Kia Sorento vs Nissan Qashqai

What's the difference?

The Kia Sorento S diesel AWD is a solid buy option in the lower-spec realm of the market. This AWD SUV is not spectacular but it manages to be competitive and, as a seven-seater with updated technology and some good features, it does have ample potential as a daily-driving family mover.

However, if you want more safety tech and more premium accoutrements, you’re likely better off forking out the extra $10,000 or so and getting a top-spec Sorento GT-Line instead.

The facelifted Nissan Qashqai N-Design e-Power is a well-rounded package. It offers comfort, style and decent efficiency. The on-road experience will be the winning factor as it’s sure-footed and easy going to drive. You’ll have the best of both worlds in the city with the hybrid powertrain and small SUV size, which makes this a winner in my books.

The Sorento’s exterior is stunningly inoffensive. So, for anyone looking for an SUV that won’t make passers-by dry retch that’s all boxes ticked, I reckon.

The cabin feels family-friendly and functional. It's a basic but well designed space, although there’s no getting past the fact this is at the cheaper end of the Sorento line-up as its cloth seats and expanses of hard plastic remind you.

That said, chrome-like touches and faux hand-stitching go some way towards balancing out that impression.

The low-slung dashboard with integrated 12.3-inch touchscreen dominates the front of the cabin in a good way.

The Qashqai is sharply styled with crisp pleating across the body panels and the N-Design comes with unique 20-inch alloy wheels, sequential turn signals and extra black accents across its body which adds to its sporty road-side presence. Our test model’s Fuji Sunset Red paintwork also adds a bit of spice to the kerb appeal.

The cabin immediately feels high end with the mix of synthetic leather and suede that is scattered liberally across the seats, dashboard and doors. The black headliner makes the cabin feel cosy but it becomes bright and airy when you open it to reveal the panoramic sunroof.

The dashboard features both traditional and modern elements with its buttons and dials and the dual 12.3-inch displays, which will satisfy fans of both.

The design looks great, it's plush and well-built inside. The only drawback is how the synthetic leather on the seat feels as it’s a bit too plasticky for my liking but otherwise, the Qashqai has a lovely cabin that should appeal to a lot of people.

This Sorento is 4815mm long (with a 2815mm wheelbase), 1700mm high and 1900mm wide.

As mentioned earlier, the interior is quite basic and simply designed, but with a low-key classiness about it. 

The driver’s seat is six-way manually-adjustable with a pump-action for height, so pin-pointing your preferred position is a welcome minor workout unto itself.

The front seats are adequately comfortable without being too plush – that’s fine with me – and from there driver and passenger have ready access to plenty of storage and cupholders (including two in the front, four in the second row and two in the rear seat) and charging options (including two USB charge points in the front console and one 12V power outlet behind the centre console and one in the cargo area).

My teenagers weren’t impressed at all with the fact they had to plug their smartphones into charge points at the front. Oh, the torture!

The 12.3-inch digital multimedia system has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, both wired or wireless, and it’s an easy-to-use set-up with a crisp screen.

Air-con is a manual-controls affair, second-row passengers get air vents only (on the rear of the centre console), and third-row passengers don’t get vents or fan controls.

The second row is reasonably comfortable with room enough for head, shoulders and legs to be on the right side of comfy.

It sports a bottle holder in each of the doors, and there’s a centre armrest in the second row with cupholders for the El Grande cups of whatever almond-infused crappuccino your obnoxious screenagers are currently addicted to. 

The second row is in a 60/40 configuration, which slides, reclines and folds down flat.

The third row is in a 50/50 configuration, a split-fold flat set-up, and it's the realm of mini humans – or you could put adults back there for any trip lasting longer than 10 minutes and you’ll be hated for life.

For those interested in packing potential space, the rear cargo area offers a listed 179 litres of storage capacity; a listed 608 litres in the rear cargo area when the third row is folded away; and 1996 litres when the second and third rows are packed away.

While the cabin of the Qashqai isn't huge, there's room enough for four adults to be relatively comfortable on a longer trip, providing the adults in the rear seat aren't pushing too far above the six-foot mark.

Access is good for both rows because of the 175mm ground clearance and wide door apertures. There will be absolutely no grunts or groans getting in and out of this model.

Both rows offer comfortable seating with deep seat beds and thick padding. The front passenger seat isn't powered but still offers decent adjustment, including lumbar support, for even a choosy passenger to feel at ease. I particularly like the two-seat memory position on the drivers' side if you regularly share your vehicle with your other half.

Individual storage is about what you'd expect of a small SUV with the front row getting the best of it. The glove box holds more than a manual, the middle console features a separate shelf for smaller items and you get a dedicated phone cradle which also doubles as the wireless charging pad.

There are a total of eight drink holders (four in the front, four in the rear) in the car, a couple of map pockets in the rear and a boot capacity that's as large as it's non-hybrid siblings at 404 litres.

The boot space is practical with a wide and squarish shape, level loading space and powered tailgate. There is a raised cover over some hybrid stuff that sometimes gets in the way and a dicky-looking cargo cover but otherwise the boot is sufficient for the everyday stuff.

Great to see Nissan including a temporary spare wheel in the hybrid Qashqai, rather than the tyre repair kit that's found in many hybrids and electric cars.

Technology is on the simple side as it lacks the ability to customise much in both the multimedia system or digital instrument cluster but everything still feels logical and easy to use. Also the graphics are clear, so there are no complaints from this party.

The built-in satellite navigation pulls through directions to the coloured head-up display and the wireless Apple CarPlay was easy to connect to and maintained a strong connection this week. There is also wireless Android Auto for those users.

Charging options are solid with each row getting two USB-C ports, while the front also gets a wireless charging pad and 12-volt socket. Another 12-volt socket is found in the boot space.

With the mid-life upgrade comes a reshuffle of trim levels and you now have five to choose from, with the second-from-the-top Ti-L available with a choice of two powertrains.

The car on test for this review is the flagship N-Design e-Power, which is a hybrid and its $54,365 before on-road costs price positions it above its small hybrid SUV rivals the Toyota Corolla Cross Atmos 2WD ($47,030 MSRP) and the Hyundai Kona N Line Premium ($46,500 MSRP).

The top grade enjoys a host of premium equipment including synthetic leather and suede upholstery, an electric drivers' seat, heated front seats, a heated leather steering wheel with mounted controls, a panoramic sunroof, one-touch open/close windows (all windows) and keyless entry and start.

Practical equipment feels well-rounded with a handsfree powered tailgate, rain-sensing front wipers and dusk-sensing LED headlights, tilt and telescope adjusting steering wheel, temporary 18-inch spare tyre, and an intelligent key fob with driver memory storage (driver's seat, mirrors, audio and remote tailgate opening).

The technology looks high-end with dual 12.3-inch displays, touchscreen functionality on the multimedia system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in satellite navigation, Bluetooth, AM/FM and digital radio. There's also four USB-C ports (2/2), two 12-volt sockets and a wireless charging pad to take care of charging requirements.

There is a 'but' coming though and that's the fact that the N-Design e-Power is meant to be the top grade and yet the model below it, the Ti-L, has more standard equipment for less money ($2K less to be exact)!

The Ti-L includes power adjustment for both front seats as well as a massage function. It also has a 10-speaker Bose premium sound system compared to the six-speaker 'no-name' system of our test car.

This Sorento has a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder common-rail diesel engine, producing 148kW at 3800rpm and 440Nm at 1750-2750rpm and that’s matched to an eight-speed dual-clutch auto transmission.

This is a generally clever and effective combination, but there is noticeable lag to acceleration from a standing start, no matter how hard you stomp the right foot.

It has all-wheel drive (part-time with lock mode) and driving modes that include on- and off-road options.

The flagship N-Design is a hybrid and pairs a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and a single electric motor. Together they produce up to 140kW of power and 330Nm of torque but how they interact is the fun part.

Usually hybrids use both components to drive the wheels but this uses the petrol engine to charge its battery so the electric motor can drive the front wheels. What does this mean? Think of engine as a generator. It translates to a driving experience that leans more towards the EV than internal combustion (ICE), especially around town.

The N-Design e-Power has a single-speed reduction-gear transmission, or an ‘e-CVT’ and it’s a very smooth example.

Official fuel consumption for the 2.8-litre four-cylinder Sorento S diesel is 6.0L/100km on a combined cycle. 

Actual fuel consumption on this test, from pump to pump, was 6.6L/100km. 

This Sorento has a 67-litre fuel tank so – going by that fuel consumption figure – you should be able to get a driving range of about 1015km from a full tank.

The N-Design e-Power has a claimed combined fuel cycle usage figure of 4.8L/100km, which is slightly higher than its rivals but it does have a larger fuel tank of 55L which means you should get a theoretical driving range of up to 1145km.

After doing a mix of open-road and city driving this week, my real world fuel use has popped out at 6.2L/100km and that’s based on my kilometres travelled and litres filled at the bowser. I’m happy with that result overall because I’ve certainly not been shy with pushing and testing this model out.

Nissan recommends a minimum of 95 RON unleaded petrol to be used but 91 RON is also acceptable.

As I mentioned earlier, this SUV can feel a tad lardy at times, especially from take-off, but it exhibits slightly livelier characteristics soon enough. Just don’t climb into the driver’s seat expecting a dynamic experience.

Steering has a nice balance to it and the Sorento never feels gargantuan so navigating through busy city and suburban streets is on the correct side of easy.

Ride is a bit firm, but the all-pervasive mindful peace you experience from being in such a hushed cabin tends to mostly negate any minor discomfort you may otherwise feel from clipping every lump and bump on the road.

On-road driving modes are 'Comfort', 'Sport', 'Eco' and 'Smart' and off-road modes are 'Sand', 'Mud' and 'Snow'. All of these adjust engine outputs, throttle control and transmission behaviour to best suit the terrain and driving conditions.

Niggle: The driver-assist tech is a bit abrupt and intrusive. I’ve found this to be the case in Hyundai SUVs, too.

The traffic sign recognition, in particular, is clunky, reacting to signs that don't apply at that time of day, for example school signs, or it reacts to signs that don't actually apply to that section of road. So it's regularly chopping and changing between what speeds you should be at and what speeds you shouldn't. 

This Sorento is an AWD with 176mm of ground clearance so I tested it on muddy grass, firm sand and gravel tracks. Nothing outrageous, but mildly challenging enough to make sure the all-wheel drive system can do what’s expected. And it does, seamlessly.

These off-road drive modes are, of course, no substitute for 4WD, but they are fine for when conditions become a little bit slippery. For example, if there’s been a drizzle of rain on the bitumen or the dirt track becomes a bit muddy.

This Sorento has a maximum towing capacity of 750kg (unbraked trailer) and 2000kg (braked).

Driving the flagship grade feels the same as sliding a hot knife through butter - smooth and effortless. The steering has been direct for everything I’ve thrown at it - a winding coast road, quick city lane changes and navigating small car parks.

The N-Design handles happily on the open road and the city. Around town it stays primarily in EV mode with small interjections from the engine when you accelerate quickly. The switch between the two can deliver a loud burring sound but it’s otherwise quiet.

The only time it gets a little loud inside is at higher speeds and you’ll notice some tyre noise but it’s not enough to warrant raising your voice to chat. Ride comfort is up there with the best and despite a firm-feeling suspension, it doesn’t translate to a stiff ride.

The visibility is good from my driving position and power is delivered promptly, making this feel sure footed and capable. There is a tendency to over-rev at higher speeds but it doesn’t feel underpowered.

Parking the Qashqai is a simple affair because of the clear quality 360-degree camera system, as well as the front and rear parking sensors. You can fit it anywhere and it has a tight 11.1m turning circle, which makes it a friend in the city.

The Qashqai has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2021 and features seven airbags which include a front centre airbag.

The robust safety equipment list includes intelligent seat belt reminder (all seats), blind-spot monitoring, manual rear child door locks, driver attention alert, rear collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic alert, emergency lane keep assist, lane keeping aid, lane departure alert, 360-degree view camera system and front and rear parking sensors.

The Qashqai has ISOFIX child seat mounts on the rear outboard seats and three top tether anchor points but two seats will fit best.

Auto emergency braking (AEB) with forward collision warning, car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction turning assist is standard and operational from 10 to 80km/h (up to 130km/h for car) but it's more common to see that starting figure hover around 5.0km/h.

The only safety item that feels intrusive when in use is the lane centring aid on the adaptive cruise control. It really hugs the inside line and sits too close for my liking, which made me feel like I was fighting the car when it was activated. The traffic sign recognition technology also got the speed sign wrong more times than not.

A seven-year/unlimited km warranty applies to the Sorento line-up.

Servicing intervals are scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs soonest.

Capped-price servicing covers seven-years/105,000km and at the time of writing ranges between a low of $370 and a high of $817 per service over that period. Total cost is $3787 for an annual average of $541, which isn't particularly cheap.

The Qashqai is covered by Nissans new 10-year/300,000km warranty which is class leading but you have to service on time and with a Nissan service centre, otherwise it’s the standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. On those same terms, you also get auto-renewal on every service for roadside assistance.

There is a five-year capped-price servicing program which costs a flat $1995 and is competitive for the class, while servicing intervals are every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first.