Nissan Qashqai celebrates its 20th anniversary
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Nissan is celebrating the Qashqai’s 20th anniversary this year. Since 2006, the Japanese carmaker has sold more than 4.1 million Qashqais in Europe, and the model has become one of the best-known names in the compact SUV segment. Over three generations, the Qashqai has evolved from a straightforward family car into an SUV with electrified powertrains and modern driver assistance systems.
Qashqai began as an alternative to the conventional hatchback
Development of the Qashqai began with a decision not to build a direct successor to the Almera hatchback. Instead, the company planned a car that would combine the dimensions and ease of use of a compact family car with the higher seating position of an SUV.
The first-generation Qashqai made its debut at the 2006 Paris Motor Show, with sales beginning in 2007. The new model quickly found buyers. Nissan sold 100,000 Qashqais in Europe in the first nine months, and global sales passed the one-million mark by early 2011.
The Qashqai was not the first compact SUV, but its success helped drive the segment’s rapid growth. In the years that followed, several rivals expanded their ranges, including Volkswagen, Peugeot, Hyundai and Kia. There are now more than 50 models in this class on the European market, with annual sales exceeding four million vehicles.
Three generations and increasingly advanced technology
The second-generation Qashqai reached the market in 2014. The new model featured a more modern design, improved safety systems and more fuel-efficient powertrains.
The third generation arrived in 2021, bringing more extensive changes. Nissan adopted the CMF-C platform, increased cabin space and expanded the range of electrified powertrains.
The current model’s most distinctive technical feature is its e-POWER hybrid powertrain.
Unlike a conventional full hybrid, the e-POWER system drives the wheels solely through an electric motor. The petrol engine acts as a generator, producing electricity for the drive motor and battery.
This configuration delivers the smooth acceleration characteristic of an electric car without requiring external charging.
The Qashqai with the latest e-POWER system has WLTP fuel consumption starting at 4.3 l/100 km. The manufacturer claims a range of up to 1,279 km on a single tank and a 0–100 km/h time as low as 7.6 seconds.
Since introducing e-POWER technology in 2022, Nissan has sold nearly 250,000 Qashqais with this powertrain in Europe.
Qashqai’s role in Europe’s automotive industry
The Qashqai has had close ties to Europe’s automotive industry from the outset.
The model is designed in London, engineered in Cranfield and manufactured in Sunderland, in the UK.
According to Nissan, Qashqai production in Sunderland supports approximately 6,000 direct jobs and a further 30,000 or so positions in the supply chain.
The company estimates that the model contributes an average of €3.2 billion a year to the UK economy.
In the European market, the Qashqai currently competes primarily with the Volkswagen Tiguan, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Peugeot 3008.
Nissan stands apart from its rivals with the e-POWER powertrain, which operates differently from the hybrid systems used by Toyota and Renault, for example. However, its real-world fuel consumption depends on driving conditions, and generating electricity with a petrol engine entails energy losses.
The Qashqai remains an important vehicle in Nissan’s European line-up. Over the coming years, it will have to compete with an increasingly broad range of electrified SUVs, with buyers’ decisions influenced primarily by price, fuel consumption, equipment and ease of use.
