Used Nissan Qashqai+2 review and buying guide (2008 to 2014): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Nissan Qashqai+2 should you buy?

A two-wheel-drive petrol with a manual gearbox is the lesser risk in the Qashqai+2, though no version comes without a serious known fault. The manual's dual mass flywheel and clutch can go between 20,000 and 60,000 miles, so receipts for a new clutch count in a car's favour, and the 1.6 petrol can crack its cylinder head. Both are things you can check for on the day.

Don't buy the Xtronic CVT automatic. It's the Qashqai+2's most reported failure, with juddering, limp mode and total loss of drive turning up anywhere from 16,000 to 76,000 miles, sometimes just after the warranty ran out. Four-wheel drive adds another risk: rear differentials on 2.0 petrols and diesels have failed at 35,000 to 40,000 miles, so a two-wheel-drive car sidesteps that one.

A diesel only makes sense with paperwork, because both have faults that can destroy the engine: the 1.5 dCi's timing belt and the 2.0 dCi's crankshaft and main bearings. The December 2009 facelift put right the rear suspension rattle from softening damper bushings that earlier cars suffered. Beyond that, the Qashqai+2 ran from 2008 to 2014 as one generation, so the engine and gearbox matter far more than the year.

Which Qashqai+2 engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

There's no Qashqai+2 without a high-severity known fault on its engine, gearbox or drivetrain, so it's about picking the risk you can check for. The Xtronic CVT is the worst, with 12 owner reports of failure. Manuals wear out dual mass flywheels and clutches early, and the 1.6 petrol can crack its cylinder head, a fault it shares with the Juke, which shows as overheating and coolant that vanishes without a leak.

The 1.5 dCi's big danger is its timing belt, which has failed between 38,000 and 65,000 miles, sometimes after a broken auxiliary belt got caught up in it, and that wrecks the engine. Early engines can also have an EGR valve that sticks shut, which can ruin the turbo bearings and let oil into the intake until the engine runs on its own lubricant and stalls.

Short trips clog the 1.5 dCi's DPF and kill its EGR valve, and the filter fitted from September 2010 is the one to worry about. At 90,000 miles one owner paid a garage £1,384 to replace both the filter and the EGR valve, and the warning light was back 1,700 miles later. Another 2011 car's filter blocked at 55,000 miles, and a dealer quoted €2,350 to replace it.

The 2.0 dCi's known fault is crankshaft and main bearing failure under hard use between 40,000 and 70,000 miles, bad enough that Nissan extended its cover on the engine to deal with it. On four-wheel-drive 2.0s, petrol or diesel, rear differentials have failed even on cars that never towed. One diesel automatic's owner was still left with a £1,200 bill after Nissan's contribution.

What should you check when viewing a used Qashqai+2?

The gearbox comes first. On a CVT, feel for judder pulling away and at low speed, listen for whining or grinding and watch for any loss of power; if there's any of it, leave the car. On a manual, check the clutch doesn't slip when you accelerate hard, there's no judder setting off and the gears go in cleanly. One 2008 1.6 petrol owner went through three clutches by 49,800 miles, so ask for clutch receipts.

On a 1.5 dCi, ask for receipts showing the timing belt and auxiliary belt have been renewed, plus any DPF or EGR work, and watch for a red or yellow DPF light or hesitant running. On a 2.0 dCi, listen for tapping or rattling, sniff for a burning smell and ask for proof the bearing work and the air inlet hose bulletin were done. On a 1.6 petrol, check the coolant level and look for white exhaust smoke or a rising temperature gauge.

On a four-wheel-drive 2.0, listen at the back for whining, grinding or clunks as you get on and off the throttle, and feel for vibration through the floor, because the rear differential's the weak point. On a car built before the December 2009 facelift, drive over speed humps and listen for rattling from the rear. Run the air conditioning too: the condenser corrodes, and warm air or a history of frequent re-gassing points to a leak.

If it's got stop-start, open the bonnet: it needs a heavy-duty lead acid battery with screw-top cells that want regular topping up, so check the levels. On a 2008 car, make sure the tailgate lift handle's firm, as early ones have snapped when their plastic fixings went brittle. On a 2010 to 2012 car, ask for proof of the recall work: the power steering control unit could fail, a fuel filter hose could leak or stall the engine, and the steering wheel's centre could separate.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Nissan Qashqai+2 cost to run?