Review of Nissan Qashqai Ti reveals improved performer with greater appeal

Born in the United Kingdom, the Nissan Qashqai compact SUV feels bigger inside than the size dictates and it’s taken a giant leap up-market.

The range-topping Nissan Qashqai Ti starts from about $51,300 drive-away.

Named after a nomadic tribe, the Nissan Qashqai still baffles many punters.

There’s nothing wrong with the SUV concept, even though there were “crossover” sceptics when it was first revealed as nearly 20 years ago, the moniker is often cause for confusion.

Initially known as the Dualis, it was renamed Qashqai in 2014. Pronounced “cash-qai” it’s just been updated with European design as part wholesale changes to the Nissan SUV range and actually shares its architectural underpinnings with the slightly larger X-Trail.

Made in the UK, our family tested the top-spec Ti derivative.

Nissan’s range-topping Qashqai Ti. Photo: Thomas Wielecki

WHAT WERE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS?

KEL: Nice. Great proportions and angles.

GRANT: Looking robust and refined, the Qashqai has grown in length, width and height compared to its predecessor.

KEL: I remember the Dualis being ‘meh’ in terms of styling, this looks more like a car you’d aspire to own.

GRANT: Which is exactly why Nissan has shifted its focus up-market. Segment leaders like the MG ZS, Mitsubishi ASX and Haval Jolion attract price sensitive customers, whereas the Qashqai now takes on the likes of Mazda’s CX-30 and Volkswagen’s T-Roc.

KEL: Having driven the new X-Trail and Pathfinder recently, there’s a familiar look and feel to the cabin.

GRANT: There’s a clear family lineage – something the Europeans have been doing for years. The Ti we drove had some outstanding kit, including quilted leather trimmed seats, panoramic glass roof, massage function in the front seats and a 10-speaker Bose sound system.

KEL: Cabin finishes were of high quality and it was spacious, much larger than I expected for a compact SUV.

GRANT: Once on-roads are settled you’ll pay about $51,300, which is up there with a front-wheel drive Mazda CX-30 G25 Astina at $47,313 while a Volkswagen T-Roc 140TSI R-Line is about $50,500, and the Toyota Corolla Cross Atmos Hybrid is closer to $54,000.

Cabin style and features are similar across the Nissan SUV range, with the Qashqai Ti featuring a configurable 12.3-inch digital instruments screen along with 10.8-inch head-up display for the driver.

WHAT DID YOU LIKE?

KEL: Nissan has created a great commonsense environment. It’s great you can get inside and nothing is complicated.

GRANT: Between the aircon controls on the dash and the steering wheel-mounted buttons, daily operations are easy. The Ti also gets a configurable 12.3-inch digital instruments screen along with 10.8-inch head-up display for the driver.

KEL: Back seat access was also made simpler by rear doors which open wide and there was great legroom – along with air vents as well as USB-A and C charging ports.

GRANT: I’m always a fan of knowing what you face in terms of maintenance costs, and the Qashqai has prepaid options for three, four or five years. Most people will own their cars for at least five years and by paying upfront you can save nearly $1400. Service intervals are also annual or every 15,000km, compared to its bigger X-Trail sibling which is set at 10,000km.

Kel and Grant Edwards.

WHAT DID YOU LOATHE?

KEL: Overall there was little to dislike, some people might find the gear shifter challenging.

GRANT: Like the Pathfinder and X-Trail, the Qashqai uses a ‘return to centre’ style stubby shifter where you move it forward to engage reverse, and backwards for drive.

KEL: The swooping roofline impedes headroom for taller occupants in the back and while boot space was reasonable for the size although it may not be big enough for some families.

GRANT: The Ti has a slightly smaller capacity compared to other models due to the subwoofer, but at nearly 420 litres it’s reasonable. I managed to fit in an adult-size bike without removing a wheel which is great … but I would like the option of boot-mounted levers to drop the rear seats fast rather than having to collapse them from the second row.

Under the bonnet of the Nissan Qashqai is a 1.3-litre four-cyliner turbo, good for 110kW/250Nm.

HOW WAS THE DRIVE?

KEL: Poised and well balanced, I found the performance predictable and confident. Getting away from the lights was fine, although not supremely rapid.

GRANT: The 0-100km/h time of 8.9 seconds is fairly pedestrian, not that you’re typically looking to set sprint records in a family SUV. Nissan has improved the continuously variable transmission although it can still be slow to react if you plant your foot.

KEL: I loved the 360-degree view when parking. During some rural drives it felt almost sporty and it was quiet on the road.

GRANT: Well-weighted steering provides composure when changing direction and the turbo engine offers some nice shunt when up and running. It does require premium unleaded but fuel consumption should be about seven litres for every 100km.

Boot space in the Nissan Qashqai Ti.

WOULD YOU BUY ONE?

KEL: With about $50k to spend, I’d certainly have the Qashqai atop my list. Great looks inside and out deliver a prestige feel along with a long list of features.

GRANT: Despite having a growing family, the Qashqai would be my preference against the larger X-Trail. With no reason to go off-road, I found the driving performance more confident and liked the styling more than its sibling. I’d happily have one as our daily driver.