Mitsubishi Outlander vs Nissan Qashqai

What's the difference?

The Outlander PHEV in GSR spec is a nifty daily driver, quietly appealing and more than capable of heading off-road as long as you drive it well within its AWD limits.

If you reside in the city or suburbs and your daily driving is not too punishing in terms of distance, then this PHEV makes a lot of sense. A hybrid vehicle is a happy-compromise move towards an EV future – and the Outlander PHEV is a big step in the right direction.

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.

In terms of exterior dimensions, this PHEV is 4710mm long (with a 2706mm wheelbase), 1862mm wide and 1745mm high.

The Outlander is an inoffensive-looking AWD wagon with an appearance every bit in line with its GSR spec and price-tag without going over the top.

On the outside, this top-shelf GSR incorporates Mitsubishi’s 'Dynamic Shield' design facade, which was divisive in its early years but has since attracted its fair share of fans.

On the inside, this Outlander has black leather-appointed upholstery with silver stitching, the same treatment applied to the soft-touch armrests, centre console top, sections of the dash and elsewhere.

And the big 20-inch machined alloy wheels top off a classy yet relatively subdued overall look.

In the realm of medium-sized city-going SUVs with weekend road-trip inclinations – think Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, Kia Sportage and the Outlander’s hybrid rivals like the Nissan X-Trail e-Power, Toyota RAV4, et al – this Mitsubishi AWD more than holds its own because in terms of design none of them are bound to set hearts a-flutter. But they’re all fine. 

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 SUV has a family-friendly and functional interior with a premium feel, even if it does seem somewhat underdone for the price.

But it has all the right elements of a family tourer, in a cosy cabin in which it’s easy enough for driver and passengers to spend a chunk of time on lengthy road trips without complaint. I know, because we did.

The GSR has comfortable leather seats, a (mostly) user-friendly multimedia system, plenty of charge points (USB-A and USB-C up front and two USBs for second-row passengers), lots of soft-touch surfaces and a reasonable amount of storage space peppered throughout.

Nice touches, such as the heated steering wheel and heated front seats, which also have the massage function, top off what is an impressive interior.

There is wired charging for smartphones with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, as well as a wireless charging pad. There are also 240V/1500W power outlets.

The 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen is too small for me (perhaps a case of Old Bloke Eyes?), but it’s better when engaged in Apple CarPlay mode. The 12.3-inch high-resolution digital driver display is simple enough to use, and the 10.8-inch head-up display is a handy feature.

The driver has an eight-way power adjustable seat, so they’re able to dial-in their favourite driving position.

As stated, this Outlander’s seats are comfortable with a reasonable amount of room for everyone, though the third row is a tight fit for anyone other than children.

The second row is a 40/20/40 split configuration, while the third row is 50/50.

In terms of packing space, there is 191 litres in the rear cargo area when all seats are being used, 461 litres when the third row is folded flat, and 1387 litres when the second and third rows are stowed 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.

The Outlander PHEV has a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 98kW at 5000rpm and 195Nm at 4300rpm, an electric motor on the front and rear axles, and a lithium-ion battery pack with a total capacity of 20kWh.

Combined output (engine and electric motors) is 185kW and 450Nm and this PHEV’s electric-only driving range is listed as 84km on a full charge.

It has a single-speed transmission and drive modes include 'Eco', 'Normal', 'Power', 'Tarmac', 'Gravel', 'Snow' and 'Mud'.

It has three power-use settings: 'EV Mode' for low to medium speeds urban running, 'Series Hybrid Mode' which allows the petrol engine to step in for urgent acceleration or climbing hills and 'Parallel Hybrid Mode' for highway overtaking where the vehicle runs on engine power with electric assistance.

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.

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV GSR has a listed fuel consumption of 1.5L/100km on a combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle but, as with all official fuel figures from any carmaker, you can take it with a hefty grain of salt.

That said, if your daily driving distances are within this PHEV’s electric driving range (84km, as listed) and you’re able to drive in EV mode most of the time, then at the very least you will have chopped your fuel bill.

On this test, dash-indicated fuel consumption was 5.8L/100km; actual fuel consumption, as measured from pump to pump, was 7.7L/100km.

The good news is the Outlander PHEV runs happily on the cheaper 91RON 'standard' fuel.

Our dash-indicated power usage was 20.8kWh/100km. This PHEV gobbled through most of its 20kWh battery capacity quite swiftly on the drive from the vehicle pick-up point in Sydney to our test start-point just over 100km away.

It recouped 10km electric driving range via regenerative braking on a series of long downhills when set to ‘Charge’ driving mode (with the combustion engine generating power to the battery), but I had to cycle through regen modes to optimise that power regain.

The dash-indicated combined driving range (battery and engine) was 748km on a full charge and a full 56-litre tank.

Mitsubishi states that if you’re charging off a standard household power point it will take “approximately” 9.5 hours to fully charge your Outlander – or 6.5 hours if you’re using a home or public charging device.

Things speed up considerably if you use a public rapid recharging station. In that case, Mitsubishi says your Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV will reach 80 percent battery capacity in 38 minutes.

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 mentioned earlier, hybrids are your best buy at this moment in time, if you want to help save the world from climate-change disaster, avoid range anxiety, and save some money on fuel bills – all without having to sacrifice safety, comfort or features.

And – bonus – the Outlander is quite nice to drive. Not to mention a pretty handy light-duty off-roader. But more about that later.

It has a kerb weight of 2145kg with light but sharp steering and a tight (11.2m) turning circle so it’s an easy vehicle to manoeuvre around busy city and suburban streets.

The teaming of a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors works seamlessly well. There's always plenty of power on tap and, no matter how energetic your driving becomes, this Outlander remains smooth and quiet.

Throttle response is sharp and there’s plenty of punch off the mark as well as zippiness around town when you need it.

The PHEV’s EV-only driving range is a listed 84km but our test vehicle chewed through most of its battery power on a 110km highway trip through hilly territory.

Regenerative braking regained very little of that used power and the Outlander switched to rely on petrol for the remaining 30km or so of that trip.

The driver is able to adjust the degree of regenerative braking via paddle shifters on the back of the steering wheel: use the left to add more and the right to ease up.

The drive mode options tweak engine, electric motor, transmission and other factors to suit the selected set-up.

Other than that, ride is quite firm, handling is civilised and, overall, this Outlander is rather pleasant on sealed surfaces.

And, as I alluded to earlier, it’s surprisingly comfortable and capable off-road – as long as you stick within the parameters of the kind of 'off-road' terrain an AWD SUV is built to cope with: well-maintained gravel roads and dirt tracks with minor corrugations in dry conditions… or, at worst, rain-puddled blacktop.

The Outlander has satisfactory off-road measures for a city-focussed vehicle: of 18.3 degrees (approach angle), 22.2 degrees (departure), 18 degrees (ramp breakover) and 203mm of ground clearance (unladen). 

It feels nimble in the bush because steering is light and precise, visibility is good all-around, and the vehicle settles well on gravel and dirt tracks at speed, only ever skipping around a bit on rougher sections, due to its firm suspension and road tyres.

You can switch drives modes to either Gravel, Snow or Mud to best suit the terrain on which you’re driving but with the Outlander’s lack of ground clearance, road-biased tyres and 20-inch wheels, this SUV is hamstrung by its city-biased physicality.

But, this is still a handy dirt-road tourer, yielding comfortable and controlled ride and handling, only ever becoming rattled when the road or track surface becomes very chopped up and bumpy.

The Outlander’s 'Super-All Wheel Control' (S-AWC) system deserves a fair amount of credit. This traction control system manages torque application so it is instantaneous, and delivers drive with impressive levels of throttle control and an even-handed management of power.

Worth noting the Outlander did, of course, go through battery capacity at a faster pace off-road than it did when we were on sealed surfaces .

Off-roading, by its very nature, is more difficult and demands more of a vehicle than driving on smooth sealed surfaces does. And, for that reason – and the fact the Outlander is quite low – I’d avoid driving this SUV on terrain more challenging than well-maintained gravel roads and dirt tracks with minor corrugations in dry conditions.

I’ve driven an Outlander PHEV on sand before and it taxes the capacity even faster.

As mentioned earlier, this Outlander does not have a spare tyre. The absence of a spare – even a space-saver – is a disappointment, especially if you’re considering using your PHEV as a touring vehicle. A puncture repair kit is provided.

Payload is listed as 605kg, towing capacity is 750kg for an unbraked trailer and 1600kg braked. GVM is 2750kg and GCM is 4350kg.

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.

The Outlander range is covered by a 10-year/200,000km warranty – as long as servicing is completed on time by an authorised Mitsubishi dealership (otherwise, five years/100,000km) – and 10 years capped price servicing and 12 months roadside assist.

Outlander service intervals are scheduled at 12 months or 15,000km. Service costs can officially range from $349 through to $799 for a 10-year average of $549 per workshop visit.

The battery set-up has an eight-year/160,000km warranty. 

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.