The Nissan Qashqai is an institution among SUVs. The first of its kind is now presented in a third generation as changed as improved. Taken by all as a reference in the category, today more than ever it is an option to consider.
It was the year 2007, at that time Spain had not yet won its first World Cup, but everyone already knew what SUVs were. Seven years after the millennium was inaugurated, the world of motorsports met one of its key pieces. The Nissan Qashqai is presented in society as a “different” car, an SUV. The initials of Sport Utility Vehicle they were strange to most, but thanks to the Japanese model they would soon become the daily bread.
Today social networks are flooded with influencers and people who claim to create trends or influence your way of thinking, but if we talk about a real influencer, the Qashqai is at the head of them all. Its bodywork, strange at the time, has become the real revolution in the market. Everyone is looking for an SUV, and those who say they resist increasingly see the SUVs with better eyes. curb climber. They have won in everything, also when it comes to facing terrain that is not so easy.
Nobody knows if Nissan had the perfectly calculated strategy, but it doesn’t matter. The success of the first generation of the Qashqai was almost immediate. The factories were not enough to produce and all the rivals saw in him the model to follow. The success of the Qashqai transformed and continues to transform the industry. Today the C-SUV segment, the compact segment is the most important in sales volumeadding hundreds of billions to the coffers of manufacturers.
Despite the success, Nissan has been through a rough patch. The crisis of its former CEO, Carlos Goshn, has shaken the foundations of the company. After years of ostracism and almost disappearance, those from Yokohama recover lost ground with their trident SUV: Nissan Juke, Nissan Qashqai and Nissan X-Trail. The latest generation of the latter will be known shortly, on September 6, using many resources released in the Qashqai.
Aesthetically speaking, the Japanese SUV enters into a new philosophy, an updated version of the design line presented in the small Juke a few years ago. As in 2007, Nissan wants to stand out, but since it can’t do it by bodywork, it does so by design.. A very visual language where multiple elements attract attention. From the main headlights to the grille, through the contrast resources or the 20-inch wheels with the Tekna+ finish.
Is it a nice SUV? In a matter of tastes there is nothing written, but to a server this generation seems the most attractive of all, and that the outgoing generation had already won integers. So many that it was still one of the best-selling models in the category despite its excessive longevity. for this edition Nissan creatives have opted for a very attractive color palette where we find the classic white, black and gray, but where different shades and combinations of red and blue also live, such as the attractive Magnetic Blue of the test unit.
One of the things I never liked about the original Qashqai was its interior. The excessive use of plastics of dubious quality made an attractive body look ugly, although it must be recognized that this did not affect sales either. For the new jewel in the crown, Nissan reserves quality materials with a pleasant touch. The quality of this new Qashqai has absolutely nothing to do with the original. Distance is measured in light years. Like night and day. Now it’s nice to come in and settle in. A feeling of comfort that extends to all passengers.
As dictated by the unwritten rules of the market, in each new generation the weight of technology is increasingly influential. Buyers are demanding more and more systems, both for driving assistance and for attractive digital resources. Nissan leaves absolutely nothing in the inkwell and presents a wide collection of systems and technologies. The range of finishes is distributed between: Acenta, N-Go, N-Connecta, Tekna and Tekna+. That is, the test unit has the most complete package of elements.
The list of details included in the finish is long, although a small catalog of very interesting elements should be highlighted: Head Up DisplayFull-LED headlights, digital instrumentation, 9-inch touchscreen multimedia system, wireless connectivity for mobile devices, 360 degree parking cameraswireless charger, dual-zone climate control, heated seats and steering wheel, vegan leather upholstery, electric trunk lid and the comprehensive ProPilot safety program with level 2 autonomous driving.
The Nissan Qashqai offers a trunk with a minimum capacity of 504 liters, expandable, 479 liters for e-POWER hybrids
Not a single one of the usual and current resources in the industry is missing. What is also missing is space. The slight increase in measurements has allowed Nissan to amplify the interior space. Up to five adult passengers can ride in some comfort. Lots of legroom and headroom, although the width is somewhat more limitedwhere the central passenger has to contend with a somewhat intrusive transmission tunnel.
When it comes to taking a look under the hood we find a very interesting and well presented range of engines. Gone are those underpowered, underperforming drives. The entire range is electrified in some way, either with an MHEV format with 12-volt auxiliary electrical system or with the hybrid e-POWER scheme. that we recently had the opportunity to try in its international presentation.
The good thing is that the entire range is capable of displaying the advantageous DGT ECO label, which, as you know, offers interesting advantages such as free mobility through the increasingly common low-emission zones or the striking discounts offered when parking. in regulated parking services. The environmental label is, increasingly, a heavy sales argument that Nissan resorts to with an entire ECO fleet that seeks to offer a correct balance between sustainability and price.
At the wheel of the Nissan Qashqai 1.3 DIG-T 4×4
With the presence of a four-cylinder turbocharged petrol block 1.3 liters displacement, the Qashqai adds a low hybridization system that offers minimal savings advantages, such as prolonged use of candle mode or Start&Stop. The positive part is that it does not pose any challenge when driving. The driver does not have to face anything new, just circulate as it has always been doneand let the car itself take care of lowering consumption in the way it considers.
This is one of the keys to MHEV formats, another is the price. Since we are not talking about a deep electric transformation, Nissan can offer a very competitive selling price, about 4,300 euros less than the corresponding e-POWER version. Taking into account the rise in car prices, such a difference is to be taken into account. The Qashqai 1.3 DIG-T MHEV 4×4 Tekna + has a starting price of 38,225 euros. The unit you see on the screen has a configurator price of 39,375 euros (price in August 2022).
Having left the diesel stage behind, Nissan is focused on offering gasoline engines with good performance and low consumption. the Qashqai 1.3 DIG-T offers 158 horsepower and 260 Nm of torque between 1,800 and 4,000 revolutions. A wide range of laps that allows us to always have a response from the car. The Japanese have focused a lot on improving ride comfort, and the new Qashqai is arguably the most enjoyable on any journey.
Its dynamic performance is far from being the best in the category, but it must be recognized that it keeps its cool when tickles are sought. The Nissan Qashqai aims to be comfortable and quiet, attributes that it achieves without disheveled. The exterior insulation is very good, the suspension filters very well and there is nothing strange or annoying that spoils the feeling of quality.. With a lot of poise on highways, it generates the strange sensation of going slower than it seems, something that very few cars achieve, most of them premium cut.
Engineers have developed various driving modes. Five in total, two of them focused on 4×4 traction (Mountain and snow) and three more for conventional use on asphalt (Standard, ECO and Sport). The differences between the modes are not very obvious, so it is not necessary to change the format when driving. In fact, it is enough to put the ECO mode to try to be the most efficient. Maneuver that we will have to repeat every time we restart the engine (something annoying).
All-wheel drive does not allow the Qashqai to be a field animal, but it does provide more stability and safety in unfavorable conditions.
Since the response of the suspension does not change in any of the formats, we cannot say that there are sudden changes. The rest of the elements do not change their character much either. The address is still soft and shifting devious and smooth. Regarding transmission, Nissan has opted for a continuous variator, although it does not seem like such. The x-Tronic transmission is very nice and unlike other similar changes, it takes advantage of the benefits of the engine very well without affecting the driving pleasure.
When it comes to accelerating we have an answer at almost all times, and if by some chance we don’t have it, the car is in charge of quickly finding the right gear. Smooth in almost the entire spectrum of use, only in the reductions to first (for example when calmly arriving at a traffic light), there is a notable push that makes little sense and is somewhat unpleasant. A detail that must be polished in the face of facelift as it can be very annoying in exclusively urban driving.
Although Nissan has worked hard to reduce the consumption of its gasoline engines, they are unable to match the figures of some diesel rivals. After a week of testing the Qashqai 1.3 DIG-T has marked a final consumption of 6.7 liters. A correct data but nothing extraordinary. The good thing is that in urban routes the average cost is around 7.5 liters, so there is not as much difference as what we can see in rival models.
Conclusions
Although it has always been a reference, in many aspects the Nissan Qashqai had areas to improve. With the status of influencer, now more than ever the Qashqai seems to me one of the best purchases to make within the category. It has everything regular customers look for in a C-SUV. Space, equipment, good quality and balanced behavior with a clear focus on comfort. It is a very comfortable SUV and it is appreciated. The only thing to improve is the response of the change at low speed and the dynamic sensations, which are not its strong point either.