Nissan Qashqai interior, tech and practicality

Comfort is one of the Nissan Qashqai’s strongest points. The squidgy seats are very supportive, and Nissan has included soft knee pads on some trim levels so you don’t hit the hard centre console. Most of the materials have a quality feel – it’s obviously not a Mercedes but it’s much better than the previous Qashqai. There's a nice strip of leather-effect material running the width of the dash that lifts the cabin quality somewhat and, from 2024, higher-end models swap this out for an even posher faux-suede material.

Very tall passengers may find headroom in the front to be a little on the tight side – especially if the optional glass roof is fitted – so make sure you test it out before you buy. Thankfully, the rear seats aren't set bolt upright so taller people can, at least, slouch down in the back seats.

The dashboard should also be easy to use on the move, with proper buttons for all the major driving and climate functions. You'll find the infotainment system is within easy reach and includes shortcut buttons to quickly skip to different areas. Its logical design isn’t particularly innovative but it will be painless to live with on a day-to-day basis.

All-round visibility is generally good but, like many modern cars, thick rear pillars mean rear visibility could be better. At least rear parking sensors are fitted as standard and nearly all cars get a rear-view camera. Spec enhancements in 2024 meant the rear-view camera became standard, while N-Connecta models and upwards now get a swish 3D around-view camera system. This setup virtually maps the environment around you, allowing you to get a clear view from any angle of the direction you're heading through the screen.

There is an entry-level trim in the Qashqai called the Visia, but few people choose it so it’s a rare model. It offers LED headlights and a range of driver assistance tech including blind-spot monitoring, high-beam assist and adaptive cruise control, but misses out on alloy wheels and, notably, a touchscreen. This trim was dropped entirely from 2024, leaving Acenta Premium as the new entry point.

Acenta Premium includes both alloys and a touchscreen, plus keyless start, two-zone climate control, a rear-view camera and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone connectivity. N-Connecta is next, adding front parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, privacy glass, ambient lighting and 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels.

Tekna ups the size of the wheels again, and also includes wireless phone charging, a huge head-up display, a powered tailgate and a glass roof. If that’s still not enough, top-spec Tekna+ gets massaging quilted leather seats, a Bose sound system and 20-inch alloys.

From 2024, Nissan made spec enhancements to this lineup. Acenta Premium now gains the largest screen setup available, while N-Connecta gets wireless phone charging, a frameless rear-view mirror, an enhanced 3D parking camera and built-in Google software, so you can use your existing Google Maps settings through the car's screen, for example.

2024 also saw the addition of N-Design trim. This gets 20-inch alloy wheels, dark-coloured details in the bumpers, and two-tone paint with black roof rails. Inside, there's upgraded upholstery featuring Alcantara and leather, along with multi-colour ambient lighting.

The radio display you get in the Visia looks pretty poor and lacks the functionality in higher-spec cars – you do at least get Bluetooth connectivity but it’s hard to operate without a screen. You probably want to get at least the Acenta Premium trim, with its nine-inch touchscreen. This gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone mirroring so, even if you don’t get the built-in sat nav that comes on higher trims, you can navigate using your smartphone’s apps.

This nine-inch screen was standard on all trims except Visia until June 2022, when the top three trim levels were boosted with a 12.3-inch touchscreen. This screen is much wider and has a lot more space to display information, at the expense of the twiddly volume and tuning dials. We think this screen looks more modern than the smaller screen and may age better. Although both screens have fuzzier graphics than the Hyundai Tucson, so you might want to use your phone’s apps to bypass Nissan’s system anyway.

One of Nissan's key focuses for the 2024 update was enhancing the Qashqai's screen setup. As a result, all models now get a pair of 12.3-inch screens as standard for the driver and the infotainment system. What's more, all versions apart from entry-level Acenta Premium cars get baked-in Google software. That means you don't need to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to access Google Maps for navigation – although those functions are still there if you prefer. This saves your phone's data and lets you to use the app settings specifically tied to your Google account.

The first thing you’ll notice when you open the Qashqai’s doors is just how far they open, which’ll make it a doddle to get child seats – or grumpy toddlers – in and out. Once you’re inside, you’ll notice there’s more space than in the last Qashqai. Rear-seat room is competitive with rivals, and tall adults will be able to sit one behind the other. Three adults sitting side-by-side on the back row will be fine on shorter journeys although some foot space is robbed by the transmission tunnel.

Storage space is good, too, with door bins that can hold large bottles, seatback pockets and extra cupholders in the central armrest that can be pulled down when the fifth seat isn’t in use. You also get air vents, USB ports and two sets of Isofix points, making the Qashqai a good family vehicle.

Having gained up to 70 litres of boot space versus the old Qashqai, the new model is now reasonably competitive with rivals. You now get a 504-litre boot on Visia and Acenta Premium cars, while higher-spec cars have 25 litres less than that as they feature luggage dividers that allow you to separate the boot into sections. The Qashqai is roughly on a par with the Ford Kuga and SEAT Ateca, but you do get more boot space in a Skoda Karoq or Kia Sportage.

Fold the seats down and you get up to 1,447 litres of space to fill, provided you’re happy loading to the roof. There’s a false boot floor that can be used to create a flat load area for large items.

Like other hybrid rivals, the Qashqai E-Power has a bulky battery pack to store energy that drives the wheels. Most cars in this class put the pack under the boot floor, which robs some under-floor space. The Qashqai, however, doesn't do this, so hybrid models have the same practical 504-litre space as regular petrol-powered versions.