Kia Sportage vs Nissan Qashqai

The Kia Sportage starts from $38,490 before on-road costs, while the Nissan Qashqai opens at $34,665. That makes the Nissan Qashqai the more affordable entry point by $3,825.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $42,339 and $38,132 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Nissan Qashqai by roughly $2,280 in fuel alone.

Both the Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 87% for the Kia Sportage and 91% for the Nissan Qashqai.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. Both models are evenly matched with 5 out of 10 key ADAS systems.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 6 in the Kia Sportage and 7 in the Nissan Qashqai.

The Kia Sportage features a 12.3-inch touchscreen paired with a 4-inch digital dash, while the Nissan Qashqai gets a 12.3-inch display and 7-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Kia Sportage stands out with Apple CarPlay that you will not find on the Nissan Qashqai. The Nissan Qashqai counters with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Kia Sportage uses a Petrol producing 115kW and 192Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.5 seconds.

The Nissan Qashqai responds with a Petrol making 110kW and 250Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8.8 seconds.

The Kia Sportage has the clear power advantage at 115kW vs 110kW. In the real-world sprint, the Kia Sportage is 0.3s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Kia Sportage measures 4,685mm long on a 2,755mm wheelbase, 260mm longer than the Nissan Qashqai at 4,425mm (2,665mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Kia Sportage generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 543L in the Kia Sportage and 430L in the Nissan Qashqai, giving the Kia Sportage a 113L advantage.

For towing, the Kia Sportage leads with a 1,650kg braked capacity vs 1,500kg. That 150kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,309/year for the Kia Sportage and $1,853/year for the Nissan Qashqai. That is a $456 annual difference in favour of the Nissan Qashqai.

Estimated annual total: $2,309 (Kia Sportage) vs $1,853 (Nissan Qashqai). The Nissan Qashqai saves you roughly $456 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 7 years / 999,999km (Kia Sportage) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Nissan Qashqai). The Kia Sportage has longer coverage.