The new Nissan Qashqai comes with two available powertrains in the UK and in most European countries. The 1.3 DIG-T engine is the mild-hybrid option while the 1.5L ePower is a series hybrid (or full hybrid) version.
In this article, I will tell you more about the 1.5L KH5T engine, outline its pros and cons, and concentrate on the common problems that you can expect after it covers some miles.
I should say that the engine is really efficient in terms of emissions and fuel consumption but it’s not the hybrid you may want to buy after comparing it with some other cars available on the market.
Let’s get started!
What should you know about the 1.5L engine in the Qashqai?
So, this is the 3-cylinder petrol-powered engine that is combined with a pretty powerful electric motor. It’s also the DIG-T family, as well as the 1.3-liter option. Surprisingly, the 1.3-liter one has 4 cylinders but the engine with bigger displacement has 3 cylinders.
The engine belongs to the KR family (I’ve written about the KR15DDT for the X-Trail) but it’s fairly different from the X-Trail powertrain. It has a different variable compression system and some other technologies.
Here’s what you need to know about the KH5T hybrid powertrain:
- the engine is a 3-cylinder 1.5-liter petrol engine equipped with a turbocharger with 152 horsepower;
- the petrol engine is only used to charge the 2-kWh battery pack that supports the electric engine for 187 horsepower;
- the electric engine drives the wheels, the petrol engine doesn’t even have a connection to the wheels in this car;
- there is no plug-in charging option and basically no all-electric range as the battery pack is pretty small;
- the engine has a direct injection system, timing chain, and variable compression system – overall, it’s very technological;
- the transmission is single-speed constant ratio as in electric vehicles, so it’s good that it’s not a CVT;
- the powertrain is very good in terms of fuel consumption – it’s advertised with 53.3 MPG which is around 5 liters per 100 km.
Interestingly, the ePower Qashqai is only offered with front-wheel drive, there is no 4WD option as with the 1.3-liter engine. Also, it has only automatic transmission which is natural because it’s basically an electric car.
The engine acting as a generator only is a rare thing among today’s hybrid vehicles. I even don’t know what I think about this. But if you believe it will prolong the life of the engine much, you are wrong because it will be revved up a lot to charge that small battery.
The maximum torque of 330 Nm is great. I think if you need to tow something with your small SUV, the ePower is the only option you should consider.
How many miles will the Qashqai ePower engine last?
Whatever I say here will be a speculative effort to evaluate all the weaknesses of the engine and predict its durability. The KH5T engine is very fresh and not so many units have a decent mileage so that we can understand the common issues.
But still, the variable compression, the direct injection, the thin chain, and other issues let us know that this is not the most durable engine you’ve ever seen.
In my opinion, the 120,000 miles or 180,000 kilometers milestone will be the optimal goal for anyone owning this vehicle. The engine is a 3-cylinder, it has a lot of questionable technologies onboard, so it would be a bad idea to expect anything more from it.
I should say that the EV transmission makes this ePower version a very good choice if you want an automatic Qashqai. In the 1.3 DIG-T version, you will get the manual or the CVT. The Nissan CVT is probably not the best transmission in the world, so the ePower really wins here.
Also, the 2-kWh battery pack doesn’t add a lot of confidence in longevity. The electric motor will ruthlessly use this small Li-Ion battery made by Panasonic and I doubt if it can last longer than 80,000 miles or 130,000 kilometers. Most likely, you will need to replace it at this stage.
What are the potential problems with the 1.5L ePower engine?
Well, I started getting a lot of evidence that the engine has some common problems. Please note that I’m talking purely about the KH5T version. In some European markets there is another ePower powertrain based on the 4-cylinder 1.5L engine.
So, the 3-cylinder hybrid engine in the Qashqai may show such common issues:
1) Carbon buildup on valves
The upper part of the intake valves will slowly gather some buildups because this is the direct injection engine. No fuel comes through the intake valves, so their fate is hard to envy. But if you clean the system from time to time, this issue won’t escalate to engine failures. Check the valves once every 30,000 miles or 50,000 kilometers and maybe use a good valve cleaner.
2) Small battery pack
When I first saw the Qashqai ePower version, I immediately started searching for the plug-in socket. But unfortunately, it wasn’t there. The 2-kWh battery is small and doesn’t give you any all-electric range. Of course, there is no need to charge it from any outside source.
The size of the battery will obviously lead to fast degradation because it’s used 100% of the time when you are driving. So, the battery pack will need replacement sooner or later. Fortunately, it’s not as expensive as in electric cars.
3) Potential tow-truck situations
When you are buying a hybrid, you think that you are protected from many issues. There are two separate powertrains and they can back up each other. Well, not in this case. The petrol engine is not even connected to the wheels, so if something goes wrong with the electric motor, battery pack, or wiring in the EV part of the vehicle, you are in trouble.
4) Variable compression
The idea behind variable compression is that the engine changes the piston stroke when needed. It will change the load on the engine and potentially improve the fuel mileage, exhaust emission, etc.
But this system is very fresh and maybe a little experimental. Nissan’s KR engine family is the first to implement this feature, so I expect it to throw some problems after 80-100 thousand miles.
How can you prolong the life of the 1.5L ePower engine?
Now you know the possible problems that you can expect with this powertrain. I should tell you that the ePower engine has fewer expected problems than other Nissan powertrains available in dealerships right now. So, this is a good choice for most of us.
Just remember these simple tips:
- don’t forget you have an ICE engine under the hood and it needs good maintenance;
- watch the health of the battery pack and don’t miss the moment when it needs replacement;
- pay attention to the timing chain – it should live about 100,000 miles, but Nissan doesn’t say about any intervals;
- avoid overloading this powertrain – it’s new and we still don’t know what surprises are hidden inside;
- be careful with aggressive driving, especially in cold weather as it can kill the weak battery pack much faster.
If you do this, the Qashqai 1.5 ePower engine should be able to last over its average expectation. But I will update the article once we have more high-mileage Qashqais to check the common problems in real life.
So, is the 1.5 ePower a good option for the Qashqai?
Yes, I think this is a good engine option. It gives a lot of power, offers a good automatic transmission, provides you with immense torque, and seems to be pretty durable in comparison with other modern engine options from Nissan.
But it still has some drawbacks and potential problems that you should know about before buying such a vehicle.
The Qashqai will still have some issues not related with the powertrain like the Key ID Incorrect message I’ve written about or the Warning System Fault issue.
If you own a Qashqai with this engine, please share your opinion in the comments section below!
