- Overall winner: Kia Sportage HEV. Cheaper to buy, bigger boot, tows more than double, and a 7-year transferable warranty that holds value — for most Irish families it's the smarter all-rounder.
- Buy the Qashqai e-Power if refinement is your priority: it's the smoother, quieter, more EV-like drive in town, the most efficient around the city, and it pays €20/year less motor tax.
- Buy the Sportage if you want maximum boot and towing, the longest warranty in the class, a PHEV/BIK option, or simply the lower price for the same kit.
- Running costs are line-ball — 5-year total cost is ~€31,500 (Qashqai e-Power) vs ~€32,500 (Sportage HEV), both about €0.32/km. The warranty and boot decide it, not the fuel bill.
- Business / company-car buyers: Sportage, no contest — the PHEV unlocks the low BIK band; the Qashqai has no plug-in answer.
At a glance — head to head (June 2026)
| Item | Nissan Qashqai e-Power | Kia Sportage HEV | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from (Ireland) | ~€45,000 (e-Power); 1.3 mild hybrid from €39,900 | ~€36,000 (HEV); GT-Line ~€44,000 | Sportage |
| Drivetrain | Series hybrid (petrol generator + electric drive) | Parallel hybrid (petrol + electric, 6-spd auto) | Tie (different feel) |
| Power / 0–100 km/h | 205 hp / 7.9 s | 235 hp / 8.0 s | Tie |
| Real-world fuel | 5.5–6.5 L/100 km | 6.5–8.0 L/100 km | Qashqai |
| Motor tax | €190 (Band B) | €210 (Band C2) | Qashqai |
| Boot (seats up) | 504 L | 591 L | Sportage |
| Towing (braked) | 750 kg | 1,650 kg | Sportage |
| Warranty | 3 yr / 100,000 km | 7 yr / 100,000 km (transferable) | Sportage |
| 5-year total cost | ~€31,500 | ~€32,500 | Qashqai |
| 5-year resale retention | ~52% | ~53% | Sportage |
| PHEV option | None (by design) | Yes — ~52 km range, ~€140 tax | Sportage |
| Built in | Sunderland, UK | Žilina, Slovakia | Tie |
On the scorecard the Sportage takes more boxes — but several are situational. The Qashqai wins the things you feel every day (smoothness, town efficiency, tax); the Sportage wins the things that matter when you buy and when you sell (price, warranty, boot, resale). Read on for where each one earns its win.
Price & trims in Ireland
The Sportage is the cheaper way in. The HEV opens around €36,000 in K2 trim and the value-sweet-spot GT-Line lands near €44,000. The Qashqai's headline e-Power starts at roughly €45,000 (Acenta Premium), with the sweet-spot N-Connecta around €48,000 — though Nissan does offer a cheaper route in via the 1.3 mild-hybrid from €39,900 if you'll trade the EV-like drive for a lower price.
| Like-for-like trim | Qashqai e-Power | Sportage HEV |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Acenta Premium ~€45,000 | K2 ~€36,000 |
| Value sweet spot | N-Connecta ~€48,000 (ProPilot, 360° camera) | GT-Line ~€44,000 (sport seats, 19" alloys) |
| Top spec | Tekna+ ~€53,000 | GT-Line S ~€48,000 |
| Cheapest hybrid drivetrain | 1.3 mild hybrid from €39,900 | HEV from €36,000 |
Verdict on price: Sportage. At every equivalent trim it undercuts the Qashqai e-Power by roughly €3,000–€4,000, and you get more standard equipment for the money. The Qashqai only matches it on price if you drop to the 1.3 mild hybrid — which gives up the e-Power drive that's the main reason to choose a Qashqai in the first place.
Drivetrains compared — e-Power vs Sportage HEV
The Qashqai e-Power is a series hybrid: the 1.5 L turbo petrol engine is a generator only — it never drives the wheels. A 205 hp electric motor does all the driving, fed by a small 2.1 kWh buffer battery. There's no gearbox, so it pulls away with instant, seamless EV-like torque. You never plug it in.
The Sportage HEV is a parallel hybrid: a 1.6 T-GDi petrol engine and a 44 kW electric motor both drive the wheels through a conventional 6-speed automatic, combining for 235 hp. It feels like a smooth, gutsy petrol auto rather than an EV — with the engine more present under load.
What each feels like
- Around town: the Qashqai e-Power is the clear winner — gearless, near-silent at low speed, EV-smooth, and at its most efficient (5.5–6.5 L/100 km). The Sportage's auto can hesitate slightly on the electric-to-petrol handover in stop-start traffic.
- On the motorway: line-ball post-2025. The Qashqai's 2025 update fixed its old motorway-thirst (now ~5.5 L/100 km on a steady run); the Sportage cruises comfortably and is the more relaxed long-distance tow car.
- Outright pace: a dead heat — 7.9 s vs 8.0 s to 100 km/h. Neither feels slow; both have ample mid-range for Irish roads.
- Flexibility: the Sportage offers AWD and a PHEV; the Qashqai e-Power is FWD-only with no plug-in option. If you want all-wheel drive or a plug, only the Sportage delivers.
Verdict on drivetrain: it's a preference call. Pick the Qashqai e-Power for the smoothest, most refined urban drive of any hybrid in the class. Pick the Sportage HEV if you want conventional-auto familiarity, more towing muscle, or the AWD/PHEV choices the Qashqai can't offer.
Real running costs — annual (20,000 km/year)
| Item | Qashqai e-Power | Sportage HEV |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel (€1.85/L) | ~€2,150 | ~€2,100 |
| Motor tax | €190 | €210 |
| Insurance (group) | €700–€1,200 (grp 17–25) | €700–€1,300 (grp 19–26) |
| Servicing (main dealer) | €320–€420 | €350–€450 |
| Depreciation (year 1) | ~€3,000 | ~€3,000 |
| Annual total (excl. finance) | ~€6,400–€6,900 | ~€6,400–€7,000 |
Verdict on running costs: a wash. The e-Power is more efficient per 100 km — especially in town — but at these low consumption levels the annual fuel bills land on top of each other in euro terms (our estimates even put the Sportage a hair lower). The Qashqai's one clear edge is €20/year less motor tax. Insurance and servicing are effectively the same. This category shouldn't decide your choice.
5-year total cost of ownership
Total cost over 5 years / 100,000 km (median Irish driver, 5+ years NCB, main-dealer serviced):
| Item | Qashqai e-Power | Sportage HEV |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel (5 yr) | ~€10,750 | ~€10,500 |
| Motor tax (5 yr) | €950 | €1,050 |
| Insurance (5 yr) | ~€4,500 | ~€4,500 |
| Servicing (5 yr) | ~€1,800 | ~€2,000 |
| Depreciation | ~€13,500 | ~€13,500 |
| Tyres + consumables | ~€800 | ~€800 |
| 5-year total cost | ~€31,500 | ~€32,500 |
| Cost per km | ~€0.32 | ~€0.32 |
The cheaper car over 5 years is the Qashqai e-Power, by about €1,000 — driven by its €20/year-lower motor tax and slightly cheaper servicing, not the fuel bill (which is line-ball). But the Sportage claws much of that back through its lower purchase price and marginally stronger resale, and its extra four years of warranty removes a real risk the Qashqai owner carries from year 4 onward. Call the 5-year running total a narrow Qashqai win; call the total ownership value a Sportage win once price and warranty are weighed in.
Depreciation & resale retention
| Retention | Qashqai e-Power (post-2025) | Sportage HEV |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year | ~84% | ~85% |
| 3-year | ~67% | ~67% |
| 5-year | ~52% | ~53% |
Verdict on resale: Sportage, narrowly. The two are within a point of each other at every age — both are strong residual performers. The Sportage edges it because Kia's 7-year warranty transfers: a 3- or 4-year-old Sportage still carries factory cover for its next owner, which buyers pay a premium for. The Qashqai's resale is solid but its warranty has usually expired by the time it changes hands. A complete service history matters enormously for both — it's the single biggest lever on the price you'll get back.
Reliability, common Irish issues & warranty
Kia covers the Sportage for 7 years / 100,000 km, fully transferable to a second owner with intact service history. Nissan covers the Qashqai for 3 years / 100,000 km. Both cover their hybrid traction batteries separately for 8 years / 160,000 km. If you keep a car 5+ years — as most Irish buyers do — that four-year warranty gap is the most consequential difference between these two cars.
Qashqai — what to watch
- Pre-2025 e-Power motorway thirst (35–45 mpg) — fixed on post-facelift cars; buy 2025+ used.
- Adaptive cruise can be over-cautious in Irish urban traffic; speed-limit recognition occasionally bongs wrong limits.
- Heated seats not available on N-Connecta — step up to Tekna or add an option pack.
- 12V auxiliary battery often weakens around year 4–5 (€120–€180 to replace).
- UK build (Sunderland) means a strong parts pipeline and good availability.
Sportage — what to watch
- Firmer ride than rivals at low speed — Irish potholes feel sharper, especially on 19" GT-Line wheels.
- Early 2022–2023 curved twin-screen could glitch; resolved by later firmware — confirm updates are installed.
- HEV's 6-speed auto can hesitate on the electric-to-petrol handover in stop-start traffic (characteristic, not a fault).
- 12V auxiliary battery also a common year 4–5 item.
- Slovak build, plus a huge shared Hyundai-Kia parts ecosystem — independent specialists can service it cheaply.
Verdict on reliability & warranty: Sportage. Both are dependable mainstream SUVs with no systemic faults, but the Sportage's 7-year transferable warranty gives you four extra years of peace of mind and a tangible resale asset. The Qashqai counters with UK-built parts availability — useful, but not the same level of protection.
Practicality — boot, space & towing
| Item | Qashqai e-Power | Sportage HEV |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 4,425 mm | 4,540 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,665 mm | 2,755 mm |
| Boot (seats up) | 504 L | 591 L |
| Boot (seats folded) | ~1,440 L | ~1,780 L |
| Towing (braked) | 750 kg | 1,650 kg |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
Verdict on practicality: Sportage, clearly. It's longer, has a notably bigger boot (591 vs 504 L) and more rear-seat and load space thanks to the longer wheelbase. The towing gap is decisive: the Sportage HEV's 1,650 kg braked rating handles a caravan or trailer, while the Qashqai e-Power's 750 kg rules out most serious towing. Neither offers seven seats — for that, look at the Nissan X-Trail or Skoda Kodiaq.
NCT pitfalls (model-specific)
- Both have strong first-time pass rates — these are well-built, modern cars.
- Qashqai: tyre wear on the heavier e-Power (rotate every 10,000 km); headlight aim after kerb impacts; 12V battery by year 4–5.
- Sportage: front tyre wear on AWD versions; headlight aim; 12V battery by year 4–5.
- For both, run an OBD pre-scan before the test — under NCT Phase 2 (since May 2023) an illuminated engine warning light is an automatic fail.
- See our How to Read Your NCT Report guide for the full failure-point breakdown.
The verdict — overall winner & per-buyer picks
For most Irish buyers, the Kia Sportage is the better overall buy — it's cheaper to get into, has a bigger boot, tows more than double, and its 7-year transferable warranty is worth real money at resale. Choose the Nissan Qashqai e-Power only if refinement is your priority: it's the smoother, quieter, more EV-like drive around town and carries €20-a-year less motor tax — but you give up boot space, towing capacity and four years of warranty to get it.
- The town commuter → Qashqai e-Power. Smoothest, quietest, most efficient drive in stop-start traffic, plus the lowest motor tax.
- The family → Sportage HEV. Bigger boot, more rear space, longest warranty, and it tows the trailer/caravan the Qashqai can't.
- The low-mileage, keep-it-long buyer → Sportage. The 7-year warranty runs the full term on low miles and the transferable cover protects resale years down the line.
- The business / company-car driver → Sportage PHEV. The plug-in unlocks the low BIK band and ~€140 motor tax; the Qashqai has no plug-in equivalent.
- The refinement-first private buyer → Qashqai e-Power N-Connecta. If the daily driving experience matters more than the spec sheet, this is the nicer car to live with.
Whichever way you lean, drive both back-to-back at a trim you can afford — the e-Power's character is unlike any conventional hybrid, and only a test drive will tell you whether that refinement is worth the Sportage's price, boot and warranty advantages to you.
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