Nissan Qashqai vs Lexus RZ

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
Lexus RZ in South Africa

Lexus RZ

RZ 550e F SPORT Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 1,977,600 ex-showroom
⚡ 300 kW 🔧 269 Nm
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Nissan Qashqai vs Lexus RZ: the short answer

RZ holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Qashqai.

Recorded price context Qashqai: last listed from ZAR 495,000 · RZ: current from ZAR 1,682,600

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Qashqai RZ
Maximum Power Qashqai110 kW RZ300 kW
Maximum Torque Qashqai270 Nm RZ268.6 Nm
Engine Size Qashqai1332 cc RZNot Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy Qashqai17 km/l RZNot Applicable
Ground Clearance Qashqai180 mm RZ200 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
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

RZ

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

Which One's Right for You?

Qashqai

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

RZ

  • 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 RZ
Model Introduced Year 2007 2026
Facelift History Latest generation redesign improved styling and tech 2026 South African range introduces RZ 500e, RZ 550e F SPORT and RZ 600e F SPORT Performance derivatives
Tare Mass Kg 1450 kg 2145-2165 kg
Generation Not confirmed Updated dedicated battery-electric Lexus RZ range launched locally in 2026
Facelift Launched Since Not confirmed 2026 South African range introduces RZ 500e, RZ 550e F SPORT and RZ 600e F SPORT Performance derivatives
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed active
Segment Not confirmed Luxury SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec Qashqai RZ
Length 4425 mm 4805 mm
Width 1835 mm 1895 mm
Height 1625 mm 1635 mm
Wheelbase 2665 mm 2850 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 180 mm 200 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 0 l
Boot/Cargo Space 504 l 522 l
Kerb Weight 1450 kg 2180 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1980 kg 2640 kg
Towing Capacity 1800 kg 750 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not confirmed Not Officially Disclosed
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 1013 mm
Rear Headroom Not confirmed 1008 mm
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1069 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 953 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Qashqai and RZ 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 RZ 83.

Efficiency index: Qashqai 65 vs RZ 90.

Safety-equipment index: Qashqai 87 vs RZ 94.

Practicality index: Qashqai 68 vs RZ 62.

Ownership-cover index: Qashqai 42 vs RZ 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

RZ leads by 18 points

RZ holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Qashqai.

Evidence leader 82 /100
Lead 18 points
Data 60% source coverage
82
#1 Evidence leader

RZ

60% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Practicality 62
Performance 83
Efficiency 90
Safety 94
Practicality 62
Leads by 18 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 RZ +30 Efficiency RZ +25 Safety RZ +7 Practicality Qashqai +6

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

RZ

Performance 83/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 62/100

Qashqai

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Lexus RZ leads the specification evidence index with 82 pts vs 64 pts for Qashqai

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

Qashqai vs RZ 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.