Nissan Qashqai (2007 – 2014) Review

Nissan Qashqai (2007 – 2014) At A Glance

3/5

+Very comfortable front seats with good ride. Feels well built. Strong Renault sourced dCi diesels. Elevated driving position and good visibility.

-Rear seats not as spacious as you'd expect. Can be crashy over potholes on larger wheels. 2.0 diesel particulate filter problems. Some quality problems. Unacceptably high failure rate of CVT transmissions.

Insurance Groups are between 13–20
On average it achieves 84% of the official MPG figure

Designed to blend the agility and comfort of a hatchback with the strength and practicality of an SUV the Qashqai is Nissan’s alternative to the standard five-door hatchback. Plenty of people have certainly been won over by the formula. Modern, chunky and well proportioned it's actually not much taller than standard hatchbacks like the Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf.

It certainly looks like a crossover and the shoulder line and kicked-up rear windows ape the larger Nissan Murano. The interior isn't quite as memorable - instead Nissan has opted for a simple layout which looks a little dull compared to something like a Honda Civic. However quality is a strong point as is the finish.

There are a good choice of engines too including the impressive dCi diesels which are strong but still offer good economy - the 1.5 dCi averaging a claimed 54.3mpg, although there are no dedicated low emissions models as you get with the likes of the Volkswagen Golf Bluemotion.

The Qashqai was facelifted in 2010 with a revised front end, new headlights plus a revamped interior . The changes are subtle but make it look sharper and more modern plus there's now a Pure Drive model which emits 129g/km - better than before but still nowhere near as good as many special low emissions hatchbacks.

The Qashqai is also a very British car. It's one of several models built at Nissan's plant in Sunderland, alongside the Juke, Note and forthcoming Leaf. The firm became the first Japanese manufacturer to set up a plant in Europe when it opened the factory in 1986 and it now produces more than 300,000 cars a year. A real success story for the UK.

If you're looking for the newer version, you need our Nissan Qashqai review

Real MPG average for a Nissan Qashqai (2007 – 2014)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

84%

Real MPG

23–60 mpg

MPGs submitted

1179

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

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Ask Honest John

Can I reject a used car because it has MoT advisories?

"I bought a Nissan Qashqai from trade centre on HP as well as part exchange, I was told it had passed the MoT in April but did not receive the certificate. The following day I had a look and found four advisories on the MoT. I have asked to reject the car and am being told I cannot do this as these are serviceable issue (the brakes wearing thin, nearside front drag link end ball joint has slight play). There was also something wrong with the gearbox as when I drove it wouldn't go into second dear, it's an automatic. I had the car for three days before calling them to return it, driving it less than 100 miles. It took them two weeks to look at the car, by that time the battery was dead and needed replacing before they could even look at it. They drove it 10 miles and couldn't find a fault with the gearbox so just decided they would fix the MoT advisories as a "goodwill gesture". Please can you let me know where I stand with this? Am I in my right to reject the car according to the Consumer Act 2015?"
From a legal perspective, the dealer is not obliged to tell you about MoT advisories because they only told you it has a valid MoT, which is correct and the car is road legal. This information is also publicly available, so the dealer has not withheld this information from you. The gearbox issue is separate matter, and if the car is not functioning correctly you are within your rights to press them to resolve it. This may be more difficult if the fault is intermittent, so you may need to go out in the car with them in order for it to be diagnosed and fixed. If the dealer is offering to fix the advisories as well, this would suggest they are at least willing to resolve your problems. If the gearbox fault continues and they are unable to diagnose or repair the fault then this is potentially grounds for rejection, but the MOT advisories would not be a contributory factor. You can read more about how to reject a car here: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/how-to-reject-a-car-your-consumer-rights/
Answered by David Ross

What's the best small SUV with a comfortable ride quality?

"My wife and I (both in our mid-eighties) have a 10-year-old petrol Nissan Qashqai CVT auto in which we drive about 6,000 miles per year. We particularly value the high driving position making getting in and out easy and the automatic transmission. We are thinking of replacing the car with something that matches the above key requirements. Ten years ago the main competitors did not have petrol automatic and certainly not hybrid which we would now consider. We would welcome your suggestions."
We'd recommend the Toyota Yaris Cross. It's slightly smaller than your Qashqai (although the latest Qashqai has grown in size) but it sounds ideal for your requirements with a high driving position and an efficient (and reliable) hybrid powertrain. If you'd prefer a bigger family SUV, take a look at the latest Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage. They're two of our favourite SUVs and both available with hybrid power.
Answered by Andrew Brady

Can you recommend a hybrid SUV?

"My wife and I have owned a petrol Nissan Qashqai CVT car since 2012. We like the high driving position as it makes access and egress very easy for people in their mid eighties. We are considering replacing it with a hybrid car. What other models could we consider? Our annual mileage is 6,000."
A Toyota Yaris Cross sounds ideal for your needs. It's an excellent hybrid small SUV that'll be cheap to run, very reliable and easy to access. You could also look at bigger alternatives like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson.
Answered by Andrew Brady

High mileage Nissan Qashqai, how long will it last?

"I have a 2011 2.0-litre petrol Nissan Qashqai with 94,000 miles on the clock, fully serviced by Nissan. How much longer can I expect it to run before I get major problems?"
If the car is serviced with fresh oil every 12 months or 12,000 miles (whichever comes first) then I see no reason why it shouldn't motor on for another 50,000 miles and/or five years. Obviously, you'll get wear and tear problems as things like the clutch, suspension bushes and exhaust system wear out but these costs will be minor compared to that of buying another car.
Answered by Dan Powell
More Questions

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