Nissan Qashqai vs BAIC X55 Plus

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
BAIC X55 Plus in South Africa

BAIC X55 Plus

Dynamic Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 429,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 138 kW 🔧 305 Nm ⛽ 12.99 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Nissan Qashqai vs BAIC X55 Plus: the short answer

Qashqai and X55 Plus are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context Qashqai: last listed from ZAR 495,000 · X55 Plus: current from ZAR 429,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Qashqai X55 Plus
Maximum Power Qashqai110 kW X55 Plus138 kW
Maximum Torque Qashqai270 Nm X55 Plus305 Nm
Engine Size Qashqai1332 cc X55 Plus1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Qashqai17 km/l X55 Plus12.99 km/l
Ground Clearance Qashqai180 mm X55 PlusNot Officially Disclosed

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
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

X55 Plus

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

Which One's Right for You?

Qashqai

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

X55 Plus

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • 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 X55 Plus
Model Introduced Year 2007 2024
Facelift History Latest generation redesign improved styling and tech The original X55 arrived locally in 2022. BAIC launched the upgraded X55 Plus in August 2024 with revised exterior details, a full-black interior, updated wheel and exhaust treatment, and additional connectivity features.
Tare Mass Kg 1450 kg -
Generation Not confirmed Current upgraded X55 Plus generation for South Africa, mechanically based around BAIC's Magic Core 1.5T engine, DCT380 seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and front-wheel drive.
Facelift Launched Since Not confirmed 2024
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed Five-door compact SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2024
Production Status Not confirmed active
Segment Not confirmed Compact SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec Qashqai X55 Plus
Length 4425 mm 4620 mm
Width 1835 mm 1886 mm
Height 1625 mm 1680 mm
Wheelbase 2665 mm 2735 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 180 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 53 l
Boot/Cargo Space 504 l 350 l
Kerb Weight 1450 kg 1480 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1980 kg 1970 kg
Towing Capacity 1800 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not confirmed 160 mm
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 490 kg
Number of Rows Not confirmed 2 rows
Doors Not confirmed 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius Not confirmed Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom Not confirmed Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom Not confirmed Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom Not confirmed Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom Not confirmed Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This Qashqai and X55 Plus 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 X55 Plus 62.

Efficiency index: Qashqai 65 vs X55 Plus 53.

Safety-equipment index: Qashqai 87 vs X55 Plus 88.

Practicality index: Qashqai 68 vs X55 Plus 55.

Ownership-cover index: Qashqai 42 vs X55 Plus 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

X55 Plus leads by 1 points

Qashqai and X55 Plus are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 65 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 68% source coverage
65
#1 Evidence leader

X55 Plus

68% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 88 Check Efficiency 53
Performance 62
Efficiency 53
Safety 88
Practicality 55
Leads by 1 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 X55 Plus +9 Efficiency Qashqai +12 Safety X55 Plus +1 Practicality Qashqai +13

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

X55 Plus

Performance 62/100
Efficiency 53/100
Safety 88/100
Practicality 55/100

Qashqai

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index BAIC X55 Plus leads the specification evidence index with 65 pts vs 64 pts for Qashqai

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, X55 Plus leads. However, Qashqai may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Qashqai vs X55 Plus 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.