Nissan Qashqai prices rise as flagship axed, some features removed

The Australian Nissan Qashqai SUV range has been revised for the 2026.5 model year with price increases, specification changes and the removal of the top-spec N-Design from the Toyota Corolla Cross and Hyundai Kona rival’s lineup.

The price of each remaining grade has risen by $210, meaning the entry-level ST-L now starts at $45,850 before on-road costs, compared with $37,440 for the cheapest Corolla Cross and $36,950 for the Kona Hybrid.

Nissan Australia told CarExpert the pricing changes mostly reflected production and logistics headwinds currently facing the company.

It follows a jump of more than $10,000 in the UK-built Qashqai’s entry price earlier this year, when Nissan dropped the petrol-only variants and switched to a range powered solely by its e-Power hybrid technology.

The updates see the ST-L gain black synthetic leather-accented dashboard trim, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster replacing the previous 7.0-inch unit, and a fold-down second-row armrest.

However, it loses its standard wireless phone charger and driver’s seat power lumbar adjustment, while the front passenger seat is now four-way rather than six-way adjustable.

The mid-grade Ti retains wireless smartphone charging and gains black 19-inch alloy wheels in place of the previous black-and-silver versions, but otherwise offers less equipment than before.

Both the Qashqai Ti and Ti-L lose their adaptive headlights and front sequential indicators, while the Ti also loses its dynamic rear indicators. The Ti-L retains dynamic rear indicators, but both grades switch from a leather-accented steering wheel to a synthetic leather-accented item.

The Ti-L now comes with the N-Design’s 20-inch alloy wheels as part of the shake-up, while the optional Platinum exterior paint colour is no longer available. A contrasting black roof remains available on the Ti and Ti-L, but not the entry-level ST-L.

There are no changes to the hybrid powertrain. Its 116kW/250Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine acts as a generator, while a front-mounted electric motor produces 140kW and 311Nm and drives the front wheels. As with hybrid-powered rivals like the Kona and Corolla Cross, the Qashqai can't be plugged in and charged.

The Qashqai has posted a 73.5 per cent sales slump during the first seven months of 2026, almost as sharp a decline as the now discontinued Juke light SUV (down 74.9 per cent) and Pathfinder large SUV (down 84.4 per cent).

The Nissan brand is down 33.7 per cent overall, with none of its current models recording sales growth. This compares with declines of 27.1 per cent for Mitsubishi, 19.0 per cent for Toyota and 16.7 per cent for Mazda so far this year.

Last week, Nissan opened Australian order books for the new-generation Y63 Patrol, with a six-model range aimed squarely at the rival Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.

Despite the arrival of the first new-generation Patrol since 2013, Nissan Oceania managing director Steve Milette recently told CarExpert that 2026 would be Nissan Australia’s low point, with 2027 marking the beginning of the brand’s return to growth.

Globally, Nissan is also attempting to recover from net losses of ¥670.9 billion (A$5.85 billion) for the financial year ended March 31, 2025, and ¥533.1 billion (A$4.65 billion) for the financial year ended March 31, 2026.

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