Nissan QASHQAI e-Power Ti 2024 Review

Available in premium Ti form only, the Qashqai e-Power is no steal at $52,090 before the on-road costs. Some Qashqai buyers will no doubt consider alternative versions such as the conventional 1.3-litre turbo-petrol Ti, which brings all the luxuries but is $4,200 less expensive than the e-Power variant. Or they might consider shopping at the lower end of the Qashqai range where the 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine is the standard powertrain and pricing begins at $34,390 for the base-grade ST model, progressing through $38,390 for the ST+, $42,690 for the ST-L and $47,890 for the non-hybrid Ti.

The e-Power Qashqai’s small SUV rivals include significantly stronger-selling hybrids such as the Hyundai Kona Premium N-Line which is tagged at $46,500 pre-ORCs, Subaru’s Crosstrek mild hybrid S at $45,090 pre-ORCs and the Chinese-built Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid, which is quoted with a drive-away price of just $38,990.

Pricing for entry and mid-spec versions of the Hyundai Kona and Subaru Crosstrek is grouped quite closely with similarly equipped Qashqais. The outlier $26,990 driveaway Haval Jolion stays true to cut-price principles.

In a first-time encounter with the interior, the e-Power Ti Qashqai makes a big impression. The massaging front seats and part-leather trim set an upbeat tone which continues with eight-way power-seat adjustment for both front passengers, heated cushioning with electric lumbar support and, for the driver only, memory adjustment settings. There’s also a panoramic sunroof, a booming 10-speaker BOSE sound system, two-zone climate control with air vents for back seat passengers, a head-up display and a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The Qashqai is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and servicing is required every year, or 10,000km (conventional-driveline Qashqais stretch the kilometres between services to 12,000km). There’s a choice of capped-price individual services or pre-paid servicing plans in blocks of years. Choosing the pre-paid plan will cost the customer $723 for two years (two services), $1,152 for three years, $1,650 for four years and $2,007 for five years.

Like all of Nissan’s models, the Qashqai offers roadside assistance for the first five years after initial registration.

There are not many blank spaces in the e-Power Ti Qashqai’s five-star safety equipment roll call.

It begins with autonomous emergency braking (low speed only though) in forward and reverse, pedestrian avoidance, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring with active assist, cross-traffic alert (rear-only), front and rear parking sensors, driver attention detection and road sign recognition. Parking cameras can identify moving objects while providing bird’s eye viewing, and they are also at the core of the Qashqai’s self-parking function. Premium-class active-shadowing LED headlights are a standard fitting on the e-Power Ti.

The flagship Qashqai also edges closer to autonomous driving capabilities with the help of Nissan’s pin-sharp, ProPilot lane-tracking system. The seven-airbag count includes a front-centre bag to help protect driver and passenger from making contact during a collision. The Qashqai earned itself a five-star safety rating in 2021.

The Qashqai e-Power is tech-rich with four USB-C ports located in front and rear, wireless smartphone charging, the powerful BOSE 10-speaker sub-woofer-equipped sound system mentioned earlier, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. A downer is that only CarPlay is wireless – Android phones need to be plugged in.

The e-Power Qashqai’s hybrid driveline is the most distinctive weapon in its mechanical arsenal.

Nissan has managed to come up with a system that largely side-steps the frustrations and annoyance of CVTs and ends up feeling and acting so much like a pure EV that you would swear in some circumstances that’s exactly what it is. Just like an EV, the Qashqai has a single-speed reduction gear system that works with the front-mounted electric motor to deliver a steady surge of power across the speed range.

This is enabled by the 116kW/250Nm 1.5-litre variable-compression turbo-petrol engine which has the job of either directly feeding power to the electric motor via an inverter, or charging the e-Power’s lithium-ion battery pack – which also picks up a boost via a regenerative braking system that kicks in when the accelerator is released or the brakes are applied.

The combined output figures for the Qashqai e-Power are quoted at 140kW and 330Nm, a lot more than the 110kW/250Nm of the non-hybrid Qashqai’s 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo engine.

The official fuel consumption and CO2 emission figures for the e-Power Qashqai are 5.2L/100km and 117g/km respectively. Like the power outputs, the fuel consumption and emissons figures for the Qashqai e-Power are measurably better than non-hybrid Qashqais, which are 6.1L/100km and 138g/km. These economy figures are basically equalled by Haval’s Jolion hybrid but are well short of the power-deficient Kia Kona hybrid which is quoted at 3.9L/100km and 88g/km. On review, our Qashqai came close to matching the factory figure by recording an average of 5.4L/100km. A downside is that all Nissan Qashqais, including the e-Power hybrid, require 95 RON fuel.

Combine the e-Power Qashqai’s stealthy driveline with its in-cabin active noise cancellation technology and you have a small SUV that’s as quiet on the road as many premium-class vehicles – ICE, hybrid or even EV.

Although not all hybrids manage it, the Qashqai e-Power banishes noise or vibrations from the reciprocating engine just about all the time. As already mentioned, the experience is more EV-like than any other hybrid that comes to mind – including PHEVs.

The meaty combined power outputs take care of the e-Power’s weight increase (it’s 209kg heavier than the non-hybrid Qashqai Ti), so the silent accelerator response, all the way from rest, has that solid, satisfyingly steady surge that is so much a part of the EV experience.

If there’s a downside, it’s that the e-Power’s torque can override the front-drive Qashqai e-Power’s happy relationship with the road surface when accelerating hard, with torque-steer often evident when some steering wheel lock is applied.

The all-independent, MacPherson strut front/multilink rear suspension combination contributes to the e-Power Qashqai’s ride quality and on-road composure, but the extra weight takes some of the edge off the Nissan SUV’s lauded on-road agility. If anything is lost, it’s compensated in part by a smoother ride over sharp-edged road imperfections that highlight the Qashqai’s slight vulnerability – thanks partly to the standard 19-inch wheels.

The steering is well weighted and, at 2.6 turns from lock to lock, relatively high-geared, playing a big role in the Qashqai’s agility and on-road eagerness. The park function is selected by pressing a button on top of the lever to avoid any confusion about whether park or reverse has been selected. The all-ventilated disc brake system is well is appropriately capable for the Qashqai e-Power Ti.

As with many hybrids, towing is not so much a dirty word, as a slightly soiled one: The towing capacity is a barely worthwhile 750kg (compared to 1500kg for other Qashqai models).

The Qashqai’s cabin is not only surprisingly spacious for a small SUV, it barely misses out on premium classification.

There’s precious little evidence of the smoke-and-mirrors that contrive to create an upmarket impression. The finer details pass close examination and soft-touch surfacing extends deeper into the furnishings than the average for most small SUVs.

The three-way front seat massaging is a big winner, as are the wide-opening rear doors that provide access to a generously cushioned space with better than simply workable rear legroom, as well as a centre armrest and adjustable venting at the end of the centre console.

There’s split-fold access to the boot, which factors in the hybrid battery’s greed for under-floor space through a rearrangement of the available load capacity. The boot itself is actually larger (452 litres) than the regular Qashqai’s 418 litres, but that’s clearly achieved by the replacement of the spare wheel with a repair kit, and hardly compensates for the maximum capacity’s reduction from 1523 litres to (an arguably still-useable) 1376 litres when the rear seat is folded.

But it’s hard not to like the boot-floor dividers that make it easier to load and contain luggage, or the tailgate that can be kick-operated or opened by remote control.

Qashqai shoppers are faced with a dilemma: While there’s no disputing that the e-Power Ti variant brings a new level of hybrid technology, it does come at a cost. Consequently, it’s difficult to see where the lived experience is justified.

The hybrid driveline is arguably the most impressive of its kind in daily operation, but it’s not the most efficient, neither in day-to-day consumption nor for the need to run on 95 RON fuel, although its fuel economy is in the same ballpark as most hybrids.

From a different perspective, however, the Qashqai e-Power is unlikely to disappoint those who appreciate Nissan’s decision to go premium with fit and finish, particularly in the cabin. It will be interesting to see how the anticipated ST-L version of the Qashqai e-Power will shape up.

There’s little question that the Nissan Qashqai e-Power Ti still remains in a league of its own.

2024 Nissan Qashqai e-Power Ti at a glance:

Price: $52,090 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol-electric
Output: 116kW/250Nm (electric motor: 140kW/330Nm)
Combined output: 140kW
Transmission: Reduction gear
Fuel: 5.2L/100km
CO2: 117g/km
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP Year 2021)

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