Honda Elevate 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.

Honda Elevate in South Africa

Honda Elevate

1.5 Elegance CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 399,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 119 kW 🔧 145 Nm ⛽ 16.0 km/l
VS
Nissan Qashqai in South Africa

Nissan Qashqai

1.3 Tekna CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 545,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 110 kW 🔧 270 Nm ⛽ 17 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Qashqai
Fuel Economy Qashqai
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Elevate
🔑 Ownership Tie
Elevate starts ZAR 495000 cheaper Elevate from ZAR 369,900 · Qashqai from ZAR 495,000

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Elevate Qashqai
Engine Power 119 110
Torque 145 270
Engine Size 1498 1332
Claimed Mileage 16.0 17
Ground Clearance 220 180
Boot Space 458 504
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1240 1450
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Qashqai

66
/ 100
+3
pts
#2

Elevate

63
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Elevate and Qashqai are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Qashqai +1 pts
Efficiency Qashqai +3 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Elevate +1 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Qashqai

Performance 10/20
Efficiency 13/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 13/20
Ownership 12/20

Elevate

Performance 9/20
Efficiency 10/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 14/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Elevate

Strengths
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

Qashqai

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Elevate

  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Qashqai

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Elevate Qashqai
Ground Clearance 220 180
Wheelbase 2650 2665
Length 4312 4425
Width 1790 1835
Height 1650 1625
Kerb Weight 1240 1450
Gross Vehicle Weight 1680 1980
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 458 504
Towing Capacity 1200 1800
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1550
Rear Track Width 1540 1540
Turning Radius Available Available
Load Bed Length Available Available
Load Bed Width Available Available
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Doors Available Available
Seats Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Elevate Qashqai
Engine 1.5L i-VTEC Petrol 1.3L Turbocharged Petrol
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Inline 4 Turbo
Displacement 1498 1332
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Power 119 110
Torque 145 270
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection Direct Injection
Top Speed 180 200
0-100 km/h 12.5 8.9
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.5:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 92.0
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Power @ RPM 150 150
Torque @ RPM 400 400
Turbocharger Available Available
Engine Position Available Available
Engine Oil Capacity Available Available
Power 150 150
Variable Valve Timing Available Available
Maximum Engine RPM Available Available
Engine Type Config Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Nissan Qashqai wins with 66 pts vs 63 pts for Elevate

In structured scoring, Qashqai emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Elevate may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. 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

On our scoring the Qashqai edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Elevate 10 vs Qashqai 13. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Elevate 18, Qashqai 18. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Elevate 12, Qashqai 12. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Elevate 14, Qashqai 13. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Elevate 9, Qashqai 10. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Qashqai edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Qashqai scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Elevate and Qashqai in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Elevate scores 9 vs 10.

Efficiency: Elevate scores 10 vs 13.

Safety: Elevate scores 18 vs 18.

Practicality: Elevate scores 14 vs 13.

Ownership: Elevate scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Qashqai the advantage in this comparison.