Nissan Qashqai Review Australia: Is It Worth $35k in 2026?

What Does the Qashqai Cost in Australia?

Nissan keeps the Qashqai lineup straightforward. Four variants, one engine, one gearbox. Here's the breakdown:

Driveaway, expect the base ST to land around $36,500-$38,000 depending on your state. The sweet spot in the range is the ST-L at $37,465. You get the bigger screen, heated seats, and the power tailgate, which genuinely makes a difference when you're juggling shopping bags and a toddler. The jump from ST to ST-L is only $2,800 for a lot of extra kit.

The Ti at nearly $43k is getting into Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage territory, which are bigger cars with more powerful engine options. At that price, the Qashqai's value proposition starts to thin out a bit.

Running Costs

The Qashqai is cheap to run. The 1.3-litre turbo sips 6.1L/100km on the combined cycle, and in real-world suburban driving, you'll see 7.0-7.5L/100km without trying too hard. At 15,000km per year and fuel at $2.00/litre, that's roughly $2,100-$2,250 annually.

Servicing follows a 12-month/15,000km schedule. Nissan's capped-price servicing program keeps costs predictable at around $350-$500 per service. Over five years, you're looking at approximately $2,200 in total service costs. That's competitive.

Insurance sits in group 12-16 depending on variant, which translates to roughly $1,200-$1,800 per year for most drivers. Registration varies by state but budgeting $800-$900 covers you in most places. The total cost of ownership over five years, including fuel, servicing, insurance, registration, and depreciation, is genuinely reasonable for this segment. More on running cost comparisons in our cheapest cars to run analysis.

Design: Conservative but Clean

The current J12-generation Qashqai landed in Australia in 2022, and it was a massive visual leap from the old model. Gone was the slightly frumpy look, replaced by sharp V-Motion grille detailing, boomerang-shaped LED headlights, and a floating roof effect created by blacking out the C-pillar. It looks genuinely modern, even three years into its life cycle.

In profile, the Qashqai has a coupe-esque roofline that slopes gently towards the rear. It's not as aggressive as the Toyota C-HR, but it's more interesting than the Hyundai Kona or Yaris Cross. The rear end features full-width LED tail lights that look premium, especially at night. On the Ti variant, 20-inch wheels fill the arches nicely and give it genuine road presence, though they do come at the cost of ride comfort on rough roads.

Dimensions-wise, it sits at 4,425mm long, 1,835mm wide, and 1,625mm tall on a 2,665mm wheelbase. That makes it about 70mm shorter than a Hyundai Tucson and roughly the same length as a Mazda CX-30. It parks easily in tight shopping centre spots and the 10.7-metre turning circle is handy in suburban streets. Ground clearance is 180mm, which is enough for gravel roads and grassy campsite entries, but this is not an off-roader by any means.

Interior: A Pleasant Place to Sit

Step inside the Qashqai and you're greeted by a well-organised cabin that's a genuine step up from the old model. From ST-L grade upwards, the 12.3-inch infotainment screen dominates the dashboard and it's paired with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The screens are crisp, reasonably responsive, and logically laid out. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the range, and they work wirelessly on ST-L+ and Ti variants.

Here's the thing about the Qashqai's interior: it's good, but it's not Mazda good. The CX-30's cabin feels a class above in terms of material quality and design sophistication. The Qashqai uses harder plastics in the lower door trims and around the centre console. They're not offensive, but in a segment where Mazda has raised the bar considerably, you notice the gap.

The seats are comfortable on long drives. The front chairs have decent bolstering without being too aggressive, and the ST-L+ and Ti get heating. The driving position is good, with plenty of adjustment range on the steering column and seat. Visibility is excellent from the driver's seat. the relatively thin A-pillars and large side mirrors mean you can see junctions and roundabouts clearly.

Where Nissan does well is storage. There's a big centre console bin, a wireless phone charging pad on upper grades, decently sized door pockets, and two cup holders. The glovebox is a reasonable size too. Small things, but they matter on daily commutes.

The Bose eight-speaker audio system on the ST-L+ and Ti is a pleasant surprise. It won't rival a Meridian or Harman Kardon setup, but for a car in this price bracket, it sounds genuinely good. The base six-speaker system is adequate but nothing to write home about.

Practicality: Where the Qashqai Earns Its Keep

The Qashqai's 430-litre boot is one of the biggest in the small SUV segment. That's 113 litres more than the Mazda CX-30 (317L) and 98 litres more than the Yaris Cross (332L). In practical terms, it means you can fit a large pram, a couple of shopping bags, and a nappy bag without playing Tetris. Fold the 60:40 rear seats down and you open up approximately 1,590 litres, which is enough for an IKEA run or a couple of suitcases plus camping gear.

The boot floor is flat when the seats are down, and the loading lip is at a sensible height. The power tailgate on ST-L and above is a genuine convenience, especially with hands-free kick operation on the ST-L+ and Ti. You wave your foot under the rear bumper and it opens. Sounds gimmicky until you're standing in a Bunnings car park with both arms full.

Rear seat space is adequate for adults, but it's not class-leading. Legroom is fine for passengers up to about 180cm, but anyone taller will find their knees getting close to the front seatback. Headroom is slightly compromised by that sloping roofline. Two ISOFIX anchor points are fitted to the outer rear seats, and fitting child seats is straightforward thanks to wide-opening rear doors.

Three adults across the back seat is possible but tight for anything longer than a short trip. The centre seat is raised and narrow. For families with two kids, it's fine. For three teenagers, look at a Tucson or Sportage instead.

Towing is rated at 1,500kg braked, which covers small camper trailers, jet skis, box trailers, and most single-axle boat trailers. The 1.3-litre turbo engine won't set any towing speed records, but it'll get the job done on flat terrain. Steep hills with a full load will have the CVT working hard. If towing is a primary need, check our best towing vehicles guide for more capable options.

Driving: Comfortable, Not Exciting

Let's be upfront. The Qashqai is not a driver's car. It's not trying to be. The 1.3-litre turbo four-cylinder produces 110kW and 250Nm, which is adequate. not quick, not sluggish, just adequate. It'll merge onto a freeway without drama, overtake a caravan on a country highway with a bit of planning, and potter around suburban streets with ease.

The CVT is the weak link in the driving experience. Under gentle acceleration, it's smooth and unobtrusive. You barely notice it. But press the accelerator harder, like when merging or climbing a hill, and it does the classic CVT thing where the revs jump to a high pitch and the engine drones while the car gradually accelerates. Nissan has added simulated gear steps to reduce this effect, and it helps, but it doesn't eliminate it. If you're coming from a traditional automatic or dual-clutch, you'll notice.

Steering is light and easy at low speeds, which makes parking and suburban driving effortless. At highway speeds, it weights up a little but never feels particularly connected. There's no real feedback through the wheel. The CX-30 is meaningfully better here, and even the Kona feels more engaging to drive.

Ride comfort is the Qashqai's strength. On the 18-inch wheels of the ST, ST-L, and ST-L+ variants, it soaks up most bumps and road imperfections with a supple, well-damped ride. It's genuinely comfortable on long drives. The Ti's 20-inch wheels introduce more road noise and a slightly firmer ride over sharp bumps, which is worth considering if you live in an area with rougher roads.

Noise levels are acceptable. Wind noise is well-controlled up to about 100km/h, and the engine is quiet when cruising. Road noise depends heavily on the tyre size and the road surface. on smooth suburban streets, it's hushed. On coarse-chip highway surfaces, it's noticeable but not intrusive. The Bose system on upper grades helps mask it with some decent tunes.

One area where the Qashqai impresses is the ProPilot semi-autonomous driving assist on the Ti variant. It combines adaptive cruise control with lane centring, and it works remarkably well on Australian highways. It won't change lanes for you, but it'll hold the car centred in its lane and maintain a safe following distance at speeds up to 144km/h. It takes a genuine amount of fatigue out of long highway stints. The adaptive cruise on lower variants is still good, just without the lane-centring function.

Efficiency: Genuinely Frugal

The Qashqai's claimed combined fuel consumption is 6.1L/100km. In our experience, here's what you'll actually see:

• Urban driving (30-60km/h, lots of stops): 7.5-8.5L/100km
• Suburban mixed (60-80km/h): 6.5-7.5L/100km
• Highway cruising (100-110km/h): 6.0-6.8L/100km
• Combined real-world average: 7.0-7.5L/100km

Those are solid numbers for a non-hybrid small SUV. The 55-litre fuel tank gives you a theoretical highway range of around 800-900km, which means Sydney to well past Coffs Harbour on a single tank, or Melbourne to Adelaide with plenty of buffer. That's genuinely useful for road trips.

Compared to rivals: the Mazda CX-30 2.0L claims 6.5L/100km, the Hyundai Kona 2.0L claims 7.1L/100km, and the Yaris Cross hybrid claims 3.8L/100km. If outright fuel efficiency is your primary concern, the Yaris Cross hybrid is the clear winner. But it's also a smaller, less powerful car. The Qashqai strikes a good balance between efficiency and usability.

The Qashqai runs on 91 RON regular unleaded, which is the cheapest fuel option at the bowser. No premium fuel requirement. At current prices, that saves you 15-20 cents per litre compared to cars that demand 95 or 98 RON.

Safety: Five Stars and a Long Kit List

The Qashqai holds a 5-star ANCAP safety rating based on Euro NCAP testing. The score is strong across all categories: 91% for adult occupant protection, 89% for child occupant protection, 68% for vulnerable road users, and 95% for safety assist features. That safety assist score is particularly impressive and reflects the breadth of standard active safety tech.

Standard across every variant:

• Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go
• Lane Keep Assist and lane departure warning
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Blind spot monitoring
• Traffic sign recognition
• Intelligent emergency call
• Six airbags (front, side, curtain)

The Ti adds ProPilot with lane centring, which is a step up from the lane keep assist on lower variants. It also gets a 360-degree camera system that's surprisingly useful for tight parking situations.

One thing worth noting: the Qashqai's structure uses high-strength steel and aluminium body panels to keep weight down while maintaining rigidity. The bonnet is aluminium, which helps with pedestrian safety in the event of an impact. The overall structural integrity tested well in Euro NCAP's offset and full-width frontal impact tests.

The Warranty: This Is the Big One

Nissan offers a 10-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty on the Qashqai. Read that again. Ten years. Unlimited kilometres. In a segment where most manufacturers offer five years (Mazda, Toyota, Hyundai) or seven years (Kia, Mitsubishi), Nissan's decade of coverage is a genuine differentiator.

It's not a gimmick with asterisks, either. The warranty covers all mechanical and electrical components under normal use. You do need to service the car within Nissan's recommended intervals to maintain coverage, but that's standard across all warranties.

For buyers who keep cars long-term, this is enormously reassuring. It means that if the turbocharger fails at year eight, or the CVT develops an issue at year nine, you're covered. That kind of long-term security has genuine dollar value, especially for a turbocharged CVT drivetrain where some buyers might have reliability concerns. For more on warranty differences across brands, check our warranty comparison guide.

Rivals: What Else Should You Cross-Shop?

Mazda CX-30 (from $33,240)

The CX-30 is the better car to drive, full stop. The steering is sharper, the chassis is more composed, and the interior quality is a cut above the Qashqai in terms of materials and design. The Astina grade with the 2.5-litre turbo engine (170kW) is a genuine performance small SUV. Where the CX-30 falls short: boot space is only 317L (the Qashqai's 430L is a big advantage), the warranty is five years, and the base engine is naturally aspirated and a bit flat. If driving pleasure matters most, buy the Mazda. If practicality and long-term warranty matter more, the Qashqai wins. Full comparison in our Qashqai vs CX-30 head-to-head.

Hyundai Kona (from $32,500)

The Kona was completely redesigned for 2023 and it's a much more compelling car than the model it replaced. It's slightly cheaper than the Qashqai, has a bold design that stands out in car parks, and offers both hybrid and full electric powertrains alongside the standard petrol. Interior tech is strong, with dual 12.3-inch screens from mid-grade up. Boot space at 407L is close to the Qashqai's 430L. The five-year warranty is shorter, and the naturally aspirated 2.0-litre feels more sluggish than the Qashqai's turbo. The Kona Electric variant is worth considering if you're open to going fully electric.

Toyota Yaris Cross (from $28,990)

The Yaris Cross is the value and efficiency champion. Starting under $29k, it's thousands cheaper than the Qashqai, and the hybrid variant claims just 3.8L/100km. Over five years, the fuel savings are substantial. The trade-off is that it's smaller in every dimension. less boot space (332L), less rear legroom, less power (85kW for the base, 88kW for the hybrid), and it feels like a smaller car because it is one. If you're mostly doing the daily commute and school run, the Yaris Cross is arguably the more rational choice. If you need the extra space and occasionally tow, the Qashqai has the edge.

The Qashqai leads on boot space and warranty. The CX-30 leads on driving dynamics and interior quality. The Yaris Cross leads on fuel efficiency and price. The Kona offers the broadest powertrain range. None of these are bad choices, but they suit different priorities. Browse them all in our best SUVs under $50k guide.

Should You Buy the Nissan Qashqai?

Yes, if:

• You want a 10-year warranty that gives genuine long-term peace of mind
• Boot space is a priority. 430 litres is among the best in the small SUV class
• You value comfort over driving excitement
• You want strong standard safety kit without needing to option up
• You plan to keep the car for more than five years and want warranty coverage the whole time
• You need 1,500kg towing for a small trailer or jet ski

Maybe not, if:

• You enjoy driving and want a car with genuine engagement (buy the CX-30)
• You want the lowest possible running costs (buy the Yaris Cross Hybrid)
• CVTs irritate you. the Qashqai's is better than most, but it's still a CVT
• You're looking at the top-spec Ti. at $43k, bigger SUVs with more power offer better value
• Interior luxury and material quality are your top priority (the Mazda wins there)

The Nissan Qashqai is a car that makes sense on paper and backs it up in daily life. It's not going to excite anyone at a dinner party, and it won't feature in anyone's dream garage, but that's not the point. The point is a 430-litre boot, 6.1L/100km fuel economy, 1,500kg towing, 5-star ANCAP safety, strong standard equipment, and a 10-year warranty that says Nissan genuinely stands behind this car. For Australian families and commuters who want a fuss-free small SUV, it's one of the best all-round packages in the segment.

If you're cross-shopping, start with our Qashqai vs CX-30 comparison. Or browse the full best SUVs under $50k list to see how it stacks up against the full field.

→ Compare all Nissan Qashqai variants on CarSorted (200+ specs)