Nissan Qashqai vs Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace

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.

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
VS
Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace in South Africa

Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace

2.0 TSI 162kW R-Line 4Motion DSG Petrol Automatic
ZAR 934,700 ex-showroom
⚡ 162 kW 🔧 350 Nm ⛽ 12.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tiguan Allspace
Fuel Economy Qashqai
🛡 Safety Tiguan Allspace
📦 Practicality Qashqai
🔑 Ownership Tie
Qashqai starts ZAR 701600 cheaper Qashqai from ZAR 495,000 · Tiguan Allspace from ZAR 701,600

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Qashqai Tiguan Allspace
Engine Power 110 162
Torque 270 350
Engine Size 1332 1984
Claimed Mileage 17 12.5
Ground Clearance 180 198
Boot Space 504 230
Airbags 6 7
Kerb Weight 1450 1640
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
+9
pts
#2

Tiguan Allspace

57
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Qashqai has a slight advantage, but Tiguan Allspace remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiguan Allspace +5 pts
Efficiency Qashqai +13 pts
Safety Tiguan Allspace +2 pts
Practicality Qashqai +3 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

Tiguan Allspace

Performance 15/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 10/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Qashqai

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Tiguan Allspace

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

Qashqai

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Tiguan Allspace

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Qashqai Tiguan Allspace
Ground Clearance 180 198
Wheelbase 2665 2790
Length 4425 4703
Width 1835 1839
Height 1625 1674
Kerb Weight 1450 1640
Gross Vehicle Weight 1980 2220
Seating Capacity 5 7
Boot Space 504 230
Towing Capacity 1800 2000
Number of Doors 5 Available
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1550
Rear Track Width 1540 1540
Turning Radius Available 5.5
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 Qashqai Tiguan Allspace
Engine 1.3L Turbocharged Petrol EA888
Engine Type Inline 4 Turbo Inline 4 Turbocharged
Displacement 1332 1984
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 16
Power 110 162
Torque 270 350
Fuel System Direct Injection Direct Injection
Top Speed 200 230
0-100 km/h 8.9 6.5
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 5100 rpm
Torque @ RPM 400 1700 rpm
Turbocharger Available Yes
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 57 pts for Tiguan Allspace

In structured scoring, Qashqai emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Tiguan Allspace 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: Qashqai 13 vs Tiguan Allspace 0. 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: Qashqai 18, Tiguan Allspace 20. 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: Qashqai 12, Tiguan Allspace 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: Qashqai 13, Tiguan Allspace 10. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Qashqai 10, Tiguan Allspace 15. 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 Qashqai and Tiguan Allspace in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Qashqai scores 10 vs 15.

Efficiency: Qashqai scores 13 vs 0.

Safety: Qashqai scores 18 vs 20.

Practicality: Qashqai scores 13 vs 10.

Ownership: Qashqai scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Qashqai the advantage in this comparison.