Land Rover Discovery vs Nissan Qashqai

What's the difference?

The Land Rover Discovery 35th Anniversary Edition drives beautifully, with effortless power and a composed, comfortable ride. It’s elegant and well-equipped for its price, though the technology often frustrates, and it’s not as spacious as some seven-seater rivals. Small quirks in everyday use prevent it from fully standing out in a competitive segment but it does enough to be considered.

The facelifted Nissan Qashqai N-Design e-Power is a well-rounded package. It offers comfort, style and decent efficiency. The on-road experience will be the winning factor as it’s sure-footed and easy going to drive. You’ll have the best of both worlds in the city with the hybrid powertrain and small SUV size, which makes this a winner in my books.

The Discovery remains a handsome SUV. It isn’t as boxy or rugged-looking as some of its rivals, but it still carries a quiet confidence and a hint of adventure in its stance. The 35th Anniversary Edition gets a few subtle touches to help it stand out, including 21-inch black alloy wheels, roman-numeral anniversary badging and slim LED lighting signatures that give it a clean, sophisticated look.

Inside, everything feels solid and thoughtfully put together, with soft-touch materials in all the right places. Some of the trim finishes lean a little synthetic, but the leather upholstery is beautifully done and the dual sunroofs bring in plenty of natural light, which helps elevate the cabin ambience.

The 11.4-inch media display takes pride of place on the dash and looks premium, and there are enough physical buttons and dials to satisfy those who like some tactile-functionality. That said, the cabin doesn’t quite deliver that sense of occasion you might expect at this price. It’s nice, it’s just not especially distinctive.

The Qashqai is sharply styled with crisp pleating across the body panels and the N-Design comes with unique 20-inch alloy wheels, sequential turn signals and extra black accents across its body which adds to its sporty road-side presence. Our test model’s Fuji Sunset Red paintwork also adds a bit of spice to the kerb appeal.

The cabin immediately feels high end with the mix of synthetic leather and suede that is scattered liberally across the seats, dashboard and doors. The black headliner makes the cabin feel cosy but it becomes bright and airy when you open it to reveal the panoramic sunroof.

The dashboard features both traditional and modern elements with its buttons and dials and the dual 12.3-inch displays, which will satisfy fans of both.

The design looks great, it's plush and well-built inside. The only drawback is how the synthetic leather on the seat feels as it’s a bit too plasticky for my liking but otherwise, the Qashqai has a lovely cabin that should appeal to a lot of people.

The Discovery’s cabin is an interesting mix - at first glance it seems to offer the right balance of space and features, but once you settle in, a few small disconnects between technology and layout become apparent.

Up front is where you want to spend most of your time. The powered seats are well-padded with long bases and excellent lumbar support. There’s plenty of room for tall drivers and passengers and elbow space is generous. The only annoyance is the heated seat function, which is buried behind the menu system and the fiddly climate dials.

The middle row highlights the Discovery’s tall-but-narrow proportions. Adult passengers can feel a little cramped side-to-side, though the flat floor gives decent leg and foot room. The third-row surprises with wider seats and deeper footwells than expected, so knees aren’t pressed against chests. Access, however, is more suited to children than adults.

Storage is abundant and thoughtfully positioned. Up front, there are dual glove boxes (one lockable), a hidden cubby behind the climate panel and underneath the sliding cupholders, a tray housing the wireless charging pad (which, in our test car, didn’t work), and the middle console fridge which is a handy touch for keeping snacks or drinks cool on long trips. The middle row gets map pockets, cupholders and bottle storage, while the third-row benefits from hinged cubbies on each wheel arch.

The boot is the standout, offering a massive 1137L when the third row is folded. Its tall and deep shape makes it practical and features like the powered tailgate, adjustable boot-lip height via air suspension, a full-size spare and a 12 volt socket round out its friendly usability.

Access is a simple step-in and step-out scenario thanks to the Discovery’s 'Auto Comfort Access' mode which, when activated, lowers the vehicle when parked. That said, the doors are heavy and need a firm push to latch properly.

Technology is a bit of a mixed bag. The media system is somewhat intuitive once you spend time with it, but newcomers may find the layout confusing. It includes sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, though in our test car, CarPlay occasionally showed music playing without sound but re-pairing my iPhone 15 Pro Max fixed the issue. The dual-use climate dials, which control temperature, fan speed and seat heating, can feel finicky, and one rear door locked itself for four days despite troubleshooting. The rear seat fold controls also worked inconsistently.

On the plus side, amenities like four-zone climate control, multiple air vents per row, and seven USB ports scattered throughout the cabin are thoughtful touches.

While the cabin of the Qashqai isn't huge, there's room enough for four adults to be relatively comfortable on a longer trip, providing the adults in the rear seat aren't pushing too far above the six-foot mark.

Access is good for both rows because of the 175mm ground clearance and wide door apertures. There will be absolutely no grunts or groans getting in and out of this model.

Both rows offer comfortable seating with deep seat beds and thick padding. The front passenger seat isn't powered but still offers decent adjustment, including lumbar support, for even a choosy passenger to feel at ease. I particularly like the two-seat memory position on the drivers' side if you regularly share your vehicle with your other half.

Individual storage is about what you'd expect of a small SUV with the front row getting the best of it. The glove box holds more than a manual, the middle console features a separate shelf for smaller items and you get a dedicated phone cradle which also doubles as the wireless charging pad.

There are a total of eight drink holders (four in the front, four in the rear) in the car, a couple of map pockets in the rear and a boot capacity that's as large as it's non-hybrid siblings at 404 litres.

The boot space is practical with a wide and squarish shape, level loading space and powered tailgate. There is a raised cover over some hybrid stuff that sometimes gets in the way and a dicky-looking cargo cover but otherwise the boot is sufficient for the everyday stuff.

Great to see Nissan including a temporary spare wheel in the hybrid Qashqai, rather than the tyre repair kit that's found in many hybrids and electric cars.

Technology is on the simple side as it lacks the ability to customise much in both the multimedia system or digital instrument cluster but everything still feels logical and easy to use. Also the graphics are clear, so there are no complaints from this party.

The built-in satellite navigation pulls through directions to the coloured head-up display and the wireless Apple CarPlay was easy to connect to and maintained a strong connection this week. There is also wireless Android Auto for those users.

Charging options are solid with each row getting two USB-C ports, while the front also gets a wireless charging pad and 12-volt socket. Another 12-volt socket is found in the boot space.

With the mid-life upgrade comes a reshuffle of trim levels and you now have five to choose from, with the second-from-the-top Ti-L available with a choice of two powertrains.

The car on test for this review is the flagship N-Design e-Power, which is a hybrid and its $54,365 before on-road costs price positions it above its small hybrid SUV rivals the Toyota Corolla Cross Atmos 2WD ($47,030 MSRP) and the Hyundai Kona N Line Premium ($46,500 MSRP).

The top grade enjoys a host of premium equipment including synthetic leather and suede upholstery, an electric drivers' seat, heated front seats, a heated leather steering wheel with mounted controls, a panoramic sunroof, one-touch open/close windows (all windows) and keyless entry and start.

Practical equipment feels well-rounded with a handsfree powered tailgate, rain-sensing front wipers and dusk-sensing LED headlights, tilt and telescope adjusting steering wheel, temporary 18-inch spare tyre, and an intelligent key fob with driver memory storage (driver's seat, mirrors, audio and remote tailgate opening).

The technology looks high-end with dual 12.3-inch displays, touchscreen functionality on the multimedia system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in satellite navigation, Bluetooth, AM/FM and digital radio. There's also four USB-C ports (2/2), two 12-volt sockets and a wireless charging pad to take care of charging requirements.

There is a 'but' coming though and that's the fact that the N-Design e-Power is meant to be the top grade and yet the model below it, the Ti-L, has more standard equipment for less money ($2K less to be exact)!

The Ti-L includes power adjustment for both front seats as well as a massage function. It also has a 10-speaker Bose premium sound system compared to the six-speaker 'no-name' system of our test car.

The 35th Anniversary Edition runs a hefty 3.0-litre, six-cylinder, twin-turbo diesel paired with a 48V mild-hybrid system. Together, they produce 257kW and 700Nm. It’s brisk, too, with a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.3-seconds, which is impressive for such a large 4WD.

Towing is rated at 3.5 tonnes and wading depth sits at 900mm, reinforcing its credentials as a proper adventure vehicle. Our test vehicle also features the 'Capability Plus Pack', which brings low-range gearing, rear differential lock and multiple terrain modes.

Not too bad for something that looks more like a school-run luxury SUV than some of its rivals.

The flagship N-Design is a hybrid and pairs a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and a single electric motor. Together they produce up to 140kW of power and 330Nm of torque but how they interact is the fun part.

Usually hybrids use both components to drive the wheels but this uses the petrol engine to charge its battery so the electric motor can drive the front wheels. What does this mean? Think of engine as a generator. It translates to a driving experience that leans more towards the EV than internal combustion (ICE), especially around town.

The N-Design e-Power has a single-speed reduction-gear transmission, or an ‘e-CVT’ and it’s a very smooth example.

The 35th Anniversary Edition has a claimed combined fuel figure of 7.8L/100km, and with its 89-litre tank you’re looking at a theoretical driving range of around 1141km. In the real world, I saw 9.0L/100km - that’s with one longer highway run mixed into a week of school runs and suburban errands.

It’s a touch thirstier than I’d hoped given I wasn’t towing or carrying heavy gear, but it still sits comfortably within expectations for this segment and size of vehicle.

The N-Design e-Power has a claimed combined fuel cycle usage figure of 4.8L/100km, which is slightly higher than its rivals but it does have a larger fuel tank of 55L which means you should get a theoretical driving range of up to 1145km.

After doing a mix of open-road and city driving this week, my real world fuel use has popped out at 6.2L/100km and that’s based on my kilometres travelled and litres filled at the bowser. I’m happy with that result overall because I’ve certainly not been shy with pushing and testing this model out.

Nissan recommends a minimum of 95 RON unleaded petrol to be used but 91 RON is also acceptable.

Power delivery in the Discovery feels effortless, with none of the laggy, heavy character you can get from some big diesels. It responds quickly when you need it to, whether you're merging into traffic or overtaking and always feels like it has plenty left in reserve.

Ride comfort is excellent. The adaptive suspension absorbs bumps and settles the body confidently through corners without feeling floaty or wallowy. Steering has a reassuring weight to it - not too light, not too heavy - which helps the Discovery feel sure-footed and composed on the road.

The cabin is impressively quiet, making it easy to chat with passengers across all three rows and reducing fatigue on longer drives. Visibility is generally strong and the high seating position gives a good command of the road. The only drawback is the middle-row headrest, which blocks the rear view. A digital rear-view mirror would be a helpful addition, especially when the car’s full.

Despite its size, the Discovery is surprisingly easy to manoeuvre, with a fairly forgiving 12.7-metre turning circle. Parking is straightforward thanks to a clear 360-degree camera system, although the display itself could be larger. Even in tight shopping centre car parks it never feels unwieldy.

Driving the flagship grade feels the same as sliding a hot knife through butter - smooth and effortless. The steering has been direct for everything I’ve thrown at it - a winding coast road, quick city lane changes and navigating small car parks.

The N-Design handles happily on the open road and the city. Around town it stays primarily in EV mode with small interjections from the engine when you accelerate quickly. The switch between the two can deliver a loud burring sound but it’s otherwise quiet.

The only time it gets a little loud inside is at higher speeds and you’ll notice some tyre noise but it’s not enough to warrant raising your voice to chat. Ride comfort is up there with the best and despite a firm-feeling suspension, it doesn’t translate to a stiff ride.

The visibility is good from my driving position and power is delivered promptly, making this feel sure footed and capable. There is a tendency to over-rev at higher speeds but it doesn’t feel underpowered.

Parking the Qashqai is a simple affair because of the clear quality 360-degree camera system, as well as the front and rear parking sensors. You can fit it anywhere and it has a tight 11.1m turning circle, which makes it a friend in the city.

The Qashqai has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2021 and features seven airbags which include a front centre airbag.

The robust safety equipment list includes intelligent seat belt reminder (all seats), blind-spot monitoring, manual rear child door locks, driver attention alert, rear collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic alert, emergency lane keep assist, lane keeping aid, lane departure alert, 360-degree view camera system and front and rear parking sensors.

The Qashqai has ISOFIX child seat mounts on the rear outboard seats and three top tether anchor points but two seats will fit best.

Auto emergency braking (AEB) with forward collision warning, car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction turning assist is standard and operational from 10 to 80km/h (up to 130km/h for car) but it's more common to see that starting figure hover around 5.0km/h.

The only safety item that feels intrusive when in use is the lane centring aid on the adaptive cruise control. It really hugs the inside line and sits too close for my liking, which made me feel like I was fighting the car when it was activated. The traffic sign recognition technology also got the speed sign wrong more times than not.

The Discovery 35th Anniversary Edition is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is fairly standard for vehicles in the luxury SUV segment. However, it's worth noting the Nissan Patrol is offered with a 10-year (conditional) warranty.

Land Rover offers a pre-paid, five-year service plan for around $3500, which is cheaper than paying for each service individually. Service intervals are well spaced at every 12 months or 20,400 km, whichever comes first. There are approximately 71 authorised Land Rover centres across Australia, so even if you live regionally, you should be able to service your Discovery fairly easily.

The Qashqai is covered by Nissans new 10-year/300,000km warranty which is class leading but you have to service on time and with a Nissan service centre, otherwise it’s the standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. On those same terms, you also get auto-renewal on every service for roadside assistance.

There is a five-year capped-price servicing program which costs a flat $1995 and is competitive for the class, while servicing intervals are every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first.