Toyota Corolla Cross vs Nissan Qashqai

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Nissan Qashqai Discontinued model
Toyota Corolla Cross in South Africa

Toyota Corolla Cross

1.8 HEV GR-S CVT Hybrid CVT Current
ZAR 575,400 ex-showroom
⚡ 72 kW 🔧 142 Nm ⛽ 23.3 km/l
VS
Nissan Qashqai in South Africa

Nissan Qashqai

1.3 Tekna CVT Petrol CVT Discontinued model
ZAR 545,000 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 110 kW 🔧 270 Nm ⛽ 17 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Qashqai
Fuel Economy Corolla Cross
🛡 Safety Corolla Cross
📦 Practicality Qashqai
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Recorded price context Corolla Cross: current from ZAR 385,000 · Qashqai: last listed from ZAR 495,000

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Corolla Cross Qashqai
Maximum Power 72 kW @ 5200 rpm 110 kW
Maximum Torque 142 Nm @ 3600 rpm 270 Nm
Engine Size 1798 cc 1332 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 23.3 km/l 17 km/l
Ground Clearance 161 mm 180 mm
Boot / Load Bay 434 l 504 l
Airbags Passenger, Driver Knee 6
Kerb Weight - 1450 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 3

= leads in this spec

Archived vehicles remain available for comparison. Verified specs stay visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

Corolla Cross and Qashqai are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Qashqai +19 pts
Efficiency Corolla Cross +25 pts
Safety Corolla Cross +5 pts
Practicality Qashqai +13 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

Corolla Cross

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Qashqai

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Corolla Cross

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Qashqai

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Corolla Cross Qashqai
Model Introduced Year 2026 2007
Generation Facelifted first-generation Corolla Cross built in South Africa Not confirmed
Facelift History 2026 range adds petrol and HEV GR-S derivatives alongside Xi, XS and XR grades Latest generation redesign improved styling and tech
Facelift Launched Since 2026 range adds petrol and HEV GR-S derivatives alongside Xi, XS and XR grades Not confirmed
Facelift Version Ending Current South African 2026 specification Not confirmed
Body Style SUV Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status published Not confirmed
Segment SUV Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg 1385-1430 kg 1450 kg
Vehicle Type SUV Not confirmed
Spec Corolla Cross Qashqai
Length 4460 mm 4425 mm
Width 1825 mm 1835 mm
Height 1620 mm 1625 mm
Wheelbase 2640 mm 2665 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 161 mm 180 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 36 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 434 l 504 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1850 kg 1980 kg
Towing Capacity 400 kg 1800 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors Not confirmed
Minimum Turning Radius 5.2 m Not confirmed
Kerb Weight - 1450 kg

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Corolla Cross leads by 2 points

Corolla Cross and Qashqai are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 66 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 63% source coverage
66
#1 Index leader

Corolla Cross

63% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 34
Performance 34
Efficiency 90
Safety 92
Practicality 55
Leads by 2 points
64
#2

Qashqai

87% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 87 Check Ownership 42
Performance 53
Efficiency 65
Safety 87
Practicality 68
Ownership 42
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Qashqai +19 Efficiency Corolla Cross +25 Safety Corolla Cross +5 Practicality Qashqai +13

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Corolla Cross

Performance 34/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 55/100

Qashqai

Performance 53/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 87/100
Practicality 68/100
Ownership 42/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Toyota Corolla Cross leads the catalogue index with 66 pts vs 64 pts for Qashqai

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Corolla Cross leads. However, Qashqai may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Corolla Cross and Qashqai comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Corolla Cross 34 vs Qashqai 53.

Efficiency index: Corolla Cross 90 vs Qashqai 65.

Safety-equipment index: Corolla Cross 92 vs Qashqai 87.

Practicality index: Corolla Cross 55 vs Qashqai 68.

Ownership-cover index: Corolla Cross not separately scored vs Qashqai 42.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.