What is the best engine for the Nissan Qashqai? Nissan is promoting a new engine for its Qashqai and Note. My husband and I presently have one of each model, a Qashqai 1.6 petrol manual and a Note 1.6 petrol automatic. The engine is very underpowered in the Qashqai yet brilliant in the Note, but the new models are both going to have a 1.2 supercharged engine. This might be OK for the Note but we're not so sure for the Qashqai. My husband had intended to go for a 2.0 petrol Qashqai, but this has apparently been withdrawn. Any thoughts? I agree. The 1.6 petrol is fine in the Note, but hopeless without a turbo in the Juke or Qashqai. The 1.2 should be fine in the new Note, but I can't imagine it hauling the Qashqai along. The best engine for that is the 1.6 dCi 130, which is a new manifold-in-head diesel that should not cause any particulate filter problems. After two years, I've received no complaints.