Over the past five years, automakers around the world have made ambitious commitments to move solely to battery-electric vehicles, but as sales growth for these models slows, brands are now immediately turning to hybrids.

In several markets around the world, including the United States, hybrids are poised to become more common, offering improved fuel economy over traditional ICE models without any of the range concerns that the you can feel with an electric vehicle. So it’s no surprise that Nissan decided now was the right time to launch a hybrid version of the popular Qashqai in Australia, another market where hybrid sales are booming and long journeys are common.

Read: 2024 Nissan Qashqai updated with e-Power hybrid in Australia

Nissan has been selling the Qashqai with its innovative e-Power transmission in Europe for over a year. Nonetheless, we were intrigued to see how it performed on the open road, so we planned a 1,700 km (~1,050 mile) road trip through parts of rural southeast Australia to see how it performed. he was up to the task. Does a hybrid powertrain in a vehicle like the Qashqai make sense? Let’s find out.

QUICK FACTS

Photo credits: Brad Anderson/Carscoops

While the third-generation Qashqai has been around since 2021 in some markets, it has only been available in the United States since last year. Nissan recently launched a revamped version of the Qashqai in Europe but basically it’s the same as the vehicle you see here, except for a few visual updates. This tweaked version is expected to arrive in Australia towards the end of the year.

Several different versions of the 2024 Qashqai are on sale. The range starts from AU$33,890 (~$22,800) for the Qashqai ST and rises to AU$37,890 (~$25,500) for the Qashqai ST+, $42,190 (~$28,400) for the Qashqai ST-L and $47,390 (~$31,900) for the Qashqai. Ti. All of these models come standard with an uninspiring 1.3-liter turbo engine, but the Ti can be configured with Nissan’s e-Power system for an additional AU$4,200 (~$2,800), which bumps it up the price at AU$51,590 (~$34,700). before travel costs, i.e. AU$56,743 (~$38,200) by car.

That’s a lot of money for an SUV of this size. Indeed, you can get the much larger and more practical mid-range X-Trail Ti for AU$55,701 (~$37,500) drive away. Certainly, it comes standard with a more thirsty 2.5-liter engine, but can be optioned with the same e-Power configuration for AU$59,978 (~$40,400).

The cabin

Although I was initially shocked by the starting price of the Qashqai Ti e-Power, after looking through the spec sheet it’s not unreasonable. Similar-spec hybrid versions of the Toyota RAV4 and Kia Sportage also cost around AU$55,000 (~$37,000). And, like the Sportage (not so much the RAV4…), the Qashqai’s interior seems to fit the price.

Photo credits: Brad Anderson/Carscoops

As with the last generation X-Trail, the cabin of the new age Qashqai is a significant improvement over the vehicle it replaces. In fact, I’d say it’s one of the best-appointed cabins I’ve ever seen in an SUV at this price, regardless of size. This may be hard to believe, given how outdated some older Nissan products are, but it’s true.

Like his big brother, the Qashqai The Ti comes standard with a handsome, soft-touch black leather flat-bottom steering wheel placed in front of a stunning 12.3-inch TFT digital instrument cluster. All locally available Qashqai Ti e-Power models have an interesting combination of black and dark blue leather, which I’m a big fan of, as it adds a bit of extra style to the cabin and sets it apart from its competitors.

Certainly, the black and blue leather suited our test car particularly well since it was painted Magnetic Blue with black accents. The blue leather might not complement that of the Qashqai painted in other colors, like Fuji Sunset Red or Burgundy.

All leather-covered surfaces are beautifully soft to the touch and almost as plush as the leather on current Mazda models. Other welcome features include a highly configurable 10.8-inch head-up display, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, and a 10-speaker audio system with Bose.

Other luxurious touches include the quilted pattern on the front and rear seats and even adjustable massage functions for those seated in the front, a feature not commonly found at this price point, which has turned out to be a very welcome addition to our long road trip. Nissan has also added a wireless smartphone charger and a fixed panoramic glass roof which add to the sense of space and premium feel.

Read: Nissan claims Guinness Bungee record, but other cars have fallen from greater heights

The Qashqai Ti e-Power also comes standard with Nissan’s ProPilot driver assistance suite. It includes adaptive cruise control with lane-centering operation that works seamlessly on well-marked highways, keeping us centered in the lane without any driver intervention.

The second row is surprisingly spacious. There is plenty of legroom and headroom for adults. The seats provide more than enough support and there is access to USB-A and USB-C charging ports. Rear luggage space is 452 liters (15.9 cubic feet) and rises to 1,518 liters (53.6 cubic feet) with the second row folded flat.

A smooth performer

Before driving the Qashqai, I had never experienced Nissan’s e-Power system. It’s a little different from most other hybrids on the market, because the 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder combustion engine does not drive the wheels. Instead, the motor is used exclusively to keep the 2.1 kWh battery charged, which then routes electricity to a single motor located on the front axle.

In total, the Qashqai Ti e-Power delivers 188 hp (140 kW) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque. Even though these numbers don’t seem that impressive, the SUV is actually quite fast and can reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.9 seconds. It also continues to pull strongly behind these speeds, meaning it’s adept at highway overtaking without feeling like you need to pull away.

Photo credits: Brad Anderson/Carscoops

The e-Power configuration not only delivers solid performance, but also improves fuel efficiency over the standard 1.3-liter turbo, while producing an additional 30 kW (40 hp) and 70 Nm (52 ​​lb-ft). Nissan claims it will consume an average of 5.2 l/100 km (45.2 US mpg) on ​​the combined cycle, compared to 6.1 l/100 km (38.5 US mpg) of the 1.3-litre. We averaged 5.8 l/100 km (40.5 mpg US) during our time with the Qashqai, but the vast majority of that was spent on highways at 110 km/h (68 mph). When driving at 100 km/h (62 mph) or less, we saw consumption figures as low as 5.0 l/100 km (47 US mpg).

Nissan has also done a brilliant job of making the cabin of the Qashqai Ti e-Power feel serene. It comes standard with active noise cancellation that cancels out ambient road noise, and it works wonders. The engine is also exceptionally quiet. In fact, several times during my two weeks with the Nissan, I couldn’t hear the engine at all, even under moderate acceleration, and had to look at the tachometer to see if it was actually on or if he had switched. in EV mode only.

Another benefit of the e-Power system is the inclusion of a regenerative braking system not found on all hybrids. The e-Pedal works very similarly to the Nissan Leaf and provides powerful regeneration, allowing you to drive with almost just a pedal. We say almost because the system won’t stop you completely but will slow you to a crawl, capturing energy in the process and putting it back into the battery.

The Qashqai’s steering feels very artificial and may seem over-assisted to some, but I liked it, especially considering the number of highway miles I covered with this vehicle. It’s light but lacks feedback, although the same can be said of many other cars on the market. The ride is on the firm side and it can be a little buffeted by speed bumps and potholes. It would have been nice if Nissan made it a little softer and better suited to Australia’s poor road surfaces.

The good thing about driving is that the Qashqai is incredibly nimble and is actually quite fun to navigate corners, even if the Continental EcoContact 6 tires scream in agony.

Verdict

I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect to love the Qashqai as much as I do. The quirky look won’t be to everyone’s taste, but the interior feels premium and is packed with features. The e-Power transmission also worked wonderfully and made the SUV fun to drive, as well as being very economical. It is a serious competitor to Kia Sportage And Toyota RAV4. It would be nice if it cost AU$5,000 (~$3,300) less, which would, however, allow it to undercut its competitors.

Photo credits: Brad Anderson/Carscoops