New Nissan Qashqai re-defines the crossover

The all-new second generation Nissan Qashqai crossover has just arrived in Irish showrooms with prices starting at €24,495 for the entry-level 1.2 petrol XE version. It’s available in two- and four- wheel drive. It will be five-seater with no seven-seat version. That role will instead go to the new X-Trail, which arrives in the summer.
And what a revelation Qashqai has been over the past seven years. It is loved in Ireland, so much so that nearly 3,000 were sold last year, making it the second biggest selling new car in Ireland for 2013. What makes that especially astonishing is that it achieved that many sales in a run-out year. Overall, there have been over 20,000 Qashqai models sold in Ireland since 2007.

If the Transit name is to vans what Hover is to vacuum cleaners, then the Qashqai is to mid-size if not all crossovers. Nissan invented the segment with an appealing cocktail for those that like a good new C-Segment car but really desire an SUV. The original of this species became the Qashqai, and it has proved such a success that there are now 14 Qashqai competitors available in Europe.
I like the original Qashqai from the first sight of it and I wasn’t disappointed when I first drove the new crossover back in 2007. I wasn’t alone but that said it didn’t tug at all hearts straight away – many had get to understand the concept first. But when the light turned green, the sales graph was only going one way. And that continued year-on-year since.
It became a serious winner (even saviour) for Nissan with 1.5 million sold in Europe (2m worldwide) – an amazing success story. And one that Nissan is intent on not just repeating but taking to the next level with the all-new second generation Qashqai. To do this it had to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary in practically every way. No company is mad enough to mess with a winning formula, so they just carefully enhance the crossover package to make it even better.
So, while respecting the original of the species and successful DNA, they first of all made the body a little bigger. It’s slightly wider and longer and it sits lower in a much tougher stance. It now has a new look but is still clearly a Qashqai and it has also now been made more imposing, but without any degree of alienation. It all works so well!
Similarly to the revised Micra and all-new X-Trail, it gets what Nissan call the V-Motion front-end design filing towards a new grille that will also grace future models. Width is increased by 47mm, while length is up 26mm. The practical gains are that it now offers a little more headroom front and back and more legroom too.
The new Qashqai offers drivers a range of advanced technology features that Nissan says are designed to enhance every aspect of driving. Features like Nissan’s Safety Shield technologies now incorporate Front Collision Avoidance, Driver Attention Support and Traffic Sign Recognition along with several other vital driver aids.
Nissan say that the new Qashqai is designed to make premium technology more accessible than ever.
Inside the spacious cabin, there’s a premium quality design, good choice of materials and specification. From a very good driving position, you get a bigger car feeling than the out-going model offered. It’s now a much greater occupant space. Nissan has added more technology and control of much of it is, by the new 5″ full-colour HD touch-screen.
At the launch, one designer was particularly proud of how the slightly bigger boot area had been significantly upgraded over the out-going version. Pride of place was reserved for the wet and dry area, and the innovative space to store the parcel shelf when not in use.
Here are some of the standard spec items on new Qashqai: LED signature daytime running lights; chassis control; chrome glass surround; 6 airbags; EBD + ESP; tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS); a temporary spare tyre; an electric parking brake;
speed limiter/Cruise control with steering wheel controls; electable steering: normal/sport; Hill Start Assist; Idle stop start-steering wheel height & depth manual adjustments. manual air conditioning; body colored electrical & heated exterior mirrors with side indicators; body colored bumpers & door handles; 16” steel wheels.
Inside, you get Bluetooth; audio CD,USB,AUX-in w/ steering wheel controls + 4 speakers; an Illuminated glovebox, a large capacity centre console, 2 cup holders;
a front armrest and a rear folding bench 60:40.
There are three new option packs offered on the new Qashqai,. These include a
‘Safety Pack’ (which includes Nissan’s Safety Shield, Front and rear parking sensors and auto dimming rear view mirror); the ‘Connect Pack’ (which includes Nissan’s Connect Gen2 Kai with 7” touch screen display; a rear view camera and digital audio broadcast; and the third is a Driver Assist Pack (DAP).
Even before it went on sale in the UK, the Qashqai won the highly regarded What Car? Car of the Year 2014 Award. The publication said it “redefines the segment all over again”, and ”excellence and polish to a class that is brimming with talent and tempting buys”. It continues with ”the new Qashqai delivers low costs, first class levels of comfort, refinement, space and safety”. And having driven it half-way across northern England, it’s hard to argue with any of that.
The new Qashqai’s powertrain range is bigger and more efficient than ever. Each of the 3 engines available from launch, the 1.2 petrol, 1.5 diesel and 1.6 diesel units use a turbocharger to reduce capacity, emissions and fuel consumption while maintaining excellent performance with class-leading CO2 emissions – from only 99g/km and class leading fuel consumption from only 3.8l/100km. There is also a choice of manual and CVT (Xtronic) transmissions.
Fuel consumption gets as good as a class-leading level of only 3.8l/100km (or 74 mpg).
And while front-wheel-drive variants will account for the majority of sales, four-wheel drive ALL-MODE 4×4-i versions will also be available.
Did Nissan’s engineers and designers succeed with the arts of evolutionary engineering and styling? Yes, they have and I’d go as far as to say, they have re-defined the crossover category all over agin! Check it out for yourself!