Nissan QASHQAI N-Design 2025 Review

The 2025 Nissan Qashqai N-Design is a new model that tops off a mild midlife facelift for the five-door five-seat compact SUV.

Priced at $54,365 plus on-road costs, it is the most expensive Qashqai to ever be sold by Nissan in Australia.

But at the same time the rest of the facelifted range pretty much holds the line on pricing compared to its predecessor. Mind you, the old Qashqai did go up a few hundred bucks on January 1, so there is kind-of a price rise going on (more on pricing in our separate news story, including details of some introductory special offers).

But it sure beats some of the multi-thousand-dollar ‘kick in the slats’ increases we’ve seen from the car industry in recent years.

In fact, when it first dropped into the Aussie market in 2023, the third-generation Qashqai (we called gen one Dualis in Australia) was pretty bloody expensive. But the rest are catching up now, so it’s a bonafide rival for serious players like the Toyota Corolla Cross, Mazda CX-30 and Hyundai Kona.

All-up, there are six models in the new Qashqai line-up, up from five previously. Pricing starts at $34,665 plus on-road costs for the ST and then climbs steadily through three model grades to the N-Design.

Nissan has changed the name of all bar the base model. While ST remains, ST+ becomes ST-L, ST-L becomes Ti and Ti becomes Ti-L. Nissan says this aligns Qashqai better with its SUV siblings like X-Trail.

ST, ST-L and Ti are 1.3-litre turbo-petrol, Ti-L adds e-POWER range extender hybrid and N-Design is exclusively e-Power, so the number of hybrids has doubled. But the pricing is going in the wrong direction. We need a sub-$50K Qashqai e-Power hybrid, not one threatening $60,000 on the road.

There is very little substantive change compared to the old model. The biggest change – I mean biggest outright, not just design – is the new three-part grille which cleverly leans out the look without requiring fresh sheetmetal.

The Ti and N-Design also introduce 20-inch alloy wheels to Australia for the first time.

All models in the range now come with the larger 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, while a 12.3-inch digital display is introduced further down the range at Ti (remembering it used to be ST-L).

All Qashqais also now get a connected car smartphone app, although the services are quite limited – there’s no SOS emergency call, for instance. But it is free for three years.

Another feature Qashqai now benefits from is Nissan’s new 5+5/300,000km warranty. The first five services (due every 12 months or 15,000km) are priced at $399 each, delivering a claimed saving of up to $1064 compared to the old scheme. Roadside assistance is also offered up to 10 years.

Across the grades all Qashqais come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and dual-zone climate control. The ST misses out on embedded satellite-navigation, a wireless phone charger, front parking sensors and an around-view safety camera.

A powered driver’s seat and heated front seats kick in at Ti, a panoramic sunroof, a powered front passenger seat and tailgate, leather trim, intelligent parking assist, a head-up display and Bose audio at Ti-L.

The N-Design includes Alcantara and leather seat trim among its mainly cosmetic exclusives, such as a two-tone black roof.

But curiously, despite being the most expensive model, the N-Design lacks the Ti-L’s powered passenger seat, Bose audio, luggage board system and intelligent park assist. That’s despite the Ti-L being $2000 cheaper as an e-Power and $6200 cheaper than the ICE version.

All Qashqais include autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and junction assist, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert with rear braking, traffic sign recognition with speed adaption and driver monitoring.

The Qashqai has a five-star ANCAP rating based on 2021 protocols, seven airbags, three child seat top tethers and two ISOFIX mounting points.

The 2025 Nissan Qashqai is little changed from its predecessor and in many ways that’s good news.

For a start, the efficiency of interior space utilisation is impressive. For a vehicle that measures up around 4.4 metres long, it has really impressive rear seat space, capable of fitting lanky teens and not just the kiddiwinkles.

And we love the way the rear doors open to 90 degrees-ish. That really does help parents stow the young ’uns, or help us oldies with bad hips to get in and out.

There is also a decent amount of comfort equipment back here as well. Adjustable air-con vents, two USB outlets, door bins that swallow bottles, dual map pockets and an armrest that folds down to reveal two cupholders.

Up-front passengers get similarly well looked after. The screens are large and legible, physical buttons for air-con and audio are retained and there are easy shortcuts to things like lane keeping and steering assist if you find them too intrusive.

For me, they’re fine on the freeway, a little too noticeable on surface roads.

Like the rear, storage is generous and well thought out. There’s a double-level lidded bin between the seats incorporating USBs, the phone charger is secure and the cupholders deep.

The leather and Alcantara seat – Alcantara also smothers the dash – adds a touch of class, although some more side bolstering would be appreciated.

That’s because the Qashqai is in the upper echelons of the class when it comes to handling and on-road behaviour. Driving the front wheels only, it does a decent job of separating the conflicting requirements of trying to steer and apply power through the same set of tyres.

Substantial 20-inch rubber helps significantly with grip, but at the cost of some ride absorption. It doesn’t become jangly, just a bit jabby over the sharper-edged rough stuff.

And what of the powertrain? The e-Power system works by making the petrol engine a slave to the e-motor and a small 2.1kWh battery pack. The motor drives the wheels, the engine drives the motor and recharges the pack.

It is possible to drive as an EV alone as long you don’t accelerate too hard or the battery charge depletes too far (it’s a very small battery, so it’s constantly recycling). In this mode, it’s obviously at its best around town.

Like any hybrid, the essential idea of the 2025 Nissan Qashqai N-Design e-Power’s powertrain is to save some fuel. The claim is 4.8L/100km, compared to as much as 6.1L/100km for the turbo-petrol engine.

During the launch test drive the N-Design’s trip computer estimated average consumption at 5.7L/100km on mostly open roads. That compares to 7.5L/100km to 8.0L/100km for the orthodox internal combustion engine over the same route on the same day.

So on the preferred 95 RON fuel at $1.80 per litre, you’re saving about $3.60 per 100km. Given the N-Design is about $6200 more expensive before on-road costs than the costliest turbo-petrol Ti-L Qashqai, it will take around 175,000km to recoup the difference in price.

The other thing you have to adapt to is the unique behaviour of e-Power. Because it’s focussed on battery charging, engine speed only loosely connects with road speed. It can even rev hard while coasting down a hill. It’s an odd experience but not a deal-breaker.

The e-motor’s 140kW/330Nm outputs really are compelling for a compact SUV. In the real world it feels smooth and instantly responsive in that typical EV way – there’s none of the petrol version’s lag and tetchiness.

But it seems past its best in the upper registers where the turbo-petrol engine seems more sustained. Driving via a single-speed reduction gear it feels a bit more monotone too. Unsurprisingly.

If storage is important then the turbo-petrol may also appeal more because it has a bigger boot. With the battery and an 18-inch spare tyre under the floor the N-Design has a reasonable 404 litres claimed, while the various ICE models boost that to as much as 504 litres.

The Ti-L hybrid misses out on a spare tyre – that means it has a larger 452-litre capacity than the N-Design. It also allows the Bose sound system and luggage boards to be fitted.

With the rear seat folded the N-Design’s boot grows to 1328 litres, although like all Qashqais there is a lip in the middle of the floor guaranteed to catch the pedals of your mountain bike.

The N-Design would not be my first pick in the 2025 Nissan Qashqai line-up. It’s great it’s got a spare tyre, but it doesn’t offer enough for the extra money to really demand your attention.

If e-Power is a must then the Ti-L at $52,365 makes more economic and equipment sense.

Or just buy a turbo-petrol Qashqai, save more money up-front, and be done with it.

Nissan’s done a good thing here by holding the line (almost) on pricing, while adding a bit of value to the equation and giving the styling an athletic tweak.

There was never much wrong with the Qashqai, it just cost too much. It’s definitely a compact SUV now worth considering even more seriously.

2025 Nissan Qashqai N-Design at a glance:
Price: $54,365 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol-electric
Output: 116kW (electric motor: 140kW/330Nm)
Combined output: 140kW/330Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Fuel: 4.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 112g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2021)

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