Nissan Qashqai

Is the UK’s second-most-popular car still the brand’s shining beacon? Let’s find out…

You will struggle to find a bigger British automotive success story than the Nissan Qashqai.Dubbed the ‘Cashcow’ by some in industry circles, the crossover finished as the UK’s best seller in 2022, and was only second to the Ford Puma the following year. All of this follows from the smash-hit Qashqai’s game-changing launch back in 2006, where it’s credited for almost single-handedly saving Nissan’s European operations. It popularised the idea that you can have something that looks like an off-roader without needing all the heavy, inefficient hardware to make it capable in the mud – and people responded in numbers.As well as being a success story for Nissan, the Qashqai is also a shining beacon for UK car manufacturing, having been produced in Sunderland from the start. As car maker after car maker closes its UK manufacturing base – Honda made its last Honda Civic in Swindon a few years ago, for example – it is heartening that the third-generation Qashqai continues to be made here.The previous generation of Qashqai had been around since 2013 so it’s remarkable that although it lagged somewhat behind the best of the competition, it remained on the pace in sales terms. It makes sense, therefore, for Nissan to tread carefully with this one. Indeed, its strategy of making its pure-electric SUV, the Ariya, a completely separate model leaves room for the EV to be a bit bolder, while the Qashqai remains a crowd pleaser.Since its launch, though, practically every other manufacturer followed suit and produced a talented, all-rouned competitor. Can Nissan’s original champion continue to challenge on the road? Read our in-depth review to find out… The Nissan Qashqai range at a glanceFor this generation, Nissan has ditched all of its diesel models in favour of a mix of mild-hybrid and full-hybrid powertrains, all using four-cylinder petrol engines. The range opens with the DIG-T 140 Mild Hybrid, with 138bhp and a 0-62mph time of 10.2sec. The DIG-T 158 mild-hybrid offers 155bhp and a 0-62mph sprint of 9.5sec. Full-hybrid E-Power models increase power to 187bhp and hit 0-62mph in 7.9sec.VERSIONPOWERDIG-T 140 MILD HYBRID138bhpDIG-T 155 MILD HYBRID155hp190 E-POWER187bhp