Family cars need to be roomy and practical, which is a positive for the Qashqai as it's both of those things. It will easily ferry three kids in the back with ease - and three adults if they don't mind sitting close - while the extra height of the bodywork allows for easier entry and exit of the car, particularly useful when installing child seats or transporting less mobile passengers.
Interior storage space is taken care of by a large central storage box between the front seats, while there are numerous cubbies and compartments to store keys, wallets and mobile phones. To make room for this, the Qashqai uses an electronic parking brake switch rather than a conventional handbrake lever.
One slight niggle is that over-the-shoulder visibility is still restricted by the large rear pillars, making checking the blindspot tricky at times. Most models get a single or 360-degree surround-vision parking camera, but they're not the highest-resolution displays on that central multimedia screen.
The tailgate opens higher than before – with special provision so that you don’t bash your head on the tailgate (a fundamental problem on the Mk1 Qashqai) – and boot volume is now 430 litres with the seats up - 20 litres more than previously. On all trims the rear seats fold in a 60:40 split and fold almost completely flat.
The boot floor is made up of two panels which can be positioned at two heights, either lower to increase boot space or higher to make for a flatter floor when the rear seats are folded.
In their highest position there isn’t much of a lip between the boot space and tailgate, making it reasonably easy to slide heavy items out of the boot.
Both floor panels have a carpet surface on one side and a wipe-clean surface on the other, helpful when carrying wet or muddy items. The rearward panel can also be stood upright to divide the boot into two sections, to separate dry and wet items for example, or just to help stop your shopping rolling around.
Helpfully, the parcel shelf can be stored under the boot floor when required. A tyre repair kit in lieu of a spare wheel is standard – a proper spare wheel is available at extra cost. It’s worth noting that this option is not available if you spec the rich-sounding Bose stereo, as the woofers are positioned in the spare wheel well.
Plastic hooks to hang shopping bags on are moulded into the boot sides, while inside the cabin there is more interior storage space than before, with a large central storage box between the front seats. This features an aux-in socket, USB port and 12v socket for charging electrics, with a space under the lid to run a cable through so devices can be still be plugged in when not stowed in the box itself.
The tailgate opens higher than with its predecessor – with special provision so that you don’t bash your head on the tailgate (a fundamental problem on the Mk1 Qashqai) – and boot volume is now 430 litres with the seats up - 20 litres more than previously. On all trims the rear seats fold in a 60:40 split, but they don't lie completely flat.
The boot floor is made up of a pair of panels which can be positioned at two heights, either lower to increase boot space or higher to make for a flatter floor when the rear seats are folded.
In their highest position there isn’t much of a lip between the boot space and tailgate, making it reasonably easy to slide heavy items out of the boot.
Both floor panels have a carpet surface on one side and a wipe-clean surface on the other, helpful when carrying wet or muddy items. The rearward panel can also be stood upright to divide the boot into two sections, to separate dry and wet items for example, or just to help stop your shopping rolling around.
Helpfully, the parcel shelf can be stored under the boot floor when required. A tyre repair kit in lieu of a spare wheel is standard – a proper spare wheel is available at extra cost. It’s worth noting that this option is not available if you spec the rich-sounding Bose stereo, as the woofer speakers are positioned in the spare wheel well.
Plastic hooks to hang shopping bags on are moulded into the boot sides, while inside the cabin there is more interior storage space than before, with a large central storage box between the front seats. This features an aux-in socket, USB port and 12v socket for charging electrics, with a space under the lid to run a cable through so devices can be still be plugged in when not stowed in the box itself.
How safe is the Qashqai?
Rated five stars by Euro NCAP
Raft of up-to-date safety kit
Many items are optional
In the Euro NCAP test the Nissan Qashqai scored the full five stars, with particularly high scores for adult and child protection, as well as a strong score for pedestrian safety.
Various active safety technology systems are available under Nissan’s ‘Safety Shield’ banner. Depending on trim, some are standard and some are extras at extra cost – see the Equipment section for details.
Systems available include:
Blind Spot Warning – this has been upgraded to use radar sensors to detect vehicles hidden in the Qashqai’s blindspot - it illuminates a light in the corresponding windscreen pillar to warn the driver
Intelligent Driver Alertness – displays a warning on the instrument panel should steering inputs become erratic in a way that suggests the driver is drowsy
Front Collision Avoidance and Forward Emergency Braking – scans the road ahead via radar and issues an audible warning if it detects an imminent collision, before applying the brakes automatically in an emergency. Can now spot pedestrians too
High Beam Assist – automatically switches the headlamps from full beam to avoid dazzling other traffic
Lane Departure Warning – alerts the driver if they drift out of lane without indicating. This is actually very irritating in practice – it’s hair-trigger sensitive and emits a harsh beeping noise if you touch a white line
Moving Object Detection – should a moving object come within their range when manoeuvring, the Around View cameras trigger an audible warning and highlight the rough location of the object on the display screen
Traffic Sign Recognition – front-facing camera reads speed limit signs and displays them on the instrument panel; function works abroad in Europe, too
Rear Cross Traffic Alert - new in 2017's facelift is this system which will alert you if you're about to reverse into a road with a car approaching from the side
Watch: Nissan Qashqai Euro NCAP crash test video
Basic equipment
The basic equipment list includes equipment that is standard across all versions of the Nissan Qashqai.
3x3 point rear seat belts
ABS
Alarm
CD
Driver`s airbag
Electric mirrors
Folding rear seats
Front electric windows
Heated mirrors
Isofix child seat anchor points
PAS
Passenger`s airbag
Rear electric windows
Remote locking
Service indicator
Side airbags
Steering wheel rake adjustment
Steering wheel reach adjustment
Equipment by trim level
To view equipment options for a specific trim level, please select from the following list:
Equipment included on some trim levels
Air conditioning
Alloy wheels
Audio remote
Body coloured bumpers
Climate control
Cloth seat trim
Cruise control
Electric driver`s seat
Electric passenger`s seat
Front fog lights
Full size spare wheel
Heated seats
Height adjustable drivers seat
Leather seat trim
Lumbar support
Metallic Paint
Parking sensors
Partial leather seat trim
Roof rails
Sat Nav
Sports seats
Steel wheels
Traction control
Acenta equipment
Acenta standard equipment
Alloy wheels
Audio remote
Body coloured bumpers
Cloth seat trim
Cruise control
Front fog lights
Height adjustable drivers seat
Lumbar support
Acenta optional equipment
Parking sensors
Roof rails
Sat Nav
Traction control
Acenta Premium equipment
Acenta Premium standard equipment
Alloy wheels
Body coloured bumpers
Cloth seat trim
Cruise control
Front fog lights
Height adjustable drivers seat
Lumbar support
Parking sensors
Sat Nav
Acenta Premium optional equipment
Audio remote
Traction control
Acenta+ equipment
Acenta+ standard equipment
Alloy wheels
Audio remote
Body coloured bumpers
Cloth seat trim
Cruise control
Front fog lights
Height adjustable drivers seat
Lumbar support
Parking sensors
Sat Nav
Traction control
Acenta+ optional equipment
None available
Black Edition equipment
Black Edition standard equipment
Alloy wheels
Audio remote
Body coloured bumpers
Cruise control
Electric driver`s seat
Electric passenger`s seat
Front fog lights
Heated seats
Height adjustable drivers seat
Leather seat trim
Lumbar support
Metallic Paint
Parking sensors
Roof rails
Sat Nav
Traction control
Black Edition optional equipment
Partial leather seat trim
N-Connecta equipment
N-Connecta standard equipment
Alloy wheels
Audio remote
Body coloured bumpers
Cruise control
Front fog lights
Lumbar support
Parking sensors
Sat Nav
N-Connecta optional equipment
Cloth seat trim
Electric driver`s seat
Heated seats
Height adjustable drivers seat
Leather seat trim
Partial leather seat trim
Roof rails
Sports seats
Traction control
N-Motion equipment
N-Motion standard equipment
Alloy wheels
Audio remote
Body coloured bumpers
Cruise control
Front fog lights
Parking sensors
Roof rails
Sat Nav
N-Motion optional equipment
Climate control
Cloth seat trim
Electric driver`s seat
Full size spare wheel
Heated seats
Height adjustable drivers seat
Leather seat trim
Lumbar support
Metallic Paint
Partial leather seat trim
Sports seats
Traction control
N-Tec equipment
N-Tec standard equipment
Alloy wheels
Audio remote
Front fog lights
Height adjustable drivers seat
Lumbar support
Parking sensors
Sat Nav
N-Tec optional equipment
Body coloured bumpers
Cloth seat trim
Cruise control
Electric driver`s seat
Heated seats
Leather seat trim
Metallic Paint
Partial leather seat trim
Roof rails
Sports seats
Traction control
N-Tec+ equipment
N-Tec+ standard equipment
Alloy wheels
Audio remote
Body coloured bumpers
Cloth seat trim
Cruise control
Front fog lights
Height adjustable drivers seat
Lumbar support
Parking sensors
Roof rails
Sat Nav
Traction control
N-Tec+ optional equipment
None available
N-Vision equipment
N-Vision standard equipment
Alloy wheels
Audio remote
Body coloured bumpers
Cruise control
Electric driver`s seat
Front fog lights
Heated seats
Lumbar support
Parking sensors
Partial leather seat trim
Roof rails
Sat Nav
Traction control
N-Vision optional equipment
None available
Pilot One equipment
Pilot One standard equipment
Alloy wheels
Audio remote
Electric driver`s seat
Electric passenger`s seat
Front fog lights
Heated seats
Leather seat trim
Lumbar support
Parking sensors
Roof rails
Sat Nav
Traction control
Pilot One optional equipment
Body coloured bumpers
Cruise control
Metallic Paint
Premier Limited Edition equipment
Premier Limited Edition standard equipment
Alloy wheels
Audio remote
Body coloured bumpers
Cruise control
Electric driver`s seat
Front fog lights
Heated seats
Height adjustable drivers seat
Lumbar support
Parking sensors
Partial leather seat trim
Roof rails
Sat Nav
Traction control
Premier Limited Edition optional equipment
Electric passenger`s seat
Leather seat trim
Tekna equipment
Tekna standard equipment
Alloy wheels
Audio remote
Body coloured bumpers
Cruise control
Electric driver`s seat
Front fog lights
Heated seats
Lumbar support
Parking sensors
Roof rails
Sat Nav
Tekna optional equipment
Electric passenger`s seat
Height adjustable drivers seat
Leather seat trim
Partial leather seat trim
Traction control
Tekna+ equipment
Tekna+ standard equipment
Alloy wheels
Audio remote
Body coloured bumpers
Cruise control
Electric driver`s seat
Electric passenger`s seat
Front fog lights
Heated seats
Leather seat trim
Lumbar support
Parking sensors
Roof rails
Sat Nav
Tekna+ optional equipment
Metallic Paint
Traction control
Visia equipment
Visia standard equipment
Air conditioning
Audio remote
Body coloured bumpers
Cloth seat trim
Cruise control
Height adjustable drivers seat
Steel wheels
Visia optional equipment
Lumbar support
Parking sensors
Traction control
Euro NCAP Rating – 5 stars
The Nissan Qashqai was tested by Euro NCAP in 2014 and was awarded a 5 star overall rating.
This overall rating is calculated from the following individual ratings:
Euro NCAP provides motoring consumers with a realistic and independent assessment of the safety performance of some of the most popular cars sold in Europe.
The safety ratings are determined from a series of vehicle tests, designed and carried out by Euro NCAP.
These tests represent, in a simplified way, important real life accident scenarios that could result in injured or killed car occupants or other road users.