2017 Hyundai Tucson vs Nissan Qashqai

What's the difference?

The Tucson is an very capable all-rounder with few weak spots, particularly after a little tidy-up of the Active and Elite trims in the middle of 2016. It's a strong proposition in a very crowded part of the market dominated by a resurgent Volkswagen Tiguan and the Mazda CX-5 (with a facelift due for release this month).

The Active X is the best value for money Tucson as long as you don't need AWD (there are the occasional special editions based on its spec, though, like the Tucson 30th Anniversary) or extra grunt.

The Tucson's roomy, good-looking, well-built and rides and handles as well as anything else in the class. It's a difficult car to fault, even when it's been in our hands for lengthy periods. The fact it has squared up to the Japanese and Germans and held its own means it has to be very good, indeed.

While among the older of the mini-SUVs, the Qashqai is holding up very well. Its competition isroughly the same in most ways, with just tiny detail differences, meaning the decision really comes down to which one you like the look of and whether you can afford it.

The Qashqai's lack of all-wheel drive does count against it for some people, but unless you're heading off-road, that's no reason to pass over the Nissan. The entertainment system software isn't exactly bang-up-to-date but a quick look at the competition reveals theirs aren't either.

The Qashqai drives well, looks good and is extremely well built. It should survive a tough family life without stress or drama and apart from the indifferent fuel economy, should cost very little to run in diesel or petrol formats.

The Tucson is a terrific-looking car. Hyundai's styling has matured hugely in the last few years and the Tucson is a pointer to the brand's future - classy, Euro-influenced and with a strong personality linked to newer Hyundais as they roll through.

The lines are sharp, the headlights slim and the unpainted plastic applied around the wheelarches is just right - it doesn't look either penny-pinching or self-consciously masculine. It's also a cohesive exterior design, with links between the front and rear, a strong feature line to draw the two ends together and some great surfacing. Upper-spec models gain some chrome, most obviously in the grille.

Perhaps the only real criticism (and this is obviously subjective) is the chintziness of the alloys and cheap exterior detailing on higher models.

As out interior images show, the inside is lined with mostly good materials and plastics. The leather trim is a moving feast, with a mix of real and synthetic upholstery depending on build location (South Korea or Czech Republic) and model level. There's nothing wrong with the synthetic stuff, which is quite soft and resists heating up too much in summer.

It's an interesting thing this Qashqai. Many moons ago this would probably have laboured under the designation 'mini-MPV' - it really is more of a large hatchback than it is an SUV because of the way it's proportioned. I'd put a large sum of money on a quick vox pop finding that there is little to link the Nissan to other cars in the segment, at least visually.

Part of the reason it doesn't look like it competes with the CX-3 or ASX or HR-V is because it looks markedly bigger. On the road and from behind the wheel, it looks as though it towers over these cars (it doesn't, there's only a few millimetres in it) and seems like it's from a class above (it's not). So if its exterior is deliberately styled to appear bigger than it is, job done.

What's most clear about this car is that it is beautifully built.

So we've established it looks big but it's worth pointing out that it is in no way overbearing. The Qashqai is very clearly a Nissan design, with obvious links to the other big-seller from the Nissan range, the X Trail.

What's most clear about this car is that it is beautifully built. No squeaks or rattles, no sharp edges and the plastics are a cut above its immediate competition. Panel fit inside and out is exemplary.

The interior looks big in the photos, because for a car this size, it is. Again, the only one of its competitors to come close in terms of dimensions is the HR-V which has more available leg room in the back and a bigger boot.

The Tucson range has slightly differing cabin storage options but they all share the same headline figures of 488 and 1478 litres of cargo space, the latter figure for luggage capacity with the rear seats folded. There are a couple of underfloor cubby holes in the boot space, too.

Beyond the boot size, they've all got four bottle holders and four cupholders as well as a good-sized centre console bin under the armrest. Beneath the air con/climate controls is a tray that will fit your smartphone without drama and also houses the USB port and two 12 volt outlets (although the Active X has only one 12 volt outlet). All have a 12 volt point in the boot.

In terms of interior dimensions, rear legroom is good for people over 180cm tall as long as the driver doesn't think they're Stirling Moss and have to sit as far back from the steering wheel as their straightened arms will allow. You can thank the 2.65m wheelbase for all that room. Those in the back also get a rare treat - air conditioning vents at floor level and additional knee level ones in the Elite and Highlander.

The Tucson is 4.475m long, 1.85m wide and 1.65m high (with roof rails).

The Qashqai is certainly one of the bigger cars in the small SUV class - at 4.377 metres, it's longer than CX-3 (4.275m), HR-V (4.294m) and ASX (4.355m).

The interior is well thought-out, with four cupholders (two front and two rear) and bottle holders in each door for a total of four, although you're restricted to smaller bottles of around 500ml. You could put either a super-dooper-whopper-gulp type cup in the centre console bin as there's a shallow cut-out at the bottom. It's deep, so you might even be able to get a wine bottle in there as long as you don't want to close the lid/armrest.

The boot space is versatile if not gigantic. At 430 litres it seems smaller than the looks suggest but it offers more luggage capacity than most of the rest of the class (HR-V excepted). The boot has two cubby holes behind the taillights with their own stretchy straps and the floor is split into two sections you can lift to hide things beneath or pull out altogether to make the boot a little deeper. It's all fairly intuitive, too. No need to resort to the owners manual here.

If its exterior is deliberately styled to appear bigger than it is, job done.

Additional storage comes in the form of a couple of open slots on the console and beneath the climate controls, a good size glove box (big enough for a hefty owner's manual) and on some models, document pockets in the front seatbacks.

Dropping the rear seats increases the load area but the seatbacks don't sit flush with the boot floor when you've removed the floor pieces - that's a trap for young players. Nissan doesn't quote a figure for the total load volume with the seats down.

Rear legroom is spacious enough for most folks, but the lack of rear air vents is a bit of a blow (sorry). Three kids could cheerfully spend time on the rear bench, but three adults would be a stretch. The Qashqai is a true five seat car where the CX-3 (for instance) is stretching the friendship, with the rear seats more a child-only zone.

The front seats are reasonably comfortable and adjustable but are a little over-stuffed for some backs.

All of which begs the question, how much? The range of Nissan Qashqai models kicks off at $25,990 for the ST manual and tops out at the $39,990 TL auto.

It's a simple range, with four distinct Qashqai models, two petrols and two diesels.

The petrol-powered ST and Ti models are first and third in the price list. The ST starts at $25,990 for the manual, the CVT auto adding $2500. The Ti starts at $34,490 for the manual and the same cost for auto is added to bring it to $36,990.

You have a choice of eight colours, only two of which - Ivory Pearl (white) and Pearl Black - are standard. You'll have to spend $495 for Ink Blue, Truffle Bronze, Gun Metallic (dark grey), Nightshade (maroon), Magnetic Red or Platinum (silver). Sadly, no psychedelic '70s purple, or orange to tempt the baby boomers. Not even an earthy brown or gold.

On the subject of cashed-up customers, 500-odd bucks isn't not too much for metallic paint, but it's irritating so few colours are 'free.'

The Qashqai is certainly one of the bigger cars in the small SUV class.

There might be four models, but there are three specification levels. The ST has cloth trim, cruise control, air-conditioning, some fake leather bits and pieces, reversing camera, halogen headlights, four speaker stereo and 17-inch alloy wheels.

The TS diesel adds auto headlights, two more speakers for the sound system, keyless entry and start, seat pockets, dual-zone climate control, 'premium' cloth trim and some storage extras over the ST.

Both share the 5.0-inch infotainment touch screen, CD player, AM/FM radio with MP3 player and bluetooth as well as USB connectivity.

The diesels are CVT-auto only, the TS weighing in at $33,990 and the top-of-the-range TL at $39,990.

The Ti petrol ($36,990) and TL diesel add leather seats, a 7.0-inch touchscreen with GPS, further app integration with iPhone and Android devices, heated front seats, electric drivers seat, a massive full length fixed sunroof and 19-inch alloys. There's little in the way of gadgets, the touchscreen software is a bit long in the tooth and is begging for CarPlay/Android Auto.

For a more detailed comparison guide, see our model snapshots.

Hyundai provides a choice of petrol and diesel engines but no full gas or petrol/LPG option.

In terms of engine specs, the Active, Active X and Elite FWD are available with the 2.0-litre four-cylinder GDI developing 121kW/203Nm. Pretty handy diesel specs. You've a choice of six-speed manual or automatic of Hyundai design and manufacture, but they're FWD only.

Early versions of the Active and Elite ran the older GDI engine until specifications changed in mid-2016.

Elite and Highlander AWD petrols pack a 1.6 litre turbo four-cylinder producing 130kW/265Nm, driving all four wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch transmission, again a Hyundai design. These are good power and torque specs for this engine size and is related to the Veloster Turbo's powerplant, but much more refined in the Tucson. Just a shame it isn't available in FWD Tucson models, even as an option.

All petrol engines get by with standard 91 RON unleaded and fuel tank capacity across the range is 62 litres.

A startlingly good feature across the entire range is the ride and handling.

The Elite and Highlander CRDi AWDs are powered by Hyundai's R-Series 2.0-litre four cylinder turbo-diesel, producing 136kW and a strong 400Nm, which is channelled to all four wheels via a six speed automatic transmission.

None of these engine and transmission combinations have stop-start technology to reduce consumption, but competitors, like the CX-5 and Tiguan, do.

It would be fun if the AWD system had more of a rear-wheel drive (RWD) feel, but alas, you can't have it all.

Towing capacity ratings are identical from Active to Highlander - 1600kg braked, 750kg unbraked.

The 1.6 and 2.0 petrol engine specs  have an oil capacity of 4.0 litres, the 2.0 diesel 7.6 litres. The specified oil type is mineral, with a 15W/40 rating for both fuel types.

The Qashqai comes with a choice of two engine specs and two transmissions. When compared to the competition, engine size is a moot point as they're all around the 1.8 to 2.0-litre mark for petrols and 1.5 or 1.6-litre with similar specs across the segment. Horsepower doesn't seem to be a priority with buyers, so there aren't any outstanding power ratings to tempt you from one to another.

The 2.0-litre petrol four is naturally aspirated and produces 106kW/200Nm. This will motor you along from 0-100km/h in just over 10 seconds. The petrol has a timing chain, so rest easy, you won't have to pay for a cambelt change at any point.

The 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel produces 96kW and a rather more impressive 320Nm of torque. This adds an easy half-second to the 0-100 acceleration time, coming in at 11.1 seconds. The diesel is automatic only. As with the petrol engine, the diesel (known as R9M, R is for Renault), runs a chain rather than a timing belt, so again, that's one less maintenance worry for long-term owners.

When it comes to reputation for durability and reliability we're not aware of any common faults or specific problems.

With petrol-powered cars, you can choose either a six-speed manual or an auto, which is a continuously variable transmission (CVT) rather than traditional torque converter type found in, say, the Mazda CX-3.

The CVT gearbox is also found in Nissan's own X Trail, while rivals Honda and Toyota favour this type (Toyota's CH-R will join the fray in 2017 with a CVT).

When it comes to reputation for durability and reliability we're not aware of any common faults or specific problems; and that goes for turbo problems, gearbox problems, clutch problems, cruise control problems, diesel problems, injector problems... any problems, really. If anything crops up, you'll find it on our Nissan Qashqai problems page. 

If you want a Qashqai with all-wheel drive (or, if you prefer, 4-wheel drive), you'll have to move countries - the Qashqai is front-wheel drive only in Australia.

The Qashqai's towing capacity is rated at 720kg for unbraked trailers and will carry a 1200kg load for those with brakes. Petrol vs diesel? Doesn't matter, they're both the same.

CarsGuide's Richard Berry is running a Tucson Active auto with the 2.0 GDI on long-term test and so far it's returning 9.5L/100km against the claimed 7.9L/100km (manual and auto) in a mix of long highway runs (Melbourne to Sydney) and city running. For those who prefer to invert the standard measure to km per litre, that claim is 12.7km/L.

The Active X has the same claimed combined figure of 7.9L/100km. I ran a Tucson Active X automatic for six months and never bettered 10.5L/100km on standard unleaded in a mix of regular 80km/h running, lots of suburban battling and a little freeway work.

Hyundai reckons you'll get 7.7L/100km on the combined cycle with the 1.6-litre turbo GDI, and on our most recent test in a Tucson 30th Anniversary, we got 9.2L/100km, despite a 145kg weight increase over the GDI. Richard also managed 9.1L/100km in an Elite AWD 1.6 turbo.

For the 2.0-litre R-Series turbodiesel, Hyundai claims 6.8L/100km on the combined cycle. CarsGuide's last week long test yielded an impressively close 8.0L/100km, which is pretty good mileage, especially when bashing around town.

Nissan claims 7.7L/100km on the combined cycle for the petrol. Our most recent test of the 2.0, a Ti automatic, showed this consumption figure to be fairly optimistic, averaging 11.2L/100km in a good mix of urban, suburban and highway running, admittedly in a hot, damp Sydney summer heatwave.

The Qashqai is almost like an overgrown hatchback.

For the diesel, Nissan says it will return around 4.9L/100km on the combined cycle. The most recent CarsGuide test yielded 8.6L/100km, so it seems you've got to be super-careful to get anywhere near the official figures.

Fuel tank capacity is a generous 65 litres. Based on our fuel economy figures, the petrol will get you around 550km before you have to top up the gas, and the diesel about 720km. Out on the freeway, you'll get a lot further with either engine.

The Tucson is a good car to live with. Like most Hyundais it is unusually easy to set the right position behind the wheel, with an excellent relationship between the pedals, wheel and the hip-point of the driver's seat. There's tons of adjustment to ensure you hit the spot.

Vision is good in almost all directions, apart from over the shoulder on the driver's side where the closing glass line tightens up. It's not an especially high car but feels high enough that you're above the traffic.

Although this isn't specifically an offroad review, ground clearance is 182mm with nothing on-board and you could almost u-turn in a normal suburban street with a turning radius of 10.6 metres.

A startlingly good feature across the entire range is the ride and handling.

Like Mazda, Hyundai has punted on buyers liking a multi-link rear rear suspension. It means a better balanced chassis (when done right) but more importantly, impressive ride compared to a couple of the segment's other cars which have cheaper, more compact torsion beam rear ends.

Multi-link-equipped cars cost more, but it's worth it. Australian Tucsons have individual spring and damper settings from Hyundai's very own local suspension tuning team.

Each Tucson has its own distinct driving character according to engine and transmission combination.

The only bugbear with the FWD cars is an over-enthusiastic propensity to centre the steering wheel if you give it a little too much throttle exiting a corner.

Each Tucson has its own distinct driving character according to engine and transmission combination.

The Active and Active X are roughly the same from behind the wheel, with just nuanced differences to do with the different wheel sizes. In both cases the six-speed automatic is a good choice, with a finely-judged shift quality and the ability to work out what you're up to. As it's only FWD, it's not an off-roader, although the curious inclusion of hill descent control suggests it might be. Then again, on the supplied tyres, perhaps not.

The GDI motor is quiet unless provoked to the redline and returns fair fuel economy around town, lacking as they are in stop-start or energy recovery. In fact, no Tucson features stop-start, the only real glaring spec omission. Performance figures aren't particularly quick, the GDI managing a 0-100km/h time of 10.2 seconds.

Moving up the range, and with the addition of a 1.6-litre turbo petrol and seven-speed dual clutch transmission, are the Elite and Highlander AWD models. The 1.6 turbo is very much at home in the Tucson, with a small bump in power from the Active X's 121kW to 130kW but a 20 per cent jump in torque to 265Nm. While the front drivers are the best handlers, the turbo 1.6-powered cars have the best engine.

It's a smooth, happy unit, hauling the Tucson around with vigour. The dual-clutch transmission isn't perfect, with hesitation at low speeds and a frustrating inability to quickly shift from D to R to D when you're in a hurried three-point-turn manoeuvre.

Apart from that little drama, this combination does turn the Tucson into a more relaxed car in traffic as that nice stream of accessible torque means fewer revs needed to make things happen and it's less sensitive to heavy loads.

The turbo petrol cars also very effectively mask the weight increase of around 145kg over the FWD models, with stronger acceleration from step off and in the gears. Four fatter tyres handle getting the power to the road and all the good bits of the Active X's ride and handling are transferred to AWD petrols, meaning a good change of direction and best-in-class ride.

The final combination is the AWD 2.0-litre turbo diesel found in the Elite and Highlander diesels. Reverting back to the six-speed automatic found in the naturally aspirated front drivers, the diesel is a very strong performer and, like the petrol 1.6, is a relaxed car in daily driving.

Only the CX-5 matches the Tucson for handling but it can't touch it for overall ride quality or road noise levels.

It is almost 200kg heavier than the Active and Active X, but the 400Nm of torque - almost double - means you can load up and still get around swiftly. Performance figures from 0-100km/h are similar to the 1.6 petrol (just over nine seconds for the diesel, and a tick under for the petrol) but in the gears acceleration is mighty. The diesel is the one for towing.

As in the petrol, the CRDis have plenty of grip on loose or wet surfaces and handle well in the dry, with good steering and a keen change of direction for a mid-size SUV, especially consi dering the further weight gain of the diesel engine. The diesel only comes with 4 wheel drive and any of the all-wheel drivers will tackle moderate off-road challenges.

Only the CX-5 matches the Tucson for handling but it can't touch it for overall ride quality or road noise levels, despite a similar rear suspension set-up. The Tucson is also exceptionally quiet for a car in this class, especially for front seat passengers.

Rear seat passengers enjoy a good ride, although the middle seat is quite firm for backsides of any size.

The Qashqai is almost like an overgrown hatchback - with FWD and modest power outputs, it's always going to be most at home in the city. Nissan seems to have a good grip on that concept, because the city is where the car excels.

This car is not about performance figures. Neither the manual or automatic is a speed demon, it's all about smoothness. In the manual you can get it moving your way but the CVT is a little more leisurely - if you want a bit more urgency you have to clunk the selector into manual, remember it's around the 'wrong' way (up is to up a gear) and force the changes yourself. It's a bit awkward, so if you're looking for a quick response, this isn't the car for you.

For the most part, refinement is good.

Front suspension is by McPherson struts, while the rear is a multi-link arrangement. This combination means good ride comfort for both front and rear passengers - most in the class make do with simpler (and cheaper) torsion beams at the back. That rear suspension is one of the reasons you'll pay more for the Qashqai. It's also one of the reasons that on bumpy roads the suspension is quieter, although the other road noise might just be drowning it out.

For the most part, refinement is good - the engine is quiet unless you floor it and on smooth surfaces, the tyres don't make too much racket. Once the surface deteriorates or breaks up, the noise comes with it - coarse roads produce a bit of a roar at the front and you'll hear every stone pinging the underbody, seemingly undamped by any noise-abating plastic skins or sealing.

Steering weight and feel are fine, and the turning circle is a reasonably small 11.17m. You won't get around in a standard suburban street, but a three-point turn won't be a bother either.

The Qashqai's off-road ability is, well, minimal. As there's no all-wheel drive option, what you've got is basically a hefty hatchback - Honda's HR-V is no different in that respect. This is despite a ground clearance of 188mm and Nissan's quoted approach angle of 19 degrees and departure of 28.5.

The explanation for those figures even existing is that other markets do have an all-wheel drive option for the Qashqai. Having said that, Nissan doesn't quote a wading depth, which is probably for the best.

Australian Qashqais come from Nissan's Sunderland plant in the UK and are shipped to Australia with a five star ANCAP safety rating (the maximum available) courtesy of a minimum safety technology package of six SRS airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, and two ISOFIX points designed for secure attachment of a baby car seat.

As you move up the range, Nissan adds lane departure warning, forward collision warning, blind spot detection and front and rear parking sensors.

The Qashqai was awarded a five star safety rating in July 2014, the maximum score available.

Hyundai offers a fairly comprehensive after-sales agreement which starts with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and roadside assist for the duration, extendible to 10 years.

Hyundai provides capped-price servicing for the lifetime of the car, with the website listing every service up to 34 years/510,000km. Without wishing to be rude, it's unlikely it'll last that many years, but would probably survive that many kays in a shorter time period.

Service intervals and pricing differ depending on the engine and transmission.

According to the owners manual, the 2.0-litre in both MPI and GDI forms will bring you into a dealer every twelve months or 15,000km.

Service costs appear to be $269 until four years/60,000 when it jumps to $399 with subsequent services ranging from $269 to $480 up to 10 years/150,000km. After 15 years (!) an additional service level is available called 'iCare Essentials Plus' which is more rigorous and costs more if you so choose.

Most owners are pleased with the value of the car, the standard features and if there was a problem or complaint with their vehicle, it was quickly resolved.

For the 1.6-litre turbo, most services appear to be either $189 or $289 with the odd jump to $399 and $475 at the major 120,000km service. Hyundai wants to see you more often with this engine, every six months or 7500km, so it is more expensive to service.

The diesel bounces back to the 12 months/15,000km pattern of the 2.0 petrols, with services running at $379 until four years/60,000km when it spikes to $499. After that, expect to pay between $379 and $695 (eight years/120,000km).

All available engines make use of a timing chain rather than a timing belt, so there won't be any surprise replacement costs unless something goes very horribly wrong.

Resale value seems to be going okay for private sales. A 2015 Active X Auto sold for $32,990 and can fetch $23,200-$25,700 privately (70-78 percent). Dealer trades are less strong at between $18,900 and $21,400 (57 and 65 percent). It's still early days for the current Tucson, though.

The reliability rating of the Tucson seems good, with a dip into the usual forums here and overseas to explore common faults or issues yielding nothing concerning or widespread. In those same forums, most owners are pleased with the value of the car, the standard features and if there was a problem or complaint with their vehicle, it was quickly resolved.

There are no signs of automatic transmission problems but the dual clutch had a short-lived problem in the US that was fixed with a software flash for affected users and fixed in production. Australian-delivered cars were not recalled or mentioned as being affected.

There appear to be no turbo problems or clutch problems either.

Nissan's standard new car warranty runs for three years/100,000km. You can also choose from one of two extended warranty programs. The first is a time-only arrangement of 12, 24 or 36 months, but exceeding 100,000km will invalidate the extension.

You can choose the time and distance option for the same periods but an increase to the kilometre limit to 150,000km since new. An extended warranty also includes an extension to the free roadside assist period.

Nissan also offers capped price servicing which it calls Service Certainty. This means you'll never have to worry about greasy and obscure details like oil type and oil capacity, ever again.

Service costs differ from petrol to diesel but both are to be presented to your dealer every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever comes first.

Servicing on petrol models costs from $224 to $532 over 12 services. Added together it comes to $3684 or $307 per service. Every other service costs $224.

Resale value appears reasonably strong.

Diesel pricing is markedly higher - $4745 for the 12 services, averaging $396 per visit.

You'll also need to factor in $32 for a brake fluid change every 40,000km or two years, meaning another $200-odd over the fixed-price period of six years. There will, of course, be other items that need replacing such as brake pads, tyres etc. that aren't covered.

Diesel servicing costs are significantly higher than the petrol-engined Qashqai while delivering a real world economy figure 3.0L/100km lower than the petrol. Assuming a price difference of about 15c/L over 15,000km, the diesel is $70/year cheaper to fuel but $89 per year more expensive to service. Then there's the $3000 purchase price difference.

Resale value appears reasonably strong. 2014-plated entry-level manual petrol STs are trading for between 54 and 61 percent of their new price, Ti autos between 57 and 64 percent and the TL auto diesel between 57 and 65 percent. Private prices appear to be about 60 to 70 percent of the new car price in 2014. As always, your mileage will vary depending on dealer or private buyer.

All specifications come with a space-saving spare tyre.