The best-seller gets rebooted

MOTORPRESS



The Nissan Qashqai, which is the best-selling urban crossover in Europe, is now available in Southern Africa with significant premium enhancements to establish it as the perfect partner to conquer the city.

As a pioneer of the crossover segment, Nissan has a deep understanding of customers' needs and has been leading the pack when it comes to creating vehicles that cater for different sectors of the market.

Since the first Nissan Qashqai was launched in 2007, 3.3 million units have been sold globally. The wide-ranging changes to the upgraded model are based on customer feedback and industry insights and are designed to establish new levels of luxury in the mid-sized crossover segment.

The 'cityproof' Qashqai's improvements focus on the addition of Nissan Intelligent Mobility technology, higher levels of interior quality, improved performance and a contemporary exterior design.



Nissan Intelligent Mobility

Nissan has been introducing its highly innovative technologies, known as Nissan Intelligent Mobility (NIM), to vehicles currently available. The Patrol and X-Trail, which were launched last year, have several NIM features, and the new Qashqai benefits from these technologies too.

NIM features include: Intelligent Blind Spot Warning, which alerts the driver of a vehicle in the adjacent lane during lane changes; Intelligent Emergency Braking, which helps avoid collisions by detecting the distance of the preceding vehicle and activating the brakes, if necessary; and Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, where sensors analyse the relative velocity of the preceding vehicle as well as the vehicle in front of the preceding one. If the system detects potential risks, it alerts the driver to slow down with visual and audible alerts and will also tighten the seat belt.

Around View Monitor provides a 360-degree view of your surroundings, and Intelligent Cross Traffic Alert alerts the driver if there are oncoming vehicles or pedestrians crossing behind the vehicle when backing out into traffic.



Interior enhancements

Inside, the Qashqai is now more sophisticated than ever before. The stylish upgrades are more driver oriented and start with a sporty new D-shaped steering wheel, which has a horizontal base to make entering and exiting the Qashqai easier. The four-way controllers on the steering are new and offer customers more intuitive use to reduce “eyes off the road” time.

The new Qashqai's cabin now offers everything you might need to conquer the urban jungle and take control of the city. The interior door handles and air vents are now finished in higher-quality materials with new stitching being added to the centre console armrest.

One-touch power window switches are now available across the range and all windows can now be opened and closed remotely via the key fob.

The Nissan Qashqai's high level of comfort has always been praised by customers and to further add to its luxuriousness, the front seats have been completely redesigned with tapered shoulders to offer additional support while also improving visibility for rear passengers.

The NissanConnect touch-screen satellite navigation unit has a smart new user interface and the roof antenna is now in the shape of a shark fin for improved reception and to add to the Qashqai's striking design.

The integrated microphone for hands-free telephone use has been moved to the overhead lamp unit for improved performance.

Proving that the Qashqai combines superior style with unparalleled practicality is the clever storage solutions situated throughout the vehicle, the 430-litre boot which increases to 680 litres when the 60:40 split rear seats are folded flat.

Adapting to customer suggestions for excellent audio quality, the Nissan Qashqai now has an all-new seven-speaker BOSE Premium sound system with tweeters, woofers and a digital amplifier. Customers who choose the comprehensively specced Tekna model will now enjoy concert-like listening experiences while blazing a trail through the chaotic city.



Exterior upgrades

The exterior echoes the stylish design theme from the interior with extensive changes, from the Qashqai's beautifully sculpted nose to its sharply styled tail.

There's an integrated new front bumper and face with the latest incarnation of Nissan's iconic 'V-motion' grille.

On the halogen lights, the 'boomerang' Daytime Running Lamp signature is new and consists of nine LEDs. The clam-shell bonnet and rear bumper have also been redesigned.

There are also new 17-inch and 19-inch alloy wheels, designed to reduce drag and boost aesthetic appeal.



A refined drive

The Qashqai's ride, handling and steering have been improved in line with customer feedback to offer sublime ride comfort and a calmer body motion.

The dampers have been retuned, the anti-roll bar stiffness has been increased to maintain handling performance and, of course, the NIM Active Ride Control System reduces body motion while going over large bumps.

Significant improvements have been made throughout the new Qashqai to improve noise, vibration and harshness levels and they include more sound insulation material, additional sealing and the rear door glass is thicker to improve rear passenger experience. There is also less engine noise thanks to powertrain calibration improvements.



Value for money

The Nissan Qashqai crossover successfully blends the practicality with the running costs and driving dynamics of a hatchback.

If you're in the market for a sophisticated, stylish and comfy crossover to tackle the unpredictable, yet exhilarating city, the new Qashqai is for you.

Put simply, the Qashqai will make you the king of the urban jungle and it won't break the bank as Nissan worked hard to ensure that it remains an exceptional value-for-money crossover.

It also maintains its five-star Euro NCAP Safety Rating.