2020 Nissan Qashqai

By Alex Forrest

Telling the difference between this 2020 Nissan Qashqai and the 2019 model is tough, because on the outside, there aren’t many. 

Under the skin though, the Qashqai – which is among the top five best-selling small SUVs – has had some upgrades that are far more important than some superficial tweaks to the lights and wheels.

Specifically, the Qashqai has been upgraded in three areas, all of which contribute to the vehicle’s safety.

Firstly, the new mid-spec ST+ variant brings a range of safety extras, including driver fatigue monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring. It means buyers don’t have to shell out extra hard-earned for the next model up to get this safety gear.

Secondly, the phone-mirroring capabilities of Apple Carplay and Android Auto have been made standard across the Qashqai range, while the third notable upgrade is the addition of pedestrian detection from 60km/h for the range-topping Ti model.

Autonomous emergency braking was already standard across the Qashqai range.

But what’s especially important on about these upgrades, particularly in popular and affordable small SUVs like this, is that they won’t just benefit the new car buyer.

When these vehicles move into the hands of their second and third owners, as they often do given they’re cheap and plentiful, they’re often purchased by or for inexperienced drivers – the driver group that stands to benefit most from these upgrades. 

Around the same time these changes were made to the regular Qashqai range, Nissan also introduced another variant called the N-Sport, which is just a Qashqai ST-L with a different t-shirt on.

That means the N-Sport gets body-coloured bumpers, silver door mirror backings and 19-inch wheels. At $35,990 drive away, it’s $1,000 more than the regular ST-L.

Under the bonnet of all current model Qashqais is a 2.0-litre petrol engine making 106kW, which is fine for rolling around town though not especially spirited compared to some of its turbocharged rivals like the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and Toyota CH-R.

This was an update that the aging Qashqai needed, having been launched in 2014. There have been some small price increases but the value is still there given these upgrades.

2020 Nissan Qashqai Specifications