Hyundai Tucson vs Kia Sportage vs Nissan Qashqai: Ireland's Favourite Used SUVs Compared (2026)

These three are the family SUV (or "jeep", as most of us say) that half the school run drives. The Tucson and Sportage are cousins — same Hyundai-Kia platform, same engines, different suits. The Qashqai is the outsider: lighter, more petrol in the mix, and the only one of the three that's routinely available for under €10,000.

So the honest comparison isn't "which is the best car" — it's which one your budget buys in decent condition, and which one leaves you with a warranty rather than a prayer.

What do they cost used in Ireland right now?

Autoza's own listings show the whole spread, from tired 2012 diesels to 262-plate hybrids. The medians are what matters, because that's what a normal, mid-life example is priced at.

Source: median asking prices on Autoza, September 2026.

Two things jump out. First, the Sportage and Qashqai medians are almost identical, but they're not the same car at that price: the Sportage median is dragged up by 2022–2026 hybrids, while the Qashqai spans a much older fleet. Second, only about one in ten used Sportages is an automatic. If you want two pedals, the Qashqai (26% automatic) is where you'll actually find stock.

What does €15k, €20k or €25k actually buy?

This is the table to screenshot. Same three cars, sliced by the budget you've got.

Source: Autoza listings, September 2026. Mileage is the median for that budget band.

Read across the rows and the pattern is clear. At every budget the Qashqai is younger or lower-mileage, or both. That's partly because Ireland bought a lot of petrol Qashqais for town use, and partly because the Tucson and Sportage were the default choice for the 40,000-km-a-year sales rep. High mileage isn't a fault on a diesel — but a 200,000 km Tucson for €11,600 needs a full service history and a recent DPF that behaves, or it's not a bargain.

Which engine and gearbox should you look for?

The powertrain decides the ownership experience more than the badge does. Here's the one to find, and the one to walk past, for each.

Hyundai Tucson

• 2015–2020 (third generation): most Irish cars are the 1.7 CRDi manual. Fine for the motorway, sluggish in town. The 2018 facelift brought the 1.6 CRDi in 115 and 136 hp forms, with a 7-speed dual-clutch (DCT) option — that's the one to find if you can.
• 2021 on (fourth generation): the 1.6 CRDi picks up 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance, and there's a proper 1.6 T-GDi Hybrid automatic plus a plug-in. The hybrid is the sweet spot if your driving is mixed; median asking on Autoza for 2021–2023 Tucsons is €25,950.
• Skip: a high-mileage 1.7 CRDi with a DCT that judders on take-off — that's a clutch-pack job coming.

Kia Sportage

• 2016–2021 (QL): same 1.7 CRDi as the Tucson early on, then the 1.6 CRDi from 2018 and a 48-volt mild-hybrid version of it from 2019. Manuals dominate, which keeps prices honest.
• 2022 on (NQ5): the 1.6 T-GDi Hybrid automatic is what makes the Sportage's hybrid share so big on Autoza — median asking for a Sportage hybrid is €26,948 versus €17,250 for a diesel. The 1.6 CRDi mild-hybrid diesel manual is the long-distance choice.
• Skip: a 2019–2021 mild-hybrid diesel with any warning lights on the dash. Sort them before you pay, not after.

Nissan Qashqai

• 2014–2021 (J11): the 1.5 dCi diesel is the economy king and the one most Irish buyers know. The 1.2 DIG-T petrol is cheap to buy for a reason (see faults below); the later 1.3 DIG-T (2019 on) is much better. Xtronic CVT automatics exist but need their fluid changed, not "lifetime" ignored.
• 2021 on (J12): the 1.3 DIG-T mild hybrid in manual or Xtronic, and from 2022 the e-Power — a petrol engine that only generates electricity, so it drives like an EV. It's the smoothest of the three in traffic but the dearest used: e-Power Qashqais sit around €40,150 median on Autoza.
• Skip: a 2014–2016 1.2 DIG-T without proof it had the engine software and piston-ring updates.

For a year-by-year view, see our guides to the best year to buy a Hyundai Tucson and the best year to buy a Nissan Qashqai.

Who has the warranty edge? (Kia, by a mile)

This is the quiet reason to pay a little more for a Sportage. All three warranties run from the date of first registration, so what matters is how much is left when you buy.

• Kia Ireland: 7 years or 150,000 km, whichever comes first, and "fully transferable" to the next owner provided the car has been serviced properly. A 2021 Sportage bought today still has cover into 2028 if it's under the mileage cap. (Source: kia.com/ie, accessed September 2026.)
• Hyundai Ireland: 5 years, unlimited mileage, and it stays with the car when it's sold. Hybrid and plug-in high-voltage batteries get 8 years or 160,000 km. A 2021 Tucson's main warranty runs out in 2026, so a 2022 or newer car is where this still counts. (Source: hyundai.ie, accessed September 2026.)
• Nissan Ireland: 3 years or 100,000 km on passenger cars. In practice, any used Qashqai older than a 231 is out of manufacturer warranty, so budget for a dealer or independent warranty instead. (Source: nissan.ie, accessed September 2026.)

The kilometre cap bites, though. A 2019 Sportage at 160,000 km has already used up its 150,000 km — the seven years are irrelevant. Check the odometer against the cap before you count the warranty as a plus.

What goes wrong with each of them?

None of the three is a lemon. These are the faults owners and independent garages most commonly report, and every one of them is easier to spot on a test drive than to fix afterwards.

Tucson and Sportage (they share the same weak spots)

• DPF and EGR trouble on the 1.7 and 1.6 CRDi — almost always a short-trip car. Look for a regeneration warning, limp mode, or a seller who "just does the school run". A long motorway drive once a month is the cure, not the fix.
• DCT judder on dual-clutch cars in stop-start traffic; hill starts held on the clutch wear the dry plates.
• 48-volt mild-hybrid gremlins on 2019–2022 1.6 CRDi cars — battery warnings, occasional stalling, hesitation. Usually a sensor or software, but insist it's diagnosed before sale.

Qashqai

• 1.2 DIG-T oil consumption and timing-chain wear on 2014–2016 cars, largely addressed by later software and revised piston rings. Cold-start rattle is your warning sign.
• 1.5 dCi DPF, EGR and injector faults on short-trip cars — same story as the Koreans.
• Xtronic CVT juddering and overheating when the fluid has never been changed. Ask for the receipt.

We keep a fuller list in Nissan Qashqai years to avoid. Whichever you pick, run through the 10-step pre-purchase check before money changes hands.

Space, boot, towing, tax and the NCT

The Tucson and Sportage are the bigger cars inside; the Qashqai is the easier one to park on a Dublin street. Current-generation figures from the manufacturers' own spec sheets:

Sources: Kia Ireland Sportage specification sheet; Hyundai Tucson technical specification (MY25); nissan.ie Qashqai page — all accessed September 2026. Older generations are smaller: allow roughly 80–100 litres less boot on a 2015–2020 Tucson or Sportage.

If you tow a horsebox or a decent trailer, the Sportage's 1,650 kg braked rating settles it. If you never tow, ignore that row.

Motor tax is close to a wash between the diesels. Most 2016–2020 diesel versions of all three were homologated in the 99–129 g/km range under the old NEDC test, which is €180–€270 a year (bands A2 to B1 for cars registered 2008–2020). Cars registered from 2021 are taxed on WLTP figures: a current Qashqai is quoted at 116–157 g/km, which is €190–€280 a year (bands A6 to C2). Check your exact car on the motor tax calculator. (Source: Department of Transport motor tax rates effective 1 January 2021, accessed September 2026.)

NCT is the same for all three: a full test is €60, a re-test €40, and a visual re-check is free. Cars over four years old are tested every two years, and every year once they pass ten — so a 2016 car is on annual tests from now on. Our NCT guide has the booking and retest rules.

Verdict: which one should you buy?

1. Best value under €15,000: Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi (2016–2019). Younger and lower-mileage than the Koreans at the same money, cheap to tax and easy to sell on. Just avoid the early 1.2 petrol.
2. Best all-rounder at €20,000: Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi (2018–2021). Roomier than the Qashqai, the same engine as the Tucson, and a warranty that might still be running. Manual only, realistically.
3. Best at €25,000: Tucson or Sportage, decided by gearbox. Want an automatic hybrid? The Sportage Hybrid is easier to find. Want a diesel with the longer main warranty on a 2022-plus car? The Tucson's 5-year unlimited-mileage cover is the better fit for high mileage.
4. Best if you want the smoothest drive and money's less tight: Qashqai e-Power. But at around €40,000 used it's a different conversation, and a used hybrid from Toyota or Kia does the same job for less.

The honest caveat: at €15,000–€20,000 all three have the same underlying risk, which is a diesel that has spent its life doing short trips. Condition and history beat badge every single time. If you're trading in, get a free valuation first so you know what your side of the deal is worth, and run the numbers on the finance calculator before you fall in love with a 231 hybrid.

Related reading: Toyota RAV4 vs Hyundai Tucson, Dacia Duster vs Nissan Qashqai, and our full best used SUVs under €25,000 list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Kia Sportage or Hyundai Tucson more reliable?

They share engines and gearboxes, so reliability is near-identical — the DPF, EGR and DCT issues are the same on both. The Sportage's practical edge is Kia Ireland's transferable 7-year/150,000 km warranty, which can still be running on a 2020–2023 car.

Which is cheaper to buy used in Ireland: Tucson, Sportage or Qashqai?

On Autoza in September 2026 the Tucson has the lowest median asking price at €19,970, against €22,900 for the Sportage and €22,448 for the Qashqai. Under €15,000 the Qashqai is cheapest and youngest, with a median of €8,975.

Does the Kia 7-year warranty transfer to a second owner in Ireland?

Yes. Kia Ireland states the 7-year/150,000 km warranty is fully transferable to subsequent owners, provided the car has been maintained regularly. It runs from first registration and ends at whichever limit comes first.

Which of the three is best as an automatic?

The Qashqai, simply because there are more of them: about 26% of used Qashqais on Autoza are automatic versus 18% of Tucsons and 9% of Sportages. For a hybrid automatic, the Sportage Hybrid (2022 on) is the easiest to find.

What is the motor tax on a used Tucson, Sportage or Qashqai?

Typical 2016–2020 diesels fall between €180 and €270 a year under the pre-2021 CO2 bands; 2021-on cars are taxed on WLTP figures and mostly land between €190 and €280. Check the CO2 on the vehicle's registration certificate for the exact band.

Sources: Autoza listing data (median asking prices, September 2026); Kia Ireland warranty terms (kia.com/ie); Hyundai Ireland warranty (hyundai.ie); Nissan Ireland warranties (nissan.ie); Department of Transport motor tax rates effective 1 January 2021 (assets.gov.ie); Kia Ireland Sportage specification sheet; Hyundai Tucson technical specification MY25; nissan.ie Qashqai; NCTS fee schedule. All accessed September 2026.

Ready to compare real cars side by side? Search used vehicles on Autoza and filter by budget, fuel and gearbox.