Next Nissan Qashqai: facelift or new generation? What we know about e-Power, Leaf-style cabin and timing

Officially, Nissan has not yet announced the next generation Qashqai. According to the latest press reports, for the 2028 model year this crossover is expected not to be an all-new model, but a deep update of the current third generation: with the e-Power hybrid, a more digital cabin in the style of the new Nissan Leaf and, most likely, without an electric version. Date, platform and trim levels are unofficial.

Contents

• Will there be a 4th-generation Qashqai, or is it an update
• What happened to the electric Qashqai
• What e-Power will be like and what has already changed
• What the Leaf-inspired cabin will be like
• Where Qashqai is built and what about the launch timing
• Which accessories Qashqai needs already today

Will there be a 4th-generation Qashqai, or is it an update

The latest version from Auto Express (23 September 2026) is this: a completely new model is considered unlikely, while a “significant update for the 2028 model year” is likely. The platform and e-Power hybrid technology remain, while the design and interior change. The current, third-generation Qashqai has been sold in Europe since 2021; we wrote earlier about its launch: Qashqai new-generation presentation and start of sales in Ukraine.

In a What Car? preview, the next Qashqai is shown with a computer render, with an estimated launch in 2028. The publication expects it to be an evolution of e-Power rather than a fully electric car. Spain’s Motor.es published spy photos on 27 August 2026 of a camouflaged prototype being tested on roads in southern Europe: it views this vehicle as an update of the third generation.

What happened to the electric Qashqai

In 2023, Nissan promised to build an electric Qashqai at the Sunderland plant (United Kingdom). On 23 June 2026, Reuters, citing anonymous sources, reported that development was quietly halted in 2025. According to those same sources, if the project is revived, the electric model would not reach the market before the early 2030s. Nissan did not directly comment on the model’s fate, but said it remains committed to expanding its “electrified” lineup and pointed to major volatility in EV demand in Europe.

Nissan’s director for Europe and Africa, Jordi Vila, explained the direction as follows: “Qashqai is key to our lineup in Europe, and we are looking at all electrified solutions.” That is, there is no direct assurance that an electric Qashqai will not appear, but there are no timelines either.

What e-Power will be like and what has already changed

e-Power is a hybrid in which only the electric motor drives the wheels, while the gasoline engine works as a generator and charges the battery. The current Qashqai e-Power received an updated third-generation technology back in September 2025. It features a new turbocharged 1.5 L three-cylinder gasoline engine, and Nissan claims fuel consumption at 4.5 L/100 km under WLTP and a potential range of up to 1,200 km. According to Nissan, cabin noise has been reduced by more than 5 dB compared to the previous generation of the system.

Motor.es adds that the 1.3 DIG-T gasoline engine with mild hybrid will likely disappear from the range to lower the average emissions figure. This is the publication’s assumption, not a statement from Nissan.

What the Leaf-inspired cabin will be like

According to expectations from What Car? and Motor.es, the cabin will be redesigned in the image of the new Nissan Leaf: both publications mention two large digital screens (in the Leaf — 14.3 inches each for the instruments and multimedia) and physical climate control buttons. This is good news for practicality: the Qashqai currently has many physical switches, and it appears they will be retained. Qashqai remains a five-seater; the seven-seat version is the larger X-Trail.

Where Qashqai is built and what about the launch timing

The current Qashqai, including e-Power, is built at Nissan’s Sunderland plant (United Kingdom), on the first production line. Where the updated model will be built, Nissan has not said. The estimated price — from £31,000 according to What Car? — should also be considered unofficial. There are two views on the date: What Car? and Motor.es name 2028, while Autocar, based on the model’s life cycle, suggested 2029.

Which accessories Qashqai needs already today

The update for the 2028 model year does not change the fact that thousands of third-generation Qashqais are already on the road, and their platform will remain. For the Nissan Qashqai 2021- the most common picks right now are window deflectors for ventilation without drafts, side steps, roof rails and EVA mats — there are specific options for versions with different types of powertrain. Other Nissan models are collected in the Nissan tuning section.

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