Nissan is marking two decades of the Qashqai, the compact crossover that went into production in 2006 and has now passed 7.3 million global sales across its various nameplates. Over three generations the model has reached more than 100 markets, and Nissan is celebrating with a one-off Y2K-themed show car and a digital heritage archive.

A family car that blurred the categories

The Qashqai started in 2002, when Nissan reconsidered its planned successor to the Almera hatchback in Europe. Instead of another conventional hatch, the company looked at a vehicle that paired passenger-car practicality and efficiency with SUV-style versatility and a raised driving position. According to Nissan, the idea was to address buyers’ concerns about the size and everyday usability of traditional SUVs.

The concept appeared at the Geneva Motor Show on 2 March 2004. The production model followed at the 2006 Paris Motor Show, and the Sunderland plant in the UK started building it in December that year. European sales began in February 2007, and Nissan says more than 100,000 were sold in the first year.

“With the first Qashqai, Nissan invented the crossover vehicle concept that now dominates the global vehicle landscape,” said Guillaume Cartier, chief performance officer, Nissan Motor Co. “That same daring spirit continues today with Qashqai e-POWER, Nissan’s reinvention of the hybrid that combines the smooth and responsive experience of an electric powertrain with high efficiency and impressive driving range.”

One car, many names

The Qashqai went global quickly, and in some markets it took a different name. It was sold as the Dualis in Japan and, at first, in Australia, which switched to the Qashqai name in 2014. In China it is the Xiaoke, and in the United States it arrived in 2017 as the Rogue Sport. Canada got it the same year under its original name. In China the second-generation car stayed on sale as the Qashqai Classic, and an updated version, renamed Qashqai Glory, appeared in 2024.

Production also spread beyond the UK. Nissan’s Kyushu plant in Japan joined in 2007 and Dongfeng Nissan in China in 2008, and the car has also been built in Russia. Sunderland is still the biggest contributor, with more than 4.5 million Qashqais built there so far.

Three generations, growing electrification

The second generation arrived in 2014 with features such as Intelligent Park Assist. The 2010 update had already brought the Around View Monitor 360-degree camera system. The third generation followed in 2021 with connected technology and a more electrified range of powertrains.

The biggest technical change came in 2022 with e-POWER. In this series hybrid, the petrol engine works as a generator and an electric motor drives the wheels, so the car never needs to be plugged in. A third-generation e-POWER system reached European Qashqais in September 2025, and Nissan says it is more fuel-efficient, emits less CO₂ and runs more quietly than its predecessor. The system is being rolled out to Latin America, Africa and Oceania, and the company says more than 230,000 e-POWER-equipped Qashqais have been sold since 2022.

By the numbers

Nissan puts cumulative sales across the Qashqai family at more than 7.3 million as of October 2026, including 4.1 million in Europe. The manufacturer also says the model has collected more than 110 international awards, including more than 20 Car of the Year titles.

A Y2K birthday car

To mark the anniversary, Nissan has worked with digital artist @heymoonly on a one-off Qashqai inspired by the early 2000s. It has a colourful sticker-bomb livery and a Y2K-themed interior with velour seat covers and a working iPod loaded with music from the period. Nissan is also launching the Qashqai Heritage Collection, a digital archive of original design sketches, rare photographs, historical videos and key milestones.

What it means

When the Qashqai arrived, compact crossovers were a niche. Today, crossovers and SUVs make up a large share of the new-car market. The Qashqai remains one of Nissan’s most important models, especially in Europe, and the steady move to e-POWER shows how the company plans to keep it relevant without going fully electric.

Facts: Nissan Qashqai at 20

  • Concept reveal: Geneva Motor Show, 2 March 2004
  • Production debut: Paris Motor Show, 2006; Sunderland production from December 2006
  • Global sales: more than 7.3 million (as of October 2026), including 4.1 million in Europe
  • Built at Sunderland: more than 4.5 million
  • Markets: more than 100
  • Awards: more than 110, including more than 20 Car of the Year titles
  • e-POWER sales since 2022: more than 230,000
  • Other names: Dualis (Japan, Australia), Xiaoke (China), Rogue Sport (USA)

The Qashqai is currently sold in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Oceania, China and Latin America. The e-POWER hybrid is available in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Oceania and Latin America.

Source: global.nissannews.com