Used Nissan Qashqai 2007 - 2013 review

The first-generation version of the Nissan Qashqai was actually a huge gamble. It was one of the first family-sized SUVs on the market, at a time when such things weren't as sought after as they are today. If buyers hadn't taken to the rugged looks of the Qashqai or to its unusual name, it could have brought Nissan to its knees, but luckily it was an instant success and went on to spawn hundreds of rivals in its wake.

Part of the reason for its success was that despite looking like an SUV and offering decent practicality and a raised-up driving position, the Qashqai is actually closer in size to traditional family hatchbacks, such as the Ford Focus and VW Golf, so it was easy to drive too, and economical to run.

Buyers after seven seats could even choose a Qashqai +2 version, with two extra seats in a lengthened boot area. Both cars remained on sale until the arrival of the all-new second-generation Qashqai in 2013.

Engines: Under the bonnet, it offered a simple but decent range of engines. It started with the 1.5-litre dCi diesel, which in time turned out to be the best all-rounder and the best-seller, with more than adequate performance, good refinement and, eventually, a reasonable reliability record. There was also a more powerful and more grumbly 1.6 diesel as well as a punchy 2.0-litre diesel option.

The 1.6-litre petrol option was less impressive but perfectly fine for low mileage driving. A higher-powered but slow-selling and thirsty 2.0-litre petrol version was also available. Those that need four-wheel drive or an automatic gearbox had to go for a 2.0-litre engine (petrol or diesel) if buying a pre-2012 Qashqai.

A new 1.6-litre dCi diesel was introduced in 2012 to replace the 2.0-litre unit and it's both more powerful and more economical than the 1.5, though the smaller engine is cheaper to buy. Four-wheel drive can be specified with the 1.6-litre dCi diesel, although most Qashqais in the classifieds are front-wheel drive.

Trims and equipment: In terms of specifications, early Qashqais were offered in Visia, Acenta and Tekna trim levels and even the base models are adequately equipped. The Tekna does, however, look more impressive thanks to its larger alloy wheels and other styling upgrades. Just don’t forget that the bigger wheels mean a less comfortable ride.

Even higher specification versions were offered later in the life of the first-generation Qashqai in the form of the N-tec and 360, equipped with high levels of safety equipment and technology as standard.

Ride and handling: To drive, the Qashqai was no sports car, of course, but the performance was always adequate and it steered and handled well.

The Nissan Qashqai was designed to be comfortable on the road first and foremost and in most trims it's one of the best cars in the class in terms of absorbing speed bumps and potholes. That said, it's worth bearing in mind that examples with larger alloy wheels are less comfortable, if more controlled feeling in the corners.

It does offer a raised ride height and driving position over those cars, but the boot is no larger, nor more useful, and the rear seats aren't especially spacious. The interior is well-made, however, and feels of a high quality.

If you're interested in buying a used Nissan Qashqai, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used cars for sale pages.

Prices for the first-generation Nissan Qashqai range from £2000 for early 1.6-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel cars with well over 150,000 miles on the clock, to about £8000 for the last diesel examples piled high with equipment and with low mileage. Remember condition is king when buying any first-gen Qashqai at this age, so check its history carefully.

MPG

The 1.5-litre diesel Qashqai returns an average of 52.3mpg in the older official tests, while the 1.6-litre petrol manages 42.2mpg. In reality, though, the diesel will get closer to its official economy figure, because the petrol engine needs to be revved hard to maintain progress.

Insurance

The Qashqai starts at insurance group 13, working its way up to group 20, so premiums shouldn't be too bad.

Servicing

Franchised dealer servicing costs are noticeably higher than for a Ford Focus or VW Golf, so on a car of this age you might want to consider finding a reliable independent garage to save yourself some money on maintenance.

If your budget allows, go for a post-2010 Qashqai, as the model was facelifted then, sharpening up the appearance of the nose and interior and adding the Puredrive diesel version, which has the lowest emissions.

The Puredrive is powered by one of the most common engines, the 1.5-litre dCi diesel, and it officially returns as much as 57.6mpg. It's the best all-rounder, with adequate performance, good refinement and a well-proven reliability record.

At this age, the Tekna does look more impressive than other trims thanks to its larger alloy wheels and other styling upgrades. Just don’t forget that the bigger wheels mean less comfort.

Our favourite used Nissan Qashqai: 1.5 dCi Tekna

Because the Nissan Qashqai straddles the SUV and family hatchback camps, there are loads of potential alternatives, although it depends on whether your budget fits an early example or a post-facelift car.

Family hatchbacks such as the Ford Focus and VW Golf are plentiful at any budget or year, and while they don’t have the Qashqai’s raised ride height and driving position, they have nearly as much space inside and come in a wide variety of specifications to suit all preferences.

The first-generation Hyundai Tucson could be considered a rival to the early Qashqais, but it’s much noisier and nowhere near as comfortable. It’s also more expensive to run.

The Hyundai ix35, which was introduced in 2009, is far closer to the Nissan Qashqai in concept and it offers plenty of equipment and a five-year manufacturer warranty.

Among later (and more expensive) rivals, try the 2016 onwards Seat Ateca, a class-leading family SUV that takes the original Qashqai concept one step further by being both practical and good to drive.

If you're interested in buying a used Qashqai, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classified pages here.

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