Small SUV car reviews: Renault Kadjar, Nissan Qashaqi and Peugeot 3008 crossovers cross-examined

Both Renault and Peugeot believe they have found a way to steal the thunder of the market-defining Qashqai

Will the Nissan Qashqai, the king of the crossovers, retain its crown once more?

Nissan gave up on traditional hatchbacks and saloons when it lauched the Qashqai almost ten years ago. A brave move, and one that gave it the smash-hit SUV that’s come to define the crossover market.

Nissan Qashqai 1.6 dCi 130 N-tec (****)

Engine size: 1.6-litre diesel

Price from: £24,980 (list)

Power: 129bhp

Torque: 236lb ft

0-02mph: 10.5 seconds

Top speed: 118mph

Fuel economy: 53.3mpg

CO2: 120g/km

Renault thinks it’s found a way to steal the Qashqai’s thunder, though. In fact, the Kadjar has most of the same chassis and engines as its Nissan rival, so it’s stolen pretty much everything else too.

Looking to pick up the pieces here while these two slug it out is the Peugeot 3008. It’s the cheapest and cleanest of the three, so it’s not exactly starting on the back foot.

The Peugeot 3008

It keeps up with the early pace, too. All three have roomy cabins in which it’s easy to settle. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, but none is outclassed – the 3008 has less room in its back seats, for example, but it makes up for that with a flat floor that’ll stop the central passenger from having to splay his knees into the others’ territory.

Peugeot 3008 1.6 BlueHDi 120 Allure (***)

Engine size: 1.6-litre diesel

Price from: £23,095 (list)

Power: 118bhp

Torque: 221lb ft

0-60mph: 12.3 seconds

Top speed: 112mph

Fuel economy: 48.8mpg

CO2: 108g/km

In the boot, once again it’s swings and roundabouts. All are well packaged, handily specced and convenient to use, but the Nissan and Renault have more space – while the Peugeot has a split tailgate whose lower portion gives you a handy place to sit while watching your kids play football or taking off your boots after walking the dog.

Overall cabin quality is broadly similar across the board. The Qashqai is a touch better than the Kadjar, and the Kadjar is a touch better than the 3008, but unless you’ve got a clipboard and eye-glass you’re unlikely to notice.

The Renault Kadjar

Renault Kadjar 1.6 dCi 130 Dynamique Nav (****)

Engine size: 1.6-litre diesel

Price from: £22,795 (list)

Power: 129bhp

Torque: 236lb ft

0-60mph: 11.3 seconds

Top speed: 120mph

Fuel economy: 53.3mpg

CO2: 113g/km

The average driver will see little difference between the Qashqai and Kadjar. He’ll have his stereo on, for a start, but if he were to switch it off he’d find that Nissan has managed to keep more noise out of the cabin.

The Qashqai is a touch quicker, too, as well as coming out on top in terms of both ride and body control. It’s a more engaging car to drive all round – though not to a degree that most people would register, so if it’s not quite a draw here it’s only a narrow victory.

The Nissan Qashqai

There’s nothing narrow about the extent to which both leave the 3008 in the blocks, though. Excessive, unruly body roll, fussy handling and wayward steering all contrive to disappoint. You get Dynamic Roll Control if you spend more on the next engine up, but we’re comparing like for like here and without it the Peugeot isn’t in the same league.

Is that what you get for buying the cheapest vehicle here? Well yes, though it may be a false economy in other ways too as the 3008’s projected depreciation is worst by far.

It does give you some good kit, though, like a full-length glass roof and head-up display – both standard on our test car. Overall, Renault is stingiest on equipment, but in general all three look after you pretty well – as they will in a crash, or if someone tries to make off with them in the night.

There’s no seeing past the Qashqai, though, when all’s said and done. The Kadjar has much to recommend it, but Nissan’s evergreen crossover makes yet more of the same DNA and justifies the extra money it will cost to own.

Behind these two, the Peugeot 3008 is beaten but not disgraced. Keen drivers will be disappointed by it, but typical crossover owners who place more store by a car’s interior will not. It is the cheapest, and rightly so – but without the depreciation which means whole-life costs count against it, the contest would be a lot less cut and dried.

As it is, though, the crossover king has retained its crown once more.