2024 Nissan Qashqai v Honda ZR-V: Hybrid spec battle

SUVs are as popular as ever among Australian new car buyers, but you don’t have to follow the pack to find a quality option.

Two such competitors are Honda and Nissan, who both offer small SUVs for a similar price. Notably, they each have very closely matched hybrid options.

We’ve picked out hybrid versions of the Nissan Qashqai and Honda ZR-V to see how similar they really are on the spec sheet.

Neither was a top seller in its segment last year; 6614 examples of the Qashqai were sold in Australia, compared to 2282 of the ZR-V sales.

These cars don’t share a segment on the VFACTS sales charts. The Qashqai is physically slightly larger than the ZR-V, and has a lower starting price – but the pair is closely aligned on price and features.

What’s really separating them?

Pricing

These are the most expensive versions of Qashqai and ZR-V money can buy. They’re also the only hybrid models offered in their respective lineups.

At first glance you’d be forgiven for thinking the Qashqai was cheaper than the ZR-V, but when you factor in on-road costs you’ll find they’re actually quite evenly matched. We can’t provide an exact figure as it varies in each state.

The Honda is advertised with a drive-away price, which means what you see on the tag is what you can expect to pay.

For context, both cars are roughly $15,000 more expensive than their respective petrol-only range-openers.

Drivetrains and efficiency

These cars take fundamentally different approaches to reach a very similar fuel consumption claim.

The Qashqai’s e-Power system is unique. Instead of directly driving the wheels through a conventional transmission or CVT, the petrol engine is attached to a motor-generator and an inverter.

That unit is used to charge the lithium-ion battery pack, which in turn feeds the drive motors. Think of it as being somewhere between a range extender and a traditional hybrid unit.

The closest the engine comes to powering the wheels is under high load, when it feeds energy the electric motors (via the attached generator and inverter) directly, rather than just supplying energy to the battery.

Although the revs will rise and fall, the end result is a car that feels more like an EV to drive than a petrol car with an electric motor attached.

The Honda hybrid system is more conventional, mating two electric motors with a petrol engine and an e-CVT transmission.

Dimensions

Physical measurements are where we see some of the more significant differences between the Qashqai and ZR-V.

The Honda is slightly longer than the Nissan.

They’re almost the same height and ride on near-identical wheelbases, but the ZR-V has less room to offer in the boot. With the rear seats folded, it’s more than 200L smaller than the same configuration in the Qashqai.

Its kerb weight is also around 150kg lighter, but their Gross Vehicle Mass figures are within 25kg of each other.

Servicing and warranty

The Nissan Qashqai and the Honda ZR-V are both backed by five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranties.

Servicing is required every 12 months or 10,000km on both hybrid models, whichever comes first.

Service pricing is the largest difference between the two, as Honda offers five “Low Price Services” with every new car. That means the first five services for the ZR-V will cost $199 each.

Nissan does offer capped-price servicing for the first six hybrid Qashqai services, though we’ve only broken down the first five for the sake of this comparison. The sixth will cost $619.

Safety

The Nissan Qashqai has a five-star ANCAP rating, based on testing conducted in 2021.

The Honda ZR-V, meanwhile, has yet to be tested by ANCAP, though hybrid models received a four-star rating from sister authority Euro NCAP in 2023.

Here’s a breakdown of standard safety equipment on each car:

Both cars also have an AEB system that includes junction assist, pedestrian detection, cyclist detection, and a reverse function. Honda combines those functions within its Collision Mitigation Braking System.

Here’s a breakdown of each car’s safety scoring:

Standard features

These cars are closely matched on standard features. Have a look below to see how they stack up against each other.

There’s not a lot to separate the two on exterior features, though there are a few slight differences. Notably, the ZR-V doesn’t offer auto-levelling headlights or fog lights, unlike the Qashqai. Both feature high-beam assist.

With the Honda you do gain windscreen washer nozzles that have been integrated into the wiper arm, along with a walk-away closing function on the powered tailgate.

The Qashqai meanwhile offers power-folding side mirrors with integrated LED indicators, as well as a panoramic glass sunroof.

Once again there are a few differences on the inside. Over the Qashqai the ZR-V boasts heated rear seats, and metal paddle shifters.

The front seats in the Qashqai are heated and eight-way power-adjustable, and offer three massage modes. The ZR-V, meanwhile, doesn’t offer massages, and the passenger will have to make do with only four-way adjustment.

In terms of design the Qashqai features a black headliner, while the ZR-V offers alloy sports pedals. Both have some form of ambient lighting.

Both cars also have rear air vents, auto-dimming mirrors, and heated leather-wrapped steering wheels, among other features.

Along with offering smaller screens, the ZR-V misses out on a head-up display. You do get a 12-speaker Bose-branded sound system compared to the 10-speaker arrangement in the Qashqai.

Both have USB ports for charging and phone connectivity, as well as intelligent key systems for driver preferences.

You get wireless Apple CarPlay and a wireless phone charger with both, as well as built-in satellite navigation.

All that makes it a tough call between these two Japanese hybrids. Which would be your pick?

BUY: Get in touch with a dealer about a Nissan Qashqai
MORE: Everything Nissan Qashqai

BUY: Get in touch with a dealer about a Honda ZR-V
MORE: Everything Honda ZR-V