Nissan Qashqai vs Toyota RAV4

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

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
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
VS
Toyota RAV4 in South Africa

Toyota RAV4

2.5 HEV GR-S CVT Hybrid CVT Current
ZAR 941,800 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 21.3 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Nissan Qashqai vs Toyota RAV4: the short answer

RAV4 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Qashqai remains close.

Recorded price context Qashqai: last listed from ZAR 495,000 · RAV4: current from ZAR 610,000

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Qashqai RAV4
Maximum Power Qashqai110 kW RAV4137 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque Qashqai270 Nm RAV4221 Nm
Engine Size Qashqai1332 cc RAV42500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Qashqai17 km/l RAV421.3 km/l
Ground Clearance Qashqai180 mm RAV4186 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

Evidence for Nissan Qashqai 1.3 Tekna CVT

Source type: Hagalu catalogue record

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Qashqai

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: General Use
Specification evidence leader

RAV4

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Qashqai

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

RAV4

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

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 Qashqai RAV4
Model Introduced Year 2007 2026
Facelift History Latest generation redesign improved styling and tech Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Tare Mass Kg 1450 kg 1725-1740 kg
Generation Not confirmed All-new sixth-generation RAV4 introduced in South Africa in July 2026
Facelift Launched Since Not confirmed Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current South African 2026 specification
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed active
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec Qashqai RAV4
Length 4425 mm 4645 mm
Width 1835 mm 1880 mm
Height 1625 mm 1680 mm
Wheelbase 2665 mm 2690 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 180 mm 186 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 504 l 732 l
Kerb Weight 1450 kg 1560 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1980 kg 2230 kg
Towing Capacity 1800 kg 1000 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not confirmed 125 mm
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 460 kg
Number of Rows Not confirmed 2 rows
Doors Not confirmed 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius Not confirmed 5.6 m
Front Headroom Not confirmed 991 mm
Rear Headroom Not confirmed 947 mm
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1031 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 882 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Qashqai and RAV4 comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Qashqai 53 vs RAV4 56.

Efficiency index: Qashqai 65 vs RAV4 84.

Safety-equipment index: Qashqai 87 vs RAV4 94.

Practicality index: Qashqai 68 vs RAV4 68.

Ownership-cover index: Qashqai 42 vs RAV4 not separately scored.

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.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

RAV4 leads by 11 points

RAV4 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Qashqai remains close.

Evidence leader 75 /100
Lead 11 points
Data 74% source coverage
75
#1 Evidence leader

RAV4

74% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Performance 56
Performance 56
Efficiency 84
Safety 94
Practicality 68
Leads by 11 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 RAV4 +3 Efficiency RAV4 +19 Safety RAV4 +7 Practicality Level

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

RAV4

Performance 56/100
Efficiency 84/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 68/100

Qashqai

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Toyota RAV4 leads the specification evidence index with 75 pts vs 64 pts for Qashqai

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, RAV4 leads. However, Qashqai may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Qashqai vs RAV4 questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.