2021 Nissan Qashqai vs Peugeot 3008

What's the difference?

The Nissan Qashqai Midnight Edition has a nice look to it, and some nice interior inclusions as well. It's a good size and offers competitive value for money, and if you're not that fussed about how a car drives, you could find it to be a great choice for your needs.

But bear in mind it's getting on in years, and there are now literally 20 newer entrants in the small SUV segment that could well deserve your attention more than this car does.

Does the new Midnight Edition offer enough of a reason to consider the Qashqai over its numerous rivals? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

The Peugeot 3008 2021 model range offers some alternatives to the mainstream SUV crowd, even if the pricing is edging more towards the luxury SUV realm.

At odds with the brand’s approach is that our pick of the range is actually the base model Allure, which is the most affordable (though still hardly cheap) but has a lot of the equipment we think you’ll appreciate and a drive experience that is on par with the more expensive GT petrol.

The Midnight Edition is all about standing out from the other Qashqais in the shopping centre car park, and to the brand's credit, it does. Nissan describes the look being “stand-out” and “street-smart”. Yeah, fair call. It's a looker.

The appearance is more contemporary than the actual age of the Qashqai suggests should be possible - the angular headlights and sharp LED daytime running lights look great, while the blacked-out exterior trim finishes and colour-coded lower body kit styling pack really helps keep the old Qashqai modern looking.

But there might be some people out there who just know the facts around the Qashqai's age, and it's more evident in the cabin, where Nissan has tried to keep the cockpit appearance up to date over the years, but it's really showing its age in terms of the design. More on the practicality below.

More philosophically speaking, the Qashqai is a larger entrant in the small SUV segment. Back when it launched, it was straddling the barrier between small and mid-sized SUVs, but with the recent ambush on the compact SUV/crossover market - with the likes of the VW T-Cross, Skoda Kamiq and others all offering tiny exterior size with big interior practicality - the Qashqai is feeling a bit dated, and a bit odd-sized, too. 

At 4394mm long, 1806mm wide and 1595mm tall, it could be the right size for a lot of buyers. But what's the cabin practicality and space like? Check out our interior images for an idea.

It’s close to a 10/10 for design. This is not just beautiful to look at, it’s smartly packaged and thoughtfully configured. And according to me and everyone I spoke to, it doesn’t look like a mid-size SUV. It’s almost petite.

That’s even considering it’s 4447mm long (on a 2675mm wheelbase), 1871mm wide and 1624mm tall. Meaning, it’s shorter than a VW Tiguan, Mazda CX-5 and even a Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, and it really does manage to fit a mid-size SUV level of space into a more compact SUV’s dimensions.

More on the interior practicality soon, but let’s just bask in the beauty of that revised front end. The old model was already attractive, but this faceilfted version ups the ante. 

It has a new front end design that makes it look as though the car is moving, even when it’s parked. The way the grille shreds away, with the lines getting wider towards the outer edges - it’s reminiscent of what you see in an outer space movie, when the captain hits warp speed.

Those little lines may be hard to clean over a bugsplattered summer drive. But the redesigned headlights with huge, sharp DRLs help the front end stand out even more. 

In side profile, there are 18- or 19-inch wheels, and depending on the model, you’ll see chrome around the bottom edges or the GT Sport’s heavily blackened look. The side design hasn’t changed all that much, which is no bad thing. I just wish the wheels were a bit more interesting.

The rear sees a new tail-light design with LED lighting and a smoked finish, and the back bumper is revised. All grades get an electric tailgate with kick-to-open functionality, and it actually worked on test.

The 3008’s interior design is another talking point - and it could be for all the wrong reasons. The recent raft of models from the brand have adopted what the brand calls the i-Cockpit, where the steering wheel (which is tiny) sits low and you look over the top of it to a digital driver info screen (which isn’t tiny). 

I love it. I can easily find a position that is appropriate for me, and I like the novelty of it. But there are plenty of people that struggle to get comfortable with the idea of having the steering wheel set low - they want it high, as that’s what they’re used to - and that means they mightn’t be able to see the instrument display.

Have a look at the interior images and tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

One of the reasons people have bought the Qashqai over the years is that it is arguably the “right size” for most buyers.

And it hits the mark for those who want something hatchback sized but also want that higher seating position. But it may be too high for some.

Like me! I usually have to lower my seat when my partner drives a test car (she is 165cm, I'm 182cm) – that was not the case in the Qashqai, because the seating position is so high as standard that she was obviously comfortable - but that was in the lowest position. I wanted to lower it further: it felt about two inches higher up than I'd like to sit.

Otherwise the ergonomics are mostly good. There's reach and rake adjustment for the lovely, flat-bottomed leather steering wheel, and the vision from the driver's seat is mostly pretty good.

The driver gets a 4.2-inch digital info screen with plenty of available data including digital speedo, and it's all pretty easy to interact with, too. 

The same is the case for the 7.0-inch touchscreen media system, which has a simple enough menu system and the Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring tech seemed to work a treat every single time for me. I wouldn't really use anything else on most occasions, but the radio controls are easy and there are knobs and buttons to appease cranks like me who don't like digital buttons.

I like the presentation of the Midnight model's cabin, with the brushed black finishes adding a little bit of interest to what is otherwise a dated looking interior. The next-generation Qashqai - due in 2021 - is likely to take a huge step forward in terms of interior design and presentation.

Indeed, the cabin space could be better up front. There are two cup holders between the seats, and two small open storage areas (okay for a phone and wallet, but it all fills up fast), and there's a large covered centre console bin. There's no wireless phone charger, and there's no space that's really big enough for a larger smartphone to sit comfortably, either.

The doors have bottle holders up front, while in the rear the door storage is a bit smaller. Unlike some other small SUVs around this price point, there are some soft materials and elbow pads on the back doors, too.

The back seat has no rear air-vents, but has another small open storage box - would be a great spot for USB charge ports, but that's not the case. There are twin map pockets on the seatbacks, as well as a fold down armrest with cupholders which offers 60/40 split capability if you need to fold it down for additional storage.

There's enough width that you could just fit three adults, but the seat comfort isn't great - it juts into your lower back a bit. As mentioned, I'm 182cm or 6'0”, and I found the actual physical space behind my own driving position to be fine. My knees were brushing the seat ahead, while my shins were hard against it.

Kids will likely be better catered for in terms of space, and there are dual ISOFIX and three top-tether points for fixing car seats in safely. 

The boot capacity of the Qashqai is good, with 430 litres of cargo space. The shape of the boot is a little odd, meaning we couldn't fit our entire suitcase set (124L, 95L and 36L) all at once. Soft luggage could be a better option here. 

There is a space-saver spare wheel under the boot floor, too.

It’s a special feeling place, the interior of the 3008.

I’ve already mentioned above that it mightn’t be to all tastes in terms of the seating arrangement, but the comfort and convenience is excellent. Yes, excellent convenience and a surprising amount of thoughtfulness has gone into the interior here.

And it’s gloriously finished, with a very high standard of perceived quality - the materials all look and feel plush, including trim on the doors and dashboard which is soft and attractive. There’s a little bit of hard plastic below the dashboard beltline, but it’s a better quality than some competitors. 

Let’s talk cup and bottle storage. Lots of French cars have poor storage available for drinks, but the 3008 has good sized cup holders between the front seats, big bottle holders in all four doors, and a flip-down centre armrest with cup storage in the rear, too.

Plus there is a huge centre console bin between the front seats, with is much deeper than it looks. There’s also a usable glovebox, big trenches in the doors, and a storage section in front of the gear selector that doubles as a wireless phone charging bay, too.

The front also scores a new larger 10.0-inch touchscreen media system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, and there’s built-in sat nav as well. The usability of the media screen isn’t as simply as it could be, though.

The ventilation controls are all done through the screen, and while the phone mirroring part takes up the middle section of the monitor, and the temp controls are shown either side, it still means you have to go away from whatever you’re doing on the smartphone mirroring, jump to the HVAC menu, make whatever changes you want there, and then go back to the smartphone screen. It’s just a bit too finicky.

At the very least there is a volume knob and a set of hot keys below the screen so you can jump between menus, and the processor used seems to be a bit more powerful in the last 3008 I drove, because the screen’s a bit quicker.

But one thing that’s not improved is the reversing camera display, which is still very low res, and also requires you to fill in the blanks using the 360-degree camera. It comes up with grey boxes either side of the car, and when you reverse, it records the image it collects rather than just actually showing you what's outside the car, as you would see in most cars with surround view camera systems. It’s really not all that helpful, and I found myself just wanting a better resolution rear camera because there are parking sensors around the car.

The rear seat has reasonable space for someone my size - I’m 182cm or 6’0” and I could fit behind my own driving position with just enough space to be comfortable. Knee room is the main limitation, while headroom is good, and so is toe room. The flat floor in the back makes it a bit more amenable to have three across, though the centre console eats into middle seat kneeroom, and it’s not the widest cabin in the business.

There are rear directional air vents, two USB ports for charging, and a pair of map pockets as well. And if you have younger children there are dual ISOFIX and three top-tether child seat attachment points fitted.

Boot space is exceptional in the 3008. Peugeot claims that somehow this rather compact mid-size SUV can take 591 litres (VDA) of cargo in the back, and that’s the measurement to the window line, not the roof.

In practice - with the boot floor set to the lowest of its two positions over the space saver spare wheel - there was easily enough space for the CarsGuide luggage set (134L, 95L and 36L hard case), with room for another set on top. It’s a huge boot, and a good shape, too. 

The Peugeot 3008 range is expensive. There. I’ve said it.

Okay, now let’s consider Peugeot as a brand. Is it a premium player, to be considered against Audi, Volvo and co? According to the brand it is. But it is playing a weird game, because it’s not quite premium-priced to the point that it is going to be cross-shopped against those makes.

Think of it like this: the Peugeot 3008 - while being close in size to a Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5 or Volkswagen Tiguan - is priced like a small luxury SUV; like an Audi Q2 or Volvo XC40.

As such, it’s way over the money to compete against mainstream makers, with an MSRP/MLP kick-off point of $44,990 (before on-road costs) for the base model Allure. The range also has the GT petrol model at $47,990, the GT diesel at $50,990 and the flagship GT Sport comes in at $54,990.

All models are front-wheel drive, and none are hybrid yet. For context, the class-leading Toyota RAV4 ranges from $32,695 to $46,415, and there are all-wheel drive and hybrid models to choose from. 

So does the equipment fitted help justify the cost? Here’s a spec breakdown of all four grades.

The 3008 Allure ($44,990) comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and daytime running lights with integrated LED fog lights, LED rear lights, roof rails, body colour rear spoiler, auto lights and wipers, cloth interior trim with fake leather accents, manual seat adjustment, a 12.3-inch digital driver info display, a 10.0-inch touchscreen media system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite navigation, DAB digital radio and Bluetooth, ambient lighting, wireless phone charger, leather steering wheel and gearknob, electric park brake, push-button start and keyless entry, and a space saver spare wheel.

Step up to the GT petrol ($47,990) or diesel ($50,990) and you gain a few different items to justify the extra expense. The 18-inch wheels are a different design, the LED headlights are adaptive (meaning they turn corners with the car), the rearview mirror is a frameless design, the steering wheel is perforated leather, the roof lining is black (not grey), and you get black roof and mirror caps on the outside as well.

Plus the interior sees Alcantara door and dashboard trim, sports pedals and there is vegan leather seat trim with Alcantara elements and “copper” stitching.

Then the GT Sport ($54,990) model essentially adds an exterior black pack with 19-inch black alloys, dak finishes on the grille, badges, bumper trim strips, side door and front wing trims and window surrounds. And it also includes the interior leather package, which is optional on the other grades, as well as a Focal 10-speaker sound system and laminated front door glass. This grade also has Lime Wood interior trim.

The GT grade models can be had with a sunroof for $1990. The 3008 GT petrol and GT diesel variants can be optioned with leather seat trim fitted standard to the GT Sport, which comprises Nappa leather, heated front seats, electric driver’s seat adjustment and massage - that pack costs $3590.

Picky about colours? The only no-cost option is Celebes Blue, while the metallic options ($690) consist of Artense Grey, Platinum Grey and Perla Nera Black, and there are also premium paint choice ($1050), being Pearl White, Ultimate Red and Vertigo Blue. There is no orange, yellow, brown or green paint option available. 

I’ll reiterate - for a non-luxury brand selling a front-wheel drive SUV, no matter how nice it is or well appointed it may be, the 3008 is too expensive.

Nothing too special here. The Midnight Edition runs the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 106kW (at 6000rpm) and 200Nm (at 4400rpm), which is paired exclusively to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) auto and front-wheel drive.

The outputs are okay for the class. The drive experience could be better, though. More on that in the Driving section.

Harbouring dreams of tackling the great Aussie caravan trip with a Qashqai? Beware the towing capacity is 729kg unbraked and 1200kg braked.

The Peugeot 3008 range has a complex engine line-up. Many brands are going with a “one engine will do” approach for their standard model range, and that’s likely to only increase as the world moves towards electrification.

But that said, the 2021 version of the 3008 has three engines available at launch, and there’s more coming!

The Allure and GT petrol models run a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine (known as Puretech 165), producing 121kW at 6000rpm and 240Nm at 1400rpm. It is available only with a six-speed automatic and it is front-wheel drive, like all 3008s. The claimed 0-100km/h time is 9.9 seconds.

Next up the engine specs list is the petrol-powered GT Sport, which also has a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo, but with a bit more grunt - as the Puretech 180 name might suggest. There’s 133kW of power at 5500rpm, and 250Nm of torque (at 1650rpm). This engine uses an eight-speed automatic, is FWD/2WD, and has engine start-stop tech. It can do 0-100km/h in a claimed 8.8sec.

Then there’s the diesel model - the GT diesel’s Blue HDi 180 - which is a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder unit producing 131kW of power (at 3750rpm) and a huge 400Nm of torque (at 2000rpm). Again, there’s an eight-speed auto and FWD, and it seemingly struggles to put that grunt to the road, with a 0-100 speed of 9.0sec.

The 3008 range will be bolstered by plug-in hybrid versions in the latter part of 2021. 

It is expected there will be the Hybrid 225 model, using 2WD with a 1.6-litre petrol engine teamed to an electric motor and a 13.2kWh battery pack, with a resulting 56km range.

The Hybrid4 300 model packs a bit more power and torque, as well as the inclusion of all-wheel drive by way of a rear-mounted electric motor in addition to a front-mounted electric motor and a 13.2kWh battery pack, said to be good for 59km of electric range.

We look forward to sampling the PHEV versions later in 2021. Stay tuned for coverage.

The claimed combined cycle fuel consumption is 6.9 litres per 100 kilometres, which again, is okay for the segment but not astounding. Turbocharged rivals claim about 30 per cent less in some cases.

In our testing, we saw an at the pump average of 10.0L/100km across a mix of urban, highway and open road driving. That's not great.

Thankfully the fuel tank capacity is a rather generous 65 litres - a lot for a compact SUV like this.

Official combined cycle fuel consumption figures vary across the engine range. In fact, it even varies across the variants!

For instance, the 1.6L Puretech 165 four-cylinder in the Allure and GT petrol models is not identical. The official figure is 7.3 litres per 100 kilometres for the Allure, while the GT petrol is said to use 7.0L/100km, which could be down to tyres and some aero differences.

Then there’s the GT Sport, the most powerful petrol (Puretech 180), which has an official consumption of 5.6L/100km. It’s so much lower because it has engine start-stop technology, where the other 1.6L doesn’t.

The Blue HDi 180 engine has the lowest official fuel use figure of 5.0L/100km. It has start-stop tech, too, but no AdBlue after treatment.

I filled up after a few hundred kilometres of testing and had a real-world at the pump return of 8.5L/100km in the GT petrol. 

The petrol models both require 95RON premium unleaded fuel. 

Fuel tank capacity for all models is 53L, so theoretical driving range is very good for the diesel.

I wouldn't recommend the Qashqai to my mum, but you might recommend it to your mum. I know my mum would love the size, the seating position, and the fact it has a few desirable safety items.

So, why wouldn't my mum like it? She's a bit of a car enthusiast, and she loves cars that are exciting to drive. And the Qashqai - even this Midnight Edition - is not that.

Indeed, it is one of the most unappealing cars in the segment in terms of driving manners, with nothing to set it apart and make you go ‘wow!'. It's older than most of its rivals, admittedly, but just be aware that the Qashqai is a car for those who have needs, more than wants.

The 2.0-litre petrol engine is okay in some situations, but it generally feels strangled by the CVT automatic, which is annoyingly inconsistent in the way it behaves, and can be really frustrating in the way that it will offer a lot of acceleration in one instance and then almost dullness in other instances - all while applying about the same amount of throttle.

The powertrain is the biggest issue with this car - it really isn't that enjoyable to drive in any situation other than highway cruising. And yes, it will get away from a standstill fine - better than some rivals with dual-clutch automatic transmissions, too - it just struggles to maintain linear momentum and it's hard to drive it smoothly as a result.

 And the Midnight Edition with the larger alloy wheels and decent tyres also sours the drive experience, with a ride that is a bit firm thanks to the low profile rubber, but also a bit bouncy and unsettled as well. It just isn't as comfortable or as compliant as many of its rivals.

Further to that, there is some serious road noise to contend with on coarse chip roads. The M4 motorway in Sydney forms a big part of my driving, and there are sections on there where I had to adjust the stereo volume just to hear the music over the boom, while on the better surfaced parts, it was smooth progress.

Over speed bumps and in urban driving you will likely also notice that the rear suspension is a bit sharp.

In driving around town, the steering offers a light enough action and is also reasonably fuss free, plus there's a bit of feel through the wheel but it's just not that engaging to drive.

The Peugeot 3008 GT petrol I drove was a nice, comfortable drive. Not amazing in any particular way, but a really good balance of things you might want in your mid-size SUV.

The ride is particularly well sorted, with a nice level of control and composure over most bumps at most speeds. There can be a bit of side-to-side body wobble at times, but it’s never too flimsy feeling

The steering is quick, and the small steering wheel exacerbates that. You don’t need to make much movement with your hands to affect a prompt response, though there’s not a whole lot of feel going on, so it’s not super fun in the traditional sense despite being easy to steer.

You might look at the engine specs and think, “a 1.6-litre isn’t enough engine for a family SUV like that!”. But you’d be wrong, because it turns out this engine is a zesty little offering.

It pulls hard from a standstill, and offers good power progression up the rev range, too. The engine is urgent enough in its response in roll-on acceleration as well, but the transmission has a real appetite for eating away at the fun you’re trying to have by constantly upshifting in an attempt to save fuel. 

There are paddle-shifters if you want to put it in manual mode, and there’s a sport drive mode as well - but really, that’s not the kind of SUV this is. It’s a really competent and comfortable family option, one that is very easy to drive and would certainly be easy to live with.

Another really nice thing about the 3008 is that it’s pretty quiet. There’s not much in the way of road noise or wind rustle to contend with, and I experienced almost no tyre roar from the Michelin rubber of my test car.

My biggest gripe was actually the engine start button. It seemingly requires a lot of pedal pressure on the brake and a fairly good press of the button to ignite the engine, and I also found the shifter could be a touch frustrating when shifting between drive and reverse, too.

Those are hardly dealbreakers, though. This is a very likeable car.

The Peugeot 3008 range was awarded a five-star ANCAP crash test safety rating back in 2016, and while that was half a decade ago (can you believe it?!), the updated model is even better equipped with safety technology and features.

All models come with auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection including low-light scenarios, plus all grades come with lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring and intervention, a surround view 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, semi-autonomous self parking tech, auto high-beam lights, and adaptive cruise control with a speed limiter.

The GT grade models all have added lane keeping assistance technology to help steer you in your lane at speed, too. Where the Allure has Peugeot’s Advanced Grip Control system, adding off highway driving modes with Mud, Sand and Snow modes - remember, though, it’s a front-wheel drive SUV.

The 3008 is fitted with six airbags (dual front, front side, full-length curtain) and there are dual ISOFIX and three top-tether points for baby seats.

The Nissan range is backed by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which is about the standard offer in the Australian market. Rivals like the Kia Seltos, MG ZS and ZST, and SsangYong Korando have seven-year warranty cover, while Mitsubishi offers up to 10 years for the ASX and Eclipse Cross.

There's a capped price servicing plan that runs to 12 years or 120,000km so, you guessed it, the maintenance intervals are every 12 months/10,000km (whichever occurs first), which means they're a bit less lenient than competitors which offer 15,000km intervals.

The average servicing cost over that 12-year period, according to Nissan's website, is $322.75. That's not bad as a baseline, but that doesn't include some consumables.

The brand also offers a five-year roadside assistance service as part of the warranty plan.

The Peugeot 3008 range is offered with a class-competitive five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty plan, which includes five years’ roadside assistance at no extra cost.

There is a five-year capped-price servicing plan, too. Maintenance intervals are every 12 months/20,000km, which is generous.

But the service costs are high. Worked out over the five year plan, the annual average price per servicing for the Allure and GT petrol models is $553.60; for the GT diesel it’s $568.20; and for the GT Sport it’s $527.80.

Worried about Peugeot 3008 issues, reliability, concerns or recalls? Check out our Peugeot 3008 problems page.