Nissan Qashqai Named Best Family Car

There's a reason the Nissan Qashqai has been a family favourite for the last twenty years. And now it's picked up another award to prove it.

The Nissan Qashqai has been named Best Family Car at the RAC New Car Awards 2026, beating a number of its rivals across everything from value and safety to practicality, comfort and technology.

The award comes just ahead of the Qashqai's 20th anniversary, making it another impressive milestone for one of Nissan's most successful models.

What makes the Qashqai a great family car?

The RAC's expert car review team assessed the Nissan Qashqai using a ten-points scoring system across seven key areas:

• Value
• Safety
• Running Costs
• Practicality
• Ride and handling
• Interior and technology
• Performance

The result? The RAC named the Qashqai its Best Family Car of 2026, praising it as one of its favourite hybrid SUVs and the best option for UK families.

The latest Qashqai combines the things you'd expect from a family SUV, with plenty of space, comfort and practicality, with Nissan's latest technology and efficient hybrid powertrains. And if you opt for the Qashqai with Nissan's third-generation e-POWER hybrid technology, you get an especially impressive combination of smooth performance and efficiency. 

As RAC Editor Dan Powell put it, the Qashqai "is the most accomplished car in its class", with its e-POWER technology helping it stand out from hybrid SUV rivals. 

20 Years of the Qashqai

It's hard to believe the Qashqai has been around for two decades. Since its launch, more than four million Qashqai cars have been sold across Europe, while it continues to be one of the UK's best-selling cars. 

The Nissan Qashqai was one of the cars that helped define the modern crossover, combining the higher driver positions and practicality of an SUV with the everyday usability of a family car. Twenty years on, that formula is still proving popular.

In fact, the 2026 RAC RAC New Car Award is the 110th international award won by the Qashqai globally, including twenty Car of the Year titles across different countries.

Not bad for a car that started a whole new chapter for Nissan.

Built By Britain

There's another reason Nissan has plenty to be proud of the Qashqai here in the UK. It's designed, engineered and built right here in Britain, with production taking place at Nissan's Sunderland plant.

The Qashqai is built alongside the Nissan Juke and the new electric Nissan LEAF, as part of Nissan’s wider investment in the future of vehicle manufacturing in the UK.

So, from its original launch 20 years ago to today's latest hybrid technology, the Qashqai has remained a big part of the UK automotive landscape.

See What All The Fuss is About

With its combination of practicality, comfort, technology and efficient hybrid power, it’s easy to see why the Qashqai continues to be such a popular choice for families. And now, with a Best Family Car 2026 award from the RAC under its belt, there’s even more reason to take a closer look.

Want to find out more about the Nissan Qashqai? Get in touch with the Dicksons Nissan team on 01463 712800 or explore the Qashqai and book a test drive online.