Nissan Qashqai puts on a brave face

The refreshed mild-hybrid SUV feels reassuringly familiar to use

- Lee Nian Tjoe

Nissan has subtly refreshed its capable Qashqai compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), but its appeal continues to be hampered by a relatively high price, stemming from its certificate of entitlement (COE) category.

Having 156hp on tap is not a lot of oomph these days. But it is enough to put the third-generation Qashqai, launched here in 2022, in the Category B COE. Its rivals are mostly Category A COE models, as they have sub-1.6-litre engines that do not breach the power threshold.

Category B COEs tend to be pricier than those in Category A. At the most recent tender exercise on May 7, successful bidders had to pay $16,881 more for a Category B COE than for Category A. Also working against Nissan is how the car does not enjoy the tax rebate that some of its rivals get under the Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES).

This situation is unchanged in 2025 as the updated Qashqai is mechanically identical to the 2022 car. This has bearings on its asking price, as a COE is a must to register a car in Singapore.

The Qashqai is the work of Nissan's operations in Britain, which probably did not consider Singapore's COE categorisation or the VES rebates during the car's development.

Adding to the Qashqai's challenges is the rising popularity of Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), which were a much less significant factor in 2022. These EVs seem to have everything — from dazzling technology and luxury features to perky performance and low asking prices, powered by the generous EV tax rebate.

Put simply, the Qashqai needs to be quite remarkable to justify the higher asking price.