BMW X6 vs Nissan Qashqai

What's the difference?

I was not expecting to like the BMW X6 xDrive 40i M Sport as much as I do. The styling is still polarising but the facelift will throw more people towards the liking rather than disliking side of the fence. The cabin and boot are super practical and the X6 nails all the premium elements you expect at this level. It’s driving and handling are what win me over, though.

My son loves this one and doesn’t want to hand it back. My husband also noted how nice he thought the X6 was… and that’s saying something for a born and raised 'country boy'!

Now e-Power-only, the 2026 Qashqai Ti-L range walks a fine line between mainstream value-for-money and premium European class, providing an attractive, enjoyable and comfortable small SUV experience that also doubles up as a capable and practical family car.

We’d probably ditch this grade for either the Ti below and save a bit of money in the process, or stretch a little more for the flagship N-Design, as both provide the peace of mind of a spare wheel.

Otherwise, for its economy, agility, luxury and smarts, the latest Qashqai Ti-L e-Power is a wildly underrated Nissan that deserves more love.

SUV coupe styling with its raised platform and pinched bum just doesn’t do it for me usually but I like it on the new X6 model. The facelift helps the X6 appear more athletic and just plain meaner than the previous version.

The front end sees the most change with new adaptive LED headlights and a bigger 'kidney' grille. The kidneys are illuminated, which adds to its night-time presence and the extended blacked-out intake vents at the front and around the car make it look sharp as hell.

The weird prong on the side mirrors has been dropped in favour of a more seamless design (hurrah) and the 22-inch alloy wheels give total va-va-vroom sport-vibes. 

On the interior, the dashboard has been revamped with a more pronounced shape and a curved display panel that houses the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.8-inch multimedia system.

The air-vents now blend more into the dash but the little knobs for them might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

The ambient lighting is customisable and the quilted seats look beautiful but purists will wince on learning it’s synthetic leather, especially at this price point, but it feels and looks very nice. 

The third Qashqai since the original took Europe by storm as the Pulsar hatch replacement in late 2006, the British-designed, engineered and built crossover uses a global Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance transverse architecture.

As a result, achieving best-possible efficiency was a priority, with weight-saving, body-beefing aluminium deployed in the doors, bonnet and front guards.

Though an ageing design (launching in Europe back in 2021), a deft facelift in 2024 has kept the nicely proportioned and detailed design relatively fresh inside and out.

Size wise we’re in big small SUV territory, with the Qashqai measuring 4425mm, 1835mm, 1625mm and 2665mm in length, width, height and wheelbase respectively. This makes it quite a roomy little SUV inside.

In Australia, the expense of British sourcing places the Nissan in premium territory, so the series now kicks off from the mid-spec ST-L grade, bringing softer-touch materials, larger screens and more equipment as standard, raising the ambience somewhat.

You know you’re in a large SUV when you slide into the X6 because the cabin has a lot of space in both rows.

But also because of the higher centre console design, you feel tucked into the car despite the higher seating position. It makes it feel far sportier than your typical SUV. 

Even back rowers enjoy decent legroom and headroom, despite the panoramic sunroof and sloping roof design. Six-footers should be relatively comfortable in both rows but it's best to reserve the middle seat as a sometimes position for adults. The raised floor won’t allow true comfort for a longer trip.

Let’s chat luxury because there’s plenty to be had with the electric front seats and their cloud-like comfort.

The electrically-adjustable side bolsters and adjustable lumbar support makes it feel like you’re being cuddled by the seat and also hold you in place in a turn. The extendable under-thigh supports minimise leg fatigue on a longer trip.

However, the back seat is almost as comfortable as the fronts in terms of cushioning. You also sit in, rather than on top of the seats which is a nice change for an SUV. 

Individual storage is great in both rows and up front you get a dual-opening middle console, glove box and a handy utility area that houses the cupholders and two phone pockets.

There is also a storage nook on the driver’s side that will comfortably hold a wallet. 

In the rear you enjoy two map pockets on the front seat backs and retractable cupholders in the fold-down armrest.

The armrest houses a shallow device holder and sits at a good height. Both rows enjoy deep storage bins in each door and a large drink bottle holder.

Happily, the holder is tilted towards the user, rather than away which is what you usually see.

The boot is a great size at 580L with all seats in use. There’s a little lip that has practical metal scuff plates but otherwise the loading space is level.

The hands-free powered tailgate is welcome and the handy 40/20/40 split on the back row opens up your storage options.

You get a temporary spare tyre underneath the floor and it’s cool how the floor has a gas strut, which makes the area much easier to access.

The concertina-style cargo cover is a bit dicky to use but I like how solid it is. It could easily double as a shelf by itself. 

Charging options are abundant with a total of two 12-volt ports, a USB-A port, three USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad to choose from throughout the car. But it is annoying to use the pad when the front cupholders are in use.

I like having hardened kickplates on the backs of the front seats because my seven-year old loves putting his feet on everything.

The higher ground clearance makes this an easy car to get in and out of but it also makes for a great view for my son. He finds the doors a little heavy to close but the massive door grab handles help!

Amenities in the rear row make it a pleasant space to be in for kids and adults alike. You have reading lights, map pockets, two storage shelves and directional air vents.

There is manual climate control in this row, too, but it feels at odds with the rest of the high tech in the car.

On that note, the updated technology looks gorgeous.

The head-up display is clear and the digital instrument panel offers plenty of customisation. It's a super handy feature to access your recent call log via the steering wheel controls and see it pop up on the instrument cluster. 

The touchscreen multimedia system is responsive but you can also use the rotary dial to get around it. There is a stack of information in it, though, which will take a bit to get your head around. Can’t fault its graphics, it looks hot, but some users may feel flustered at first.

The system has built-in satellite navigation that features an augmented reality feature, which overlays dynamic instructions on the video feed. What makes it practical is how it can be viewed on your instrument cluster, which means more on-road focus for the driver. 

There is wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, with the latter being simple to connect to. You don’t have the important climate control buttons/dials up front and I find it annoying to access the multimedia screen to change climate and fan speed settings. 

What you lack in controls there is more than made up for in the centre console. There are a lot of buttons, from the push-button starter, rotary control wheel and everything in between.

Even after a week, my mind still has a mini freeze looking at them while on the go.

Now Nissan’s smallest model in Australia if you discount the delightful Z sports car, the Qashqai feels like an SUV from the next-class up in terms of front-seat comfort and space, with true room to move.

Now while it may be getting on a bit now, lacking the dominating, screen-heavy displays of newer rivals (especially those from China and Germany), the current model’s interior design and layout remains a masterclass in style, functionality, refinement and quality. This is also quieter than before.

In fact, the Qashqai is very difficult to fault from the (supportively cushy) driver’s seat.

All controls are within easy reach, revealing the crossover’s excellent ergonomics, backed up by good vision all round, and ably aided by the helpful new surround-view camera set-up.

The multi-configurable crystal-clear instrumentation and the joy of actual switchgear and buttons are further bonuses.

This isn’t to say that that the touchscreen doesn’t play a major role here, as most of the vehicle and all multimedia functions are accessed quickly via the electronic displays. It’s just that the balance between analogue and digital is considered and balanced.

Plenty of thought has also gone into storage, with wide door bins, a deep centre console and big glove box, along with the presence of a smartphone charging shelf, nearby USB ports and handy cupholders. And the same applies for the natty little gear selector – once the driver masters it.

The only real bugbears are that the air conditioning seemed faulty in our test car, refusing to cool the vehicle down unless the coldest setting was selected. This has also inflicted the brand’s other recent SUVs. Is there an electrical issue going on, Nissan?

Plus, over-the-shoulder vision is pretty poor – a corollary of the sloping roofline and small back windows.

Moving to the rear seat area, both the non-reclinable backrests and non-slidable cushions are adequately supportive as well as spacious enough for most people, though taller folk will notice the limited knee room.

The expected array of amenities is present too, including air vents, USB-C ports, overhead grab handles, reading lights and a centre armrest with cupholders. Note the panoramic roof’s ability to flood the rear with light should not be underestimated, especially as it also comes with a blockout blind.

Moving into the boot area, the price to pay for all that e-Power efficiency is a shallower floor compared to the old turbo-petrol version. The Ti-L offers between 452 litres and 1376L of VDA capacity depending on whether the 60/40 backrest is up or not.

But, and this can be a deal breaker for some buyers, there is no spare wheel, just a tyre-repair kit, which is totally inadequate, shockingly costly to replenish and will completely destroy your expensive tyre.

Our advice is to consider the N-Design that comes with one, or get your friendly Nissan dealer to stump up for an aftermarket space-saver spare and jack combination kit.

How can a new model be both cheaper and more expensive than before?

When you add a $6725 less-expensive e-Power grade to make going hybrid cheaper, but then drop the old 1.3-litre turbo-petrol option across the range, that’s how.

Nissan says dropping the turbo was to help it dodge the Federal Government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) carbon pollution fines.

With the deletion of the old base ST petrol from $34,665 (all prices are before on-road costs), it’s now an $11,000 jump into Qashqai ST-L e-Power from $45,640. Which is new for 2026.

Other changes include a comprehensively improved hybrid powertrain offering more performance, less consumption and fewer emissions, a quieter interior, a better camera, extra advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) functionality and extended service intervals. More on those later on.

The ST-L includes dual-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 360-degree camera with under-bonnet view and better forward vision, a wireless charger, proximity key and a three-year connected app subscription, offering remote functionality, security alerts, location services and more.

On top of the $4000-extra Ti’s larger electronic instrumentation, powered driver’s seat, heated front seats, PVC/leather upholstery, ambient lighting, roof rails and 19-inch alloys, the more-luxurious Ti-L from $53,640 as tested gains quilted leather trim, massaging front seats, a head-up display, glass roof with sunshade, Bose audio upgrade and an inch-larger set of wheels. Another $500 adds the N-Design sports kit and blacked-out treatments, which really do look the part.

The Qashqai Ti-L delivers a lot of kit for the cash.

Small SUV alternatives swarm all over the Nissan, as it goes head-to-head with the Toyota C-HR, Subaru Crosstrek and Honda ZR-V hybrids, considered to be direct competitors.

There are also a litany of less-expensive rivals, including the Chery Tiggo 4, GWM Haval Jolion, Hyundai Kona, MG ZS and Toyota Corolla Cross hybrids.

It’s a good thing then that the Nissan has one or two unique traits that help make it stand out.

The xDrive40i M Sport has a 3.0-litre, inline six-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with maximum outputs of 280kW and 540Nm. That’s 30kW and 90Nm up from the previous model.

It has a smooth eight-speed auto transmission and is all-wheel-drive.

The facelift sees the addition of a new mild-hybrid system which makes for almost imperceptible stop/start functionality when idling and a smidge better on-road fuel economy. 

With a 0-100kmh sprint time of 5.4-seconds, it’s obvious that it has plenty of power to have fun with.

The biggest news for the 2026 Qashqai lays under the bonnet.

Being an e-Power, it still combines a 116kW/250Nm 1.5-litre, three-cylinder petrol-turbo engine.

Its job is to solely charge a 2.1kWh lithium-ion battery, with a 140kW/311Nm electric motor that alone drives the front wheels via a single-speed reduction-drive transmission.

But this plugless powertrain now features a 'five-in-one' hybrid set-up that integrates the electric motor, generator, inverter, increaser and reducer into a single and compact unit, helping to save weight and boost efficiency between components. There’s also a revised combustion set-up, ditching the old variable compression tech.

Up to a 0.7 litre per 100km average fuel-consumption drop, along with a 10 per cent power boost in Sport mode, are the headline improvements.

Combined outputs are rated at 140kW of power from 4900rpm to 5900rpm, or 151kW in Sport, while torque tops out at 311Nm from 0-3600rpm.

The numbers are much the same as before, but Nissan says this is a redesigned, third-generation e-Power system, and it debuts for Australia in the 2026-model Qashqai first.

Braked towing capacity remains at just 750kg.

Expectations for a thirsty engine were high, considering the hefty power available, but this version of the X6 has proved to be quite economical.

The xDrive40i M Sport variant has an official combined cycle fuel economy figure of 9.3L/100km but my real-world usage averaged 8.8L/100km.

That’s after mostly open-road driving with only a little ‘city’ thrown in but I didn't hesitate to use the power, so I'm happy with the result.

The X6 has a big 83-litre fuel tank and based on my usage, you’d see a driving range of around 943km, which is great.

BMW only recommends a minimum 95 RON petrol to be used.

Nissan claims the e-Power averages just 4.1L/100km, down from 4.8L/100km, for a carbon-dioxide emissions rating of 98 grams/km.

Around town that drops to 3.8L/100km and rises to 4.3L/100km out on the highway run.

Helping out economy is the one-pedal driving function, that acts as a dynamo to slow the car down (not to a full stop, mind) while providing some additional battery recharge via a press of a button.

Brimming the 55L fuel tank with the required 95 RON premium unleaded petrol, expect a range of up to 1340km (up from 1140km) between refills.

In practice, driving in heavy city traffic and on fast motorway roads alike, we averaged 6.7L/100km, though this did include some fast driving on challenging, rural roads. The trip meter indicated 5.0L/100km.

The X6 is a thoroughbred on the road. It’s wide stance and massive wheels provide a well-balanced and grippy on-road ride experience.

Seriously, the tyres feel glued to the road even in the wet. Confidence is high with this one.

There is plenty of power to enjoy and you don’t feel like you’re digging deep for it, either, when you have to get up to speed or overtake.

It has the handling and power of a much smaller and sportier car but at no point does it feel wild or reckless to drive. It’s got a certain elegance and maturity to its handling.

Despite those massive wheels, the ride comfort is fantastic with the adaptive suspension. You still feel the road but you’re not knocked about by it. It’s very much a driver’s car in that sense but passengers still feel well-cushioned.  

The cabin is insulated and you get basically no road noise or wind noise but occasionally you get some feedback from the tyres depending on the road surface. Longer journeys are comfortable and quiet.

The steering is light enough that you don’t feel like you’re hauling a massive SUV around but is still responsive. Meaning you can tackle a winding road or urban traffic easily.

When it comes time to park it, you’ll love having the 360-degree view camera system. It’s the best and clearest system I’ve sampled.

Add the front and rear parking sensors and no car space is an issue. But if you’re unsure, you can use the Park Assist feature to help out.    

Jumping from the previous Qashqai e-Power to the latest version is telling, as the MY26 upgrades do seem to have altered the Nissan’s character a little.

Keeping in mind we are in the big-wheeled Ti-L at nearly $60K drive-away, we approached this test with higher expectations, as this is firmly into premium small SUV territory.

Yet, from the moment we pressed the start button, the Qashqai impressed us with its quietness and refinement.

Off-the-line acceleration is pure EV, meaning immediate response thanks to a wave of instant torque, at least initially, and followed by a silent yet lively performer, with plenty in store should the need arise for a speedy overtaking manoeuvre.

The e-Power is particularly rapid if you need to plug shrinking gaps in traffic.

After a while, the petrol-engine generator kicks in. At first, it’s noticeable, because the electric drivetrain is so hushed and the peace is thus breached, but you soon become used to it. And, yes, in the Ti-L at least, it’s much quieter than before.

Using the throttle when the e-Power is in hybrid mode doesn’t seem as disconnected as before, with the battery recharging at a fairly steady rev rate while the electric motor continues to do the driving. The whole transition between pure EV and range-extender EV is fairly seamless.

The e-Power offers three driving modes – Eco, Normal and Sport. Initially, the Qashqai’s performance did not feel as eager as before, but a solid prod of the throttle does prove otherwise, with plenty of power coursing through the front wheels in either of the first two settings.

Choosing Sport does liven things up noticeably, with clearly quicker speed as a result of that 10 per cent kilowatt hike.

While we would prefer a set of paddle shifters to do the job, the E-Pedal regenerative-braking system that helps provide some off-throttle slowing down works well enough around town, though a full stop in a timely manner isn’t possible.

Meanwhile, brandishing a MacPherson-style strut front and multi-link rear suspension set-up, the Qashqai’s steering is beautifully weighted and nicely balanced, meaning that it’s light enough for easy round-town manoeuvrability yet agile and planted for fun fast cornering handling. It isn’t a lightweight machine at 1705kg, but the chassis is fluid enough to entertain the keen driver. There’s definitely a European flair to this Japanese-branded British car’s dynamic attitude.

Even the ADAS tech works away quietly, nicely tuned for local conditions and barely bothering the Nissan’s occupants, though there is some intrusive lane-keep alert interference at times.

We’ve driven many Qashqais since 2022, and the 20-inch wheeled Ti-L (and N-Design) is probably the least comfortable of the available size options, lacking the suppleness of the smaller alternatives. It manages to smother the higher-frequency bumps, but feels a tad too firm over larger humps. Not bad, but for this reason alone we’d probably go Ti only and forsake some of the little luxuries.

Still, the Qashqai is a satisfying, well-resolved small SUV to drive, with the e-Power adding a veneer of smooth, slick sophistication that helps elevate the experience.

Though the pre-MY26 Nissan Qashqai achieved a five-star ANCAP rating, more stringent crash-test protocols have seen a drop to four stars for the latest version.

Scoring a high 91 per cent rating for Child Occupant Protection, it slipped to 78 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection, 68 per cent for Vulnerable Road User Protection and just 62 per cent for Safety Assist.

The Qashqai Ti-L e-Power is fitted with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) offering pedestrian, cyclist and back-over detection, as well as lane support systems including lane-keep alert/assist, blind-spot monitoring, a driver fatigue monitor, auto high beams, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, seven airbags including full outboard side/head protection and a front-centre item, and a vehicle approach sound for pedestrians and cyclists.

The car-to-car AEB operates from 5-130km/h, pedestrian and cyclist AEB from 10-80km/h, and the lane support systems between 60-250km/h.

Finally, the Qashqai features ISOFIX child-seat latches fitted to the outboard rear seat positions, while a trio of top tethers for straps are included across the rear bench.

The ongoing costs are surprisingly reasonable for a large luxury SUV! Like its rivals the X6 enjoys a five-year/unlimited km warranty.

However, you can pre-purchase a servicing plan for up to five years or 80,000km, whichever occurs first, for a flat $2400. Or an average of $480 per service which is inexpensive for this class.

Service intervals are also good at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first. 

The Qashqai comes with a regular five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assistance, but that can increase up to 10 years (and 300,000km) if the vehicle is serviced annually and on time at an authorised Nissan dealer.

Furthermore, the first five years cost $399 per service as part of Nissan’s capped-price servicing regime.

Service intervals are at every 15,000km or 12 months, whichever comes first.

Finally, there are about 180 dealers dotted around Australia.