverter.

That unit is used to cost the lithium-ion battery pack, which in flip feeds the drive motors. It’s not fairly a spread extender, given the automotive has an electric-only vary so quick it’s not even quoted by Nissan, however the engine additionally doesn’t immediately drive the wheels.

The closest it comes is whenever you mat the throttle and it feeds the electrical motors (through the connected generator and inverter) immediately, reasonably than simply suppling power to provide the battery.

The top result’s a automotive that ought to really feel like a pure-electric automobile (EV) to drive, full with Nissan’s e-Pedal regenerative braking system, however one that gives comparable vary to a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid on the open street.

How does the Nissan Qashqai drive?

There’s an adjustment course of whenever you first get behind the wheel of an e-Energy hybrid, but it surely doesn’t take lengthy to be taught the way it works.

Like the larger X-Path, the Qashqai begins in electrical automobile mode and presents a couple of minutes of silent driving until you actually put your foot down. When it does hearth up, the petrol engine settles into what appears like a fairly tough idle for a minute to cost the lithium-ion battery.

The odd half? There’s not essentially a direct correlation between what your proper foot is doing, and what the engine is doing. You is perhaps crawling in metropolis visitors, or slowing down, and the revs are doing one thing else completely.

After its first startup the engine is mostly refined, and when you’re dialled into how the system works it’s straightforward to disregard the disconnect between engine and street velocity. The Qashqai felt much more refined than its larger brother in my expertise, with much less vibration and noise within the cabin from the 1.5-litre engine.

The payoff is a driving expertise that feels extra electrical than a Toyota, Hyundai, or Kia hybrid. Even and not using a rear motor (the X-Path is all-wheel drive) it’s clean and punchy off the road, and presents three ranges of regenerative braking whenever you raise off the accelerator.

The usual setup could be very mild, the B possibility is a midway home, and e-Pedal lets you drive with principally one pedal. Not like in older iterations, the system cuts out at about 10km/h – so that you don’t really get one-pedal driving.

Nissan says it’s on the again of buyer suggestions, we are saying it’s lacking the purpose of one-pedal driving.

At larger speeds you’ll discover the engine kicking in additional repeatedly, but it surely by no means feels shouty like a Corolla Cross, or perhaps a ZR-V e:HEV. As a result of it’s getting used to cost the lithium-ion battery whenever you’re cruising on a continuing throttle, the petrol engine within the e-Energy typically hums away at decrease revs within the background.

It excels on the open street, which isn’t one thing we’d typically say about standard hybrids.

We praised the X-Path for its spectacular wind and street noise suppression at freeway speeds, and Nissan’s suite of driver assists all work easily. The ProPilot system isn’t too fingers on, as a substitute solely intervening when it’s really required.

Experience high quality is fairly good for a small SUV on huge wheels, particularly on the freeway.

It nonetheless feels just a little bit busy at decrease speeds, extra so than the bigger X-Path, but it surely’s no worse than its greatest rivals. We’ve praised the ST+ with its smaller wheels for its trip consolation, and the Ti on its 19-inch wheels isn’t fairly as refined on pockmarked metropolis streets.

Just like the petrol mannequin, the e-Energy has mild, straightforward steering that makes parking a breeze. Nissan’s cameras have improved considerably, so there’s now no excuse for dinged wheels or bumpers.

What do you get?

The Qashqai e-Energy is just supplied in range-topping Ti trim, which brings a beneficiant record of normal inclusions.

Highlights embrace:

• e-Pedal Step (one-pedal mode)
• Regenerative braking
• Automobile sound (pedestrians)
• Lively Noise Cancellation
• Premium entrance grille
• e-Energy badging

Qashqai Ti customary gear:

• Distant, powered tailgate
• Panoramic glass sunroof
• Auto-dipping aspect mirrors
• 12.3-inch TFT digital instrument cluster
• 10.8-inch head-up show
• Clever key
• Driver reminiscence for seat, mirrors, audio
• 10-speaker Bose sound system incl. subwoofer, digital amp
• 8-way energy entrance passenger seat
• 4-way energy lumbar for entrance seats
• Driver reminiscence operate
• Massaging entrance seats
• Quilted premium leather-based trim
• Black headliner

Is the Nissan Qashqai protected?

The Qashqai wears a five-star ANCAP security score, primarily based on Euro NCAP exams performed in 2021 – this score applies to all variants in Australia and New Zealand.

Class scores included 91 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 93 per cent for youngster occupant safety, 74 per cent for susceptible street person safety, and a formidable 97 per cent for security help.

Customary security options embrace:

• 7 airbags incl. front-centre
• Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
  • Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detection
  • Junction help
  • Reverse AEB incl. Pedestrian detection
• Lively velocity limiter
• Adaptive cruise management
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Ahead collision warning
• Lane departure warning
• Lane preserve help
• Rear parking sensors
• Reversing digicam
• Visitors signal recognition
• Tyre strain monitoring

Qashqai ST+ provides:

• Clever Round View Monitor (360 digicam)
• Transferring Object Detection

Qashqai ST-L provides:

• Entrance parking sensors
• ProPILOT (lane centring)
• Alarm system

Qashqai Ti provides:

• Clever Park Help (semi-auto park)
• Aspect parking sensors

How a lot does the Nissan Qashqai value to run?

The Qashqai is roofed by Nissan Australia’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.

Along with the guarantee protection, Nissan throws in a five-year, 24-hour roadside help program.

Scheduled upkeep is required each 12 months or 15,000 kilometres – whichever comes first. That is higher than the X-Path’s 10,000km intervals (countered by barely cheaper providers).

You’ll be able to pay as you go, in any other case Nissan presents Pre-Paid Upkeep Plans protecting three, 4 or 5 years – costs for the e-Energy are $1152, $1650 and $2007 respectively, all of that are tons of cheaper than the petrol, notably over 5 years the place the saving is nearer to $900.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Nissan Qashqai

I actually like Nissan’s e-Energy tech.

It’s not as environment friendly as a Toyota system, however its sophisticated mixture of petrol and electrical energy delivers a extra cohesive driving expertise, extra of the time.

Throw within the truth the Qashqai has an expensive-feeling inside and respectable house inside, and it’s a fairly convincing various to the strong-selling Toyota Corolla Cross and RAV4.

It’s a disgrace Nissan isn’t bringing a less expensive model to Australia, although.

The Ti is beautiful, but it surely’s greater than $50,000 earlier than on-road prices. A mid-range possibility for nearer to $45k earlier than on-roads can be arguably much more interesting, primarily based on how a lot we’ve loved our time within the Qashqai ST-L.

Click on the photographs for the total gallery

MORE: Purchase a Nissan Qashqai
MORE: All the things Nissan Qashqai