Qashqai vs Sportage
| Nissan Qashqai<br>2024 | Kia Sportage<br>2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £30,995 | £36,215 |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Fuel | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Engine | 1.5L petrol generator + electric motor (e-POWER) | 1.6L turbocharged petrol + electric motor (HEV) |
| Power | 190 PS (140 kW) | 215 PS (158 kW) |
| 0-62 mph | 9.2 seconds | 7.7 seconds |
| Top speed | 105 mph | 120 mph |
| Transmission | Single-speed reduction gear (direct drive) | 6-speed automatic |
| Fuel type | Hybrid (petrol) | Hybrid (petrol) |
| Fuel economy | 53.3 mpg (WLTP combined) | 49.6 mpg (WLTP combined) |
| CO2 emissions | 116 g/km | 125 g/km |
| Boot space | 504 litres | 587 litres |
| Warranty | 3 years / 60,000 miles | 7 years / 100,000 miles |
| Owner rating | — | — |
Read the prices twice, because the first time you will assume a misprint. The Nissan Qashqai 2024 in hybrid form costs £27,000. The Kia Sportage 2024 hybrid costs £36,215. That is a £9,215 chasm between two cars that sit in the same showroom segment, chase the same family buyers, and both wear hybrid badges. The entire comparison flows from that number: the Sportage has to be an awful lot better to justify it, and in some ways it is — just not £9,215 better for most people.
Here is the twist the prices hide: the cheaper car is also the quicker one. The Qashqai's 190 PS hybrid powertrain reaches 60 mph in 7.9 seconds, beating the Sportage's 215 PS in 8.3 seconds. More power on paper does not always mean more pace on the road, and this is one of those cases. The Qashqai is frugal too — 53.3 mpg against 49.6 mpg — which translates to £989 a year in fuel for 8,000 miles versus £1,063. Insurance follows the same pattern (£616 versus £690) and so does maintenance (£458 versus £495). It is unusual to see the affordable car win the performance argument and the economy argument simultaneously, but here we are.
The five-year true cost makes the gap impossible to ignore: £28,275 for the Qashqai against £35,005 for the Sportage. That is nearly £6,700 over five years, or £471 a month versus £583. On 48-month finance the monthly ask is £615.14 against £825.09 — a difference that would cover a family holiday every single year. The Sportage's advantages are real but narrower: a slightly roomier cabin, a longer manufacturer warranty tradition, and a more premium-feeling interior at the top of the range. Those matter, but they are comforts, not fundamentals.
Who should buy which? The Qashqai is for the family that wants the maximum car for sensible money — strong pace, excellent economy, and the lowest bills in this comparison by a distance. The Sportage suits the buyer who plans to keep the car a very long time and values Kia's warranty reassurance, or who simply prefers its styling and cabin and is willing to pay handsomely for the preference. A third profile — the high-mileage driver — actually favours the Qashqai even more, because its economy edge compounds with every mile.
Our pick is the Nissan Qashqai, and it is not close. Cheaper to buy by £9,215, quicker to 60, more economical, and nearly £6,700 cheaper over five years — the Sportage would need to be a different class of car to overturn that, and it is not. Buy the Sportage only if its warranty, space, or styling are worth a very large premium to you.
Nissan Qashqai review → Kia Sportage review →