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The Nissan Qashqai e-Power uses a clever hybrid system majoring on smoothness. Is it worth considering? Lawrence Allan gets behind the wheel to find out.
Things you'll like
- Smooth and relaxing drive
- Blends performance and efficiency well
- Solid, user-friendly cabin
Things to consider
- Rivals are sharper to drive
- Boot space isn’t the best
- PHEV option would benefit business users
What is the Nissan Qashqai e-Power?
Arguably the most important version of one of the most influential cars of the 21st century, that’s what. While saying the Nissan Qashqai ‘invented’ the crossover SUV is debatable, nobody can deny it made the genre as globally dominant as it is today.
Nearly two decades on from the original Qashqai arriving on the scene, SUV-style cars account for a third of UK new car sales. An in an even sharper trend change, hybrid cars are nearly four times as popular as diesels in 2025.
That’s why today’s Qashqai – a car with a majority diesel mix less than a decade ago – is only available with petrol or hybrid power. And it’s the hybrid Qashqai – dubbed ‘e-Power’ by Nissan – that we’re reviewing here.
Curiously, this e-Power system – which uses the engine as a generator for electricity rather than to power the wheels – isn’t used in any other UK Nissan. It’s not even used by alliance partner Renault, as it was developed entirely in-house by the Japanese brand. But is it any good? We’ll dive into the details.
Verdict: is the Nissan Qashqai e-Power a good car?
Putting aside the fact that choosing a Qashqai can be considered blending into the crowd, the updated e-Power hybrid model is quietly impressive. Comfortable and smooth, with effortless performance blending with good efficiency, the e-Power brings many of the benefits of an electric car without having to worry about plugging in.
Downsides? Well, its no longer up there with the most practical family SUVs, and it’s not a particularly engaging car for keen drivers. But as a solid, sensible all-rounder, the Qashqai e-Power is highly competitive.
Pricing, specs & rivals
The Qashqai e-Power is far from the cheapest hybrid SUV on sale – the exceptionally affordable MG ZS and Dacia Duster hybrids skew things – but it’s on a par with its closest competitors.
Prices start from £34,430 for the e-Power in Acenta Premium trim at the time of writing (March 2025). That’s just under £2,000 more expensive than the DIG-T 158 petrol automatic – a modest premium given the advantages of the e-Power hybrid.
Stepping up to N-Connecta trim bumps the price to £36,600, while N-Design and Tekna trims command identical premiums at £39,620.
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We wouldn’t recommend stepping up to Tekna+ trim, at £42,980, not only because the price is on the steep side for a Qashqai, but it’s also liable for the Luxury Car Tax surcharge adding a chunky extra annual fee for five years.
It’s not as if lower Qashqai e-Power variants are sparsely equipped, either. Acenta Premium models get 18-inch diamond-cut alloys, LED headlamps, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, dual-zone climate control, keyless start and a vast array of safety aids.
N-Connecta trim adds some detail exterior and interior design upgrades, privacy glass, part faux leather upholstery, Google built-in services (it’s well worth the upgrade for that alone), electric lumbar adjustment for the driver’s seat, wireless phone charging and a surround view camera system.
N-Design brings 20-inch wheels, adaptive LED headlights, brighter LED rear lights, two-tone paint, a panoramic glass roof, quilted leather and Alcantara upholstery, ambient lighting, an electric tailgate, electric adjustment for the driver’s seat and a head-up display.
Tekna trim trades some of N-Design’s styling upgrades for kit such as heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a heated windscreen and a Bose sound system upgrade. Finally, Tekna+ combines much of the kit from both trims including further electric seat adjustment for the front and massaging seats.
Rivals
There’s a huge number of family SUVs that offer both mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid technology, but for the Qashqai e-Power we’ll focus on rivals with similar ‘full hybrid’ tech.
These include the Renault Austral hybrid, the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson HEVs, the Ford Kuga HEV, the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4. The MG ZS Hybrid+ and the Dacia Duster are less sophisticated but more affordable alternatives, too.
Nissan Qashqai e-Power: Interior comfort, quality & technology
The Qashqai isn’t the newest kid on the block, and you might take a quick glance at the cabin and consider it a touch dated compared to, say, a Renault Austral or Nissan’s own Ariya. We reckon it’s one of the better, easier-to-use interiors in the family SUV class, however.
Despite all the technology upgrades this facelifted model gained in 2024 (more on that below) Nissan has bucked the trend for removing physical buttons. You find them on the steering wheel, on the doors, for the climate controls and as shortcuts for the touchscreen. Everything is intuitively laid out and easy to prod on the move.
The facelift also brought about a tangible uplift in quality, which was already pretty good before. Even entry-level models have plenty of soft-touch materials, but higher grades bring plush-feeling Alcantara trims and quilted leather to give a convincingly premium air.
The Qashqai’s driving position is excellent, too, with a comfortable and widely adjustable seat and well-positioned wheel. Most models have adjustable lumbar support, and higher grades bring electric adjustment. You get a more commanding view out than some rivals, too.
Rear visibility is a bit more limited than some alternatives with thinner pillars and more glass, but rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are standard fitment. N-Connecta trim and above bring a clever surround-view camera system that gives you a 3D view and even a function that makes the car’s bonnet invisible so you can see what’s beneath the front-end – handy.
Infotainment, sat-nav, stereo and connectivity
The pre-facelift Qashqai’s cabin technology wasn’t the slickest. Its infotainment system, in particular, was functional but not exactly modern and crisp. For 2024-on the centre screen and its software has been greatly improved.
Like Renault, Nissan has embraced ‘Google built-in’ technology – replacing Nissan’s own sat-nav with the excellent Google Maps, while also adding functions like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa to bring easy and clever voice control. Only the entry-level trim doesn’t benefit from this tech.
The 12.3-inch touchscreen itself, fitted to all models is much clearer and brighter with nicer graphics, and bar some fiddly menus it’s easy to use. Likewise, the digital dial display is easy to get along with, even if it isn’t the glitziest system out there.
All versions get wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, too, with wireless phone charging standard from N-Connecta and above. There are also front and rear USB-Cs. The standard stereo delivers acceptable sound quality, but the Bose upgrade is much punchier.
How practical is the Nissan Qashqai e-Power?
In terms of exterior dimensions, the Nissan Qashqai certainly isn’t the largest family SUV out there. Its length of 4,425mm is particularly compact for the class and over 20cm shorter than the Ford Kuga, for example. That, combined with a width of 1,835mm and a height of 1,625mm, does make it quite easy to park at least.
We’ve no complaints about the level of space up front. Six-plus footers will find ample head space and legroom to sit in comfort, and even the slight space-robbing effect of the panoramic glass roof on certain trims doesn’t pose any issues for taller folk. There’s also enough width in the cabin to avoid rubbing elbows.
In the rear the Qashqai is pretty good, if not as overly generous as some of its biggest rivals. Its easy to get in, for starters, thanks to wide opening doors, while headroom is good – although the glass roof option does have more of an impact for taller passengers than in the front. Legroom is fine, if not outstanding, but the footwells could be deeper and the seats themselves don’t support your thighs as well as some alternatives.
Storage and boot space
Storage in the Qashqai is acceptable rather than outstanding for a family SUV, with a reasonable glovebox, a two-stage cubby under the centre armrest, a couple of cupholders in the centre console, a tray for your phone and door bins that are just about big enough – if a bit tight.
In the rear you’ll find a centre armrest with a pair of cupholders, a pair of USB-C ports, door bins that will take big bottles and some rather small pockets on the front seatbacks. It’s a pity there’s no clever storage touches beyond the usual details, but it’s fine overall.
The rear seats aren’t all that clever, either. Not only do they not slide back and forth or recline like you’ll find in rivals like the Ford Kuga, they also only fold in a 60/40 split rather than the more versatile 60/40 split.
Boot space is somewhat confusing for the whole Qashqai range, with three capacity figures depending on trim levels.
There’s 504 litres of space in the entry-level version, 479 litres in mid-spec trims that have a handy split boot floor separating the load area into individual sections, and 455 litres in high-spec models fitted with the Bose sound system and its boot-mounted subwoofer.
The differences only really affect underfloor storage, however, and crucially the e-Power’s hybrid tech doesn’t impact boot space on any version. Still, in capacity terms the boot is a good deal smaller than the Hyundai Tucson and Ford Kuga, despite having a usefully wide opening and neat practicality details. That’s the price you pay for the Qashqai’s shorter body length.
Performance & drive: What is the Nissan Qashqai e-Power like on the road?
Both when looking at on-paper figures and driving it on the road, the e-Power hybrid is the most convincing performer of the Qashqai range by some margin. The way it works take a little explaining, however.
There’s a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine on board, but at no point does it drive the wheels. Instead, the car’s 190hp output is put to the wheels through an electric motor – the engine only ever acts as a generator to send charge to a battery. That means no gearbox is required.
You could call it a range-extender hybrid, which differs from the system in rivals like Hyundai and Kia which uses two power sources to drive the wheels. In practice, it means the Qashqai e-Power feels more like an electric car most of the time than many alternatives, with a smooth power delivery and no gearchanges to feel.
Accelerate hard and the electric motor delivers similarly instant performance to an EV, too, feeling reasonably brisk and effortlessly getting up to speed on slip roads and the like. The engine holds its revs high to generate full power, but while you can hear it clearly, it’s not a grating noise like in some hybrids.
Around town the e-Power can keep itself in electric-only mode for a decent amount of time, while you get regenerative braking that can be made stronger with Nissan’s ‘e-Pedal’ mode activated. Overall, while we’d stop well short of calling it a fun driving experience, the Qashqai e-Power’s blend of performance and smoothness is very enjoyable.
One downside to the e-Power version of the Qashqai is that there’s no four-wheel drive versions available. The e-Power also has a much-reduced braked towing limit than the petrol models, but that’ll only be an issue for those towing a caravan.
Power, 0-62mph times
- Qashqai e-Power (all versions): 190hp/ 7.9 seconds
Ride and handling
The Qashqai drives with a clear comfort focus, with light and easy controls matching with the smooth hybrid system to deliver an effortless, almost premium car feel. A decent turning circle adds to this to make it a good town car.
Despite models with the largest 20in wheels getting more sophisticated rear suspension than lesser variants, the big wheels can still make it fidget a bit on poor surfaces, but overall the Qashqai e-Power is a smooth riding car – particularly so on the motorway.
Compared with a Ford Kuga or Kia Sportage the Qashqai does have more body roll and less of a feeling of connection to the front wheels, so it feels less sporty overall. We don’t reckon this is an issue for a family SUV, however, and there’s plenty of grip and a decent level of composure.
Noise and refinement
The Qashqai e-Power is at its best around town or at a constant cruise, where the engine is either off or charging the battery at low revs. Ask for full power and you do get a bit of engine noise to remind you it’s not an EV – it’s a slightly gruff three-cylinder note, but it’s quiet and many may prefer this to the drone of rival four-cylinder hybrids.
The lack of gearchanges is also great for smooth and relaxing progress, while neither wind nor road noise are a problem in the Qashqai. Overall, it’s a well-sorted car for long distances.
Euro NCAP: is the Nissan Qashqai e-Power a safe car?
The latest generation Nissan Qashqai was crash tested by Euro NCAP back in 2021 and awarded the maximum five-star rating, making it a safe car for families.
It’s up there with the very best in its class, in fact, with individual scores of 91% for both adult and child occupant protection and a seriously impressive 95% rating for safety assist technology.
Along with the usual automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keep assist, driver attention monitoring and traffic sign recognition, its great to see blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert as standard even on entry-level trims. We also like that a custom function allows you to save which functions you’d rather weren’t activated on start-up and default to that with one button press.
The e-Power is even more highly equipped than the standard petrol Qashqai, with all trims also getting Nissan’s ProPilot driver assistance that can keep the car in the centre of your lane on faster roads, working alongside adaptive cruise control for more relaxing long-distance drives.
Fuel economy and running costs
It used to be very rare for the most powerful model in a car’s range to also be the most fuel efficient, but with hybrid technology becoming the norm models like the Qashqai e-Power let you have your cake and eat it.
Depending on which trim level and wheel size you go for, the e-Power manages between 53 and 55mpg combined on the WLTP testing regime. That makes it around 10 miles per gallon more efficient than the petrol Qashqai’s DIG-T 158 automatic equivalent – impressive.
Those on-paper figures are also better than several key hybrid rivals, including the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Ford Kuga, although the MG ZS matches it and the Renault Austral E-Tech promises 60mpg.
Like its rivals, the Qashqai ePower makes less sense to company car drivers because its minimal electric range brings no Benefit-in-Kind tax savings. The fact that Nissan doesn’t offer a plug-in hybrid model in the Qashqai line-up restricts its appeal to business customers compared with some alternatives.
How much does the Nissan Qashqai e-Power cost to insure?
The Qashqai e-Power shouldn’t break the bank in terms of insurance costs, and compared to the Ariya EV it should be cheaper across the board.
Insurance groups for the ePower model are a bit higher than the standard petrol Qashqai, however, starting in group 24 and rising to group 30 for the highest spec Tekna+ model. Those groups are also higher than the equivalent Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage hybrid, too.
Nissan Qashqai e-Power FAQs
What does e-Power mean on a Nissan?
e-Power is Nissan’s term for its full (self-charging) hybrid system found in the Qashqai in the UK, and some other models in other markets. The e-Power system uses a petrol engine only to generate electricity for an electric motor powering the car. It’s a different drivetrain to the one found in the Nissan Juke Hybrid.
Does Nissan ePower save fuel?
Yes, the e-Power system in the Nissan Qashqai is more fuel efficient than the car’s other engine options, despite having more performance. Official figures show the Qashqai e-Power is around 10mpg more efficient than the mild-hybrid petrol automatic.
Is Nissan e-Power any good?
We reckon the Qashqai e-Power is an excellent hybrid car thanks to a smooth, EV-like driving experience, good performance and strong fuel economy.
