2017 Kia Sportage vs Nissan Qashqai

What's the difference?

Stop thinking of Kia as 'cheap and cheerful', because it doesn't apply any more. It's selling a lot of cars thanks in part to an industry-leading seven-year warranty, but they're also selling cars because they look good, they're well-specced and they're well priced.

The Sportage line is front and centre of this strategy, with smart specs and pricing right across the range. We'd like to see more driver aid safety systems added, while the update for the 2.0-litre petrol engine will also be welcomed. If you can stretch, the GT-Line is the pick for value and safety.

While among the older of the mini-SUVs, the Qashqai is holding up very well. Its competition isroughly the same in most ways, with just tiny detail differences, meaning the decision really comes down to which one you like the look of and whether you can afford it.

The Qashqai's lack of all-wheel drive does count against it for some people, but unless you're heading off-road, that's no reason to pass over the Nissan. The entertainment system software isn't exactly bang-up-to-date but a quick look at the competition reveals theirs aren't either.

The Qashqai drives well, looks good and is extremely well built. It should survive a tough family life without stress or drama and apart from the indifferent fuel economy, should cost very little to run in diesel or petrol formats.

Kia's exterior design has come into its own in this current generation of models, with its designers adopting  the same large, hourglass-style grille across the range.

There's a deferential nod to the Sportage's SUV intentions, with thin black plastic overfender liners and covers, while the nose offers good clearance for cityscapes and parking blocks.

The Sportage is among the sharpest looking medium size SUVs out there at the moment, and the Si and SLi models don't let the side down. They do miss out on the distinctive quad LED driving lamps of the top grades, but the single halogen foglights still look okay.

The GT Line stands out even further, with concept car-like 19-inch rims, a body kit, blacked-out exterior and an unusually cool headlight/LED driving lamp arrangement.

As the interior photos show, it's quite dark throughout, thanks mainly to its GT Line status. Various shades of grey and black dominate, with a lighter roof liner adding some ambience to the interior.

Right from the entry level version of the Sportage, this SUV is spot on for everyday practicality.

When it comes to colours, 'Clear White' is available right across the range, along with 'Clear Silver', 'Sparkling Silver' – more of a grey, really - and 'Fiery Red.'

The range-topping petrol can also be had in 'Snow White' or 'Cherry Black', while 'Mercury Blue' is available across most of the range. Brighter hues like orange and gold aren't offered.

It's an interesting thing this Qashqai. Many moons ago this would probably have laboured under the designation 'mini-MPV' - it really is more of a large hatchback than it is an SUV because of the way it's proportioned. I'd put a large sum of money on a quick vox pop finding that there is little to link the Nissan to other cars in the segment, at least visually.

Part of the reason it doesn't look like it competes with the CX-3 or ASX or HR-V is because it looks markedly bigger. On the road and from behind the wheel, it looks as though it towers over these cars (it doesn't, there's only a few millimetres in it) and seems like it's from a class above (it's not). So if its exterior is deliberately styled to appear bigger than it is, job done.

What's most clear about this car is that it is beautifully built.

So we've established it looks big but it's worth pointing out that it is in no way overbearing. The Qashqai is very clearly a Nissan design, with obvious links to the other big-seller from the Nissan range, the X Trail.

What's most clear about this car is that it is beautifully built. No squeaks or rattles, no sharp edges and the plastics are a cut above its immediate competition. Panel fit inside and out is exemplary.

The interior looks big in the photos, because for a car this size, it is. Again, the only one of its competitors to come close in terms of dimensions is the HR-V which has more available leg room in the back and a bigger boot.

Right from the entry level version of the Sportage, this SUV is spot on for everyday practicality, with a load of features that will be used regularly – and a lack of gizmos that will be ignored.

The 7.0-inch infotainment screen is one of the standard features across the range, and can be controlled either by a touch or via a clear, concise and easy-to-operate line of buttons on the centre console – though the deep-set screen means it can be a stretch to reach it.

A pair of traditional dials brackets a small digital screen in the centre of the dash. Again, it's a real nod to simplicity and ease of use. The steering wheel controls are comprehensive, even on the base Si, but again they are simple to understand and use.

Storage spaces are plentiful and clever in the Sportage, too. Two cup holders are in the centre console, there's room for larger bottles in all four doors, as well as a pair of (slightly small) cup holders in the centre rear armrest.

There's 466 litres of boot size with the seats up – more, in terms of boot space dimensions, than the Mazda CX-5.

A pair of ISOFIX baby seat mounts are fitted on the rear outboard seats, but the centre rear sash belt is mounted in the ceiling. It needs to be disconnected if you want to make the most of the large cargo space, which is a pain, to be honest. It diminishes from the car's otherwise good practicality.

If you're running a kid's sport team, there's one question you'll undoubtedly have; how many seats does a Kia Sportage have? Just five, and there's no option for a third row.

The 60/40 split rear seats flop down quickly and firmly with the pull of a lever on the sides of the seats. There's 466 litres of boot size with the seats up – more, in terms of boot space dimensions, than the Mazda CX-5 – and 1455 litres of luggage capacity in the down position.

One small annoyance is a lack of auto-up on the passenger side front window in the entry-level Si, but it's common across a lot of Kia and Hyundai cars.

There are plenty of places to charges phones and tablets across all Kia Sportage models, with a pair of 12 volt sockets for rear-seat passengers and a pair for the front, as well as USB and auxiliary in ports.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is coming for the Si, we're told, and will be able to be retrofitted by dealers with a simple software upgrade. This allows you to use your phone like an MP3 player, amongst other functions.

There's no CD player or digital radio for the sound system, though the standard speakers are surprisingly impressive. The GT Line also gets an inductive phone charging tray.

Despite the Sportage being a medium SUV in size, it fits four adults in absolute comfort and ease.

A cargo net and tie-down hooks are included in the cargo area of SLi and above models, and there's a full-sized spare underneath the boot floor. There are also LED lights throughout the cabin.

Despite the Sportage being a medium SUV in size, it fits four adults in absolute comfort and ease, and five when required; three kids across the back is no problem. The driving position is slightly higher than expected, but it's still perfectly suited to both small and tall drivers.

The full-length glass sunroof of the top-spec GT Line doesn't affect head height, but it also doesn't slide back; it only tilts up.

Controls in the GT-Line for oft-used switches like lane departure and blind spot warning systems, and even the illumination controls for the dashboard are well placed, rather than being buried in the multimedia system menu. The top-spec car also gets an electronic handbrake.

The Qashqai is certainly one of the bigger cars in the small SUV class - at 4.377 metres, it's longer than CX-3 (4.275m), HR-V (4.294m) and ASX (4.355m).

The interior is well thought-out, with four cupholders (two front and two rear) and bottle holders in each door for a total of four, although you're restricted to smaller bottles of around 500ml. You could put either a super-dooper-whopper-gulp type cup in the centre console bin as there's a shallow cut-out at the bottom. It's deep, so you might even be able to get a wine bottle in there as long as you don't want to close the lid/armrest.

The boot space is versatile if not gigantic. At 430 litres it seems smaller than the looks suggest but it offers more luggage capacity than most of the rest of the class (HR-V excepted). The boot has two cubby holes behind the taillights with their own stretchy straps and the floor is split into two sections you can lift to hide things beneath or pull out altogether to make the boot a little deeper. It's all fairly intuitive, too. No need to resort to the owners manual here.

If its exterior is deliberately styled to appear bigger than it is, job done.

Additional storage comes in the form of a couple of open slots on the console and beneath the climate controls, a good size glove box (big enough for a hefty owner's manual) and on some models, document pockets in the front seatbacks.

Dropping the rear seats increases the load area but the seatbacks don't sit flush with the boot floor when you've removed the floor pieces - that's a trap for young players. Nissan doesn't quote a figure for the total load volume with the seats down.

Rear legroom is spacious enough for most folks, but the lack of rear air vents is a bit of a blow (sorry). Three kids could cheerfully spend time on the rear bench, but three adults would be a stretch. The Qashqai is a true five seat car where the CX-3 (for instance) is stretching the friendship, with the rear seats more a child-only zone.

The front seats are reasonably comfortable and adjustable but are a little over-stuffed for some backs.

All of which begs the question, how much? The range of Nissan Qashqai models kicks off at $25,990 for the ST manual and tops out at the $39,990 TL auto.

It's a simple range, with four distinct Qashqai models, two petrols and two diesels.

The petrol-powered ST and Ti models are first and third in the price list. The ST starts at $25,990 for the manual, the CVT auto adding $2500. The Ti starts at $34,490 for the manual and the same cost for auto is added to bring it to $36,990.

You have a choice of eight colours, only two of which - Ivory Pearl (white) and Pearl Black - are standard. You'll have to spend $495 for Ink Blue, Truffle Bronze, Gun Metallic (dark grey), Nightshade (maroon), Magnetic Red or Platinum (silver). Sadly, no psychedelic '70s purple, or orange to tempt the baby boomers. Not even an earthy brown or gold.

On the subject of cashed-up customers, 500-odd bucks isn't not too much for metallic paint, but it's irritating so few colours are 'free.'

The Qashqai is certainly one of the bigger cars in the small SUV class.

There might be four models, but there are three specification levels. The ST has cloth trim, cruise control, air-conditioning, some fake leather bits and pieces, reversing camera, halogen headlights, four speaker stereo and 17-inch alloy wheels.

The TS diesel adds auto headlights, two more speakers for the sound system, keyless entry and start, seat pockets, dual-zone climate control, 'premium' cloth trim and some storage extras over the ST.

Both share the 5.0-inch infotainment touch screen, CD player, AM/FM radio with MP3 player and bluetooth as well as USB connectivity.

The diesels are CVT-auto only, the TS weighing in at $33,990 and the top-of-the-range TL at $39,990.

The Ti petrol ($36,990) and TL diesel add leather seats, a 7.0-inch touchscreen with GPS, further app integration with iPhone and Android devices, heated front seats, electric drivers seat, a massive full length fixed sunroof and 19-inch alloys. There's little in the way of gadgets, the touchscreen software is a bit long in the tooth and is begging for CarPlay/Android Auto.

For a more detailed comparison guide, see our model snapshots.

Three engine specifications are available across the Kia Sportage range, with a six-speed automatic transmission standard on all models. Manual variants were discontinued late in 2016.

The engine specs of the base 2.0-litre MPI petrol engine in the Si and SLi are starting to show their age, with a more modern direct-injection unit likely to power the car in the near future.

The current motor pumps out 114kW at 6200rpm and 192Nm at 4000rpm, and is backed by a six-speed automatic that drives the front wheels.

Kia's common rail direct-injection 2.0-litre turbo-diesel is a willing performer with excellent manners.

Kia's common rail direct-injection 2.0-litre turbo-diesel specs, meanwhile, are 136kW at 4000rpm, with 400Nm of torque available from as low as 1750rpm. Its horsepower is available across the range, and is a willing performer with excellent manners.

The top grade GT's engine size is a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol, and sports ratings of 135kW at 6000rpm and torque specs of 237Nm at 4000rpm, and is only available as an AWD. It's not offered with an LPG conversion, in case you're wondering.

Towing capacity of the 2.4-litre is 1500kg, the 2.0-litre can tow 1600kg, while the diesel can lug 1900kg of braked trailer; we'll bring you a towing review soon.

Kia's common rail direct-injection 2.0-litre turbo-diesel is a willing performer with excellent manners. Its 136kW peaks at 4000rpm, while its 400Nm of torque is available from as low as 1750rpm.

Its six-speed auto is linked to a front-biased all wheel drive system that can send 40 per cent of torque to the rear wheels for extra 4WD traction. There's also a remote button to lock the centre diff, while a drive-select switch allows for Eco and Sport modes for gearbox and throttle.

The Qashqai comes with a choice of two engine specs and two transmissions. When compared to the competition, engine size is a moot point as they're all around the 1.8 to 2.0-litre mark for petrols and 1.5 or 1.6-litre with similar specs across the segment. Horsepower doesn't seem to be a priority with buyers, so there aren't any outstanding power ratings to tempt you from one to another.

The 2.0-litre petrol four is naturally aspirated and produces 106kW/200Nm. This will motor you along from 0-100km/h in just over 10 seconds. The petrol has a timing chain, so rest easy, you won't have to pay for a cambelt change at any point.

The 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel produces 96kW and a rather more impressive 320Nm of torque. This adds an easy half-second to the 0-100 acceleration time, coming in at 11.1 seconds. The diesel is automatic only. As with the petrol engine, the diesel (known as R9M, R is for Renault), runs a chain rather than a timing belt, so again, that's one less maintenance worry for long-term owners.

When it comes to reputation for durability and reliability we're not aware of any common faults or specific problems.

With petrol-powered cars, you can choose either a six-speed manual or an auto, which is a continuously variable transmission (CVT) rather than traditional torque converter type found in, say, the Mazda CX-3.

The CVT gearbox is also found in Nissan's own X Trail, while rivals Honda and Toyota favour this type (Toyota's CH-R will join the fray in 2017 with a CVT).

When it comes to reputation for durability and reliability we're not aware of any common faults or specific problems; and that goes for turbo problems, gearbox problems, clutch problems, cruise control problems, diesel problems, injector problems... any problems, really. If anything crops up, you'll find it on our Nissan Qashqai problems page. 

If you want a Qashqai with all-wheel drive (or, if you prefer, 4-wheel drive), you'll have to move countries - the Qashqai is front-wheel drive only in Australia.

The Qashqai's towing capacity is rated at 720kg for unbraked trailers and will carry a 1200kg load for those with brakes. Petrol vs diesel? Doesn't matter, they're both the same.

From a claimed combined fuel economy figure of 7.9 litres per 100km, we saw a best combined fuel economy figure on the dash of 9.1L/100km over 350km in the 2.0-litre petrol Si.

Our diesel test, meanwhile, returned a best combined fuel economy mileage figure of 7.9L/100km over 350km, versus a claimed combined fuel consumption figure of 6.8L/100km.

The 2.4-litre engine is claimed to return a combined fuel economy figure of 8.5L/100km.

All Kia Sportage models have a fuel tank capacity of 62 litres.

Nissan claims 7.7L/100km on the combined cycle for the petrol. Our most recent test of the 2.0, a Ti automatic, showed this consumption figure to be fairly optimistic, averaging 11.2L/100km in a good mix of urban, suburban and highway running, admittedly in a hot, damp Sydney summer heatwave.

The Qashqai is almost like an overgrown hatchback.

For the diesel, Nissan says it will return around 4.9L/100km on the combined cycle. The most recent CarsGuide test yielded 8.6L/100km, so it seems you've got to be super-careful to get anywhere near the official figures.

Fuel tank capacity is a generous 65 litres. Based on our fuel economy figures, the petrol will get you around 550km before you have to top up the gas, and the diesel about 720km. Out on the freeway, you'll get a lot further with either engine.

The Sportage is built for a life around town, and the lighter front-drive petrol powered Si is perfect for it.

The 2.0-litre engine gets thrashy and noisy when acceleration is needed up hills, though, with the automatic occasionally confused by which ratio to pick and hold. Despite its age, it's still a very smooth and tractable unit when coasting around on light throttle, even though its 0-100km/h performance figures won't worry even a warm hatch.

The Sportage GT Line diesel is light on its feet, even with the addition of the heavier AWD/diesel drivetrain.

The 2.4-litre engine fares much better, although its AWD drivetrain takes the edge off its ability to nip up hills.

The Sportage GT Line diesel is light on its feet, even with the addition of the heavier AWD/diesel drivetrain. It's also impressively quiet, letting minimal road noise into the cabin, despite larger, wider and lower profile 19-inch tyres.

All Sportages benefit from a localised tuning program for the MacPherson strut front suspension and multilink rear suspension that imparts a ride and handling set-up that leans towards firm and supportive.

With a few bodies and a bit of gear aboard, the occasionally sharp edges of the ride are nicely rounded out. A tight turning circle of 10.9m is also useful.

The Sportage is a predictable, stable and simple car to drive.

This is not an off-road review; after all, the capability of a crossover in the rough stuff is minimal at best. The ground clearance of 172mm, for example, is about 50mm less than that of a Subaru XV, and it doesn't suggest a safe wading depth.

Overall, the Sportage is a predictable, stable and simple car to drive, without the compromises that sometimes come with a taller SUV.

The Qashqai is almost like an overgrown hatchback - with FWD and modest power outputs, it's always going to be most at home in the city. Nissan seems to have a good grip on that concept, because the city is where the car excels.

This car is not about performance figures. Neither the manual or automatic is a speed demon, it's all about smoothness. In the manual you can get it moving your way but the CVT is a little more leisurely - if you want a bit more urgency you have to clunk the selector into manual, remember it's around the 'wrong' way (up is to up a gear) and force the changes yourself. It's a bit awkward, so if you're looking for a quick response, this isn't the car for you.

For the most part, refinement is good.

Front suspension is by McPherson struts, while the rear is a multi-link arrangement. This combination means good ride comfort for both front and rear passengers - most in the class make do with simpler (and cheaper) torsion beams at the back. That rear suspension is one of the reasons you'll pay more for the Qashqai. It's also one of the reasons that on bumpy roads the suspension is quieter, although the other road noise might just be drowning it out.

For the most part, refinement is good - the engine is quiet unless you floor it and on smooth surfaces, the tyres don't make too much racket. Once the surface deteriorates or breaks up, the noise comes with it - coarse roads produce a bit of a roar at the front and you'll hear every stone pinging the underbody, seemingly undamped by any noise-abating plastic skins or sealing.

Steering weight and feel are fine, and the turning circle is a reasonably small 11.17m. You won't get around in a standard suburban street, but a three-point turn won't be a bother either.

The Qashqai's off-road ability is, well, minimal. As there's no all-wheel drive option, what you've got is basically a hefty hatchback - Honda's HR-V is no different in that respect. This is despite a ground clearance of 188mm and Nissan's quoted approach angle of 19 degrees and departure of 28.5.

The explanation for those figures even existing is that other markets do have an all-wheel drive option for the Qashqai. Having said that, Nissan doesn't quote a wading depth, which is probably for the best.

Australian Qashqais come from Nissan's Sunderland plant in the UK and are shipped to Australia with a five star ANCAP safety rating (the maximum available) courtesy of a minimum safety technology package of six SRS airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, and two ISOFIX points designed for secure attachment of a baby car seat.

As you move up the range, Nissan adds lane departure warning, forward collision warning, blind spot detection and front and rear parking sensors.

The Qashqai was awarded a five star safety rating in July 2014, the maximum score available.

Kia's seven-year warranty is the best in the automotive business at present, and includes roadside assist and a free first service at three months.

Capped-price servicing covers the warranty period, too, with $419 the lowest and $726 the highest service costs over four years for the diesel powered cars, with a seven-year total of $3695. That's an average of $528 per service.

The petrol service program costs between $306 and $711 per service. The majority of services are under $400, with seven years of maintenance costs equalling $2942. Don't forget to get your owners manual ticked.

When it comes to diesel problems, clutch problems or transmission problems, the new Sportage has shown no dramas.

If you are wondering if the Kia Sportage uses a timing belt or chain, all variants of the engine use the latter. A chain is preferable to a timing belt as it gives a longer life.

When it comes to diesel problems, clutch problems or transmission problems, the new Sportage has shown no dramas. A JD Power reliability rating study ranks it well, with few problems, complaints, issues or common faults.

Resale value for most Korean brands is still not as good as some of their Japanese rivals; a 2015 Sportage Platinum diesel, for example, will have lost about 30 per cent of its new value if trading in, or about 12 per cent on a private sale.

Waiting time on new cars is minimal, according to Kia.

Nissan's standard new car warranty runs for three years/100,000km. You can also choose from one of two extended warranty programs. The first is a time-only arrangement of 12, 24 or 36 months, but exceeding 100,000km will invalidate the extension.

You can choose the time and distance option for the same periods but an increase to the kilometre limit to 150,000km since new. An extended warranty also includes an extension to the free roadside assist period.

Nissan also offers capped price servicing which it calls Service Certainty. This means you'll never have to worry about greasy and obscure details like oil type and oil capacity, ever again.

Service costs differ from petrol to diesel but both are to be presented to your dealer every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever comes first.

Servicing on petrol models costs from $224 to $532 over 12 services. Added together it comes to $3684 or $307 per service. Every other service costs $224.

Resale value appears reasonably strong.

Diesel pricing is markedly higher - $4745 for the 12 services, averaging $396 per visit.

You'll also need to factor in $32 for a brake fluid change every 40,000km or two years, meaning another $200-odd over the fixed-price period of six years. There will, of course, be other items that need replacing such as brake pads, tyres etc. that aren't covered.

Diesel servicing costs are significantly higher than the petrol-engined Qashqai while delivering a real world economy figure 3.0L/100km lower than the petrol. Assuming a price difference of about 15c/L over 15,000km, the diesel is $70/year cheaper to fuel but $89 per year more expensive to service. Then there's the $3000 purchase price difference.

Resale value appears reasonably strong. 2014-plated entry-level manual petrol STs are trading for between 54 and 61 percent of their new price, Ti autos between 57 and 64 percent and the TL auto diesel between 57 and 65 percent. Private prices appear to be about 60 to 70 percent of the new car price in 2014. As always, your mileage will vary depending on dealer or private buyer.

All specifications come with a space-saving spare tyre.