It’s most important to remember that the new Qashqai has been voted ‘Car of the Year 2014’. This fact is of great interest and fascination because it must be remembered that ‘Car of The year’ is never one of the select band of supercars costing a kings ransom, but the ideal vehicle for the most people in the most countries where it is sold.
The whole experience was a new one for me as it was the first Qashqai that has come to ‘heel’, and what a totally pleasant experience it was.
This 1.5 litre diesel engined charmer, in Tekna format, is in fact a crossover from conventional family car to delightful Sports Utility Vehicle, a character-beguiling machine in its desire to please, and please she did.
On board you will find: remote central locking and an intelligent key with a start/stop button, and a decent electric handbrake; front and rear electric windows; a manually adjustable steering wheel for height and depth; dual zone climate control; Bluetooth hands free phone; audio Cd-MP3/USB aux-in with steering wheel controls; six speakers; six airbags plus ABS, EBD, ESP, Hill Assist Start, Safety Shield; Traffic Signal Recognition plus High Beam Assist, Lane Departure Warning and Front Collision warning.
. . . the large glass roof was absolutely splendid and some owners will be pleased that she has privacy glass in the rear doors . . .
Apart from good chrome work, including silver roof rails, the large glass roof was absolutely splendid, and some owners will be pleased that she has privacy glass in the rear doors, and back door. She sits on 19” machined-finish alloy wheels. Metallic paint is standard, and you will get three years manufacturer’s warranty and 12 years anti-perforation warranty. Granted that the 1.5 dci Tekna diesel is the most expensive Qashqai we sincerely think that to pay €31,000 for not only the Car of the Year but one so thoroughly well set up, is really a bit of a bargain.
On the road she is approachable and, by that, I mean easy on the eye, and pleasantly agreeable to get in and out of.
The seats are firm, beautifully contoured, with electric adjustment on the driver’s seat along with a lumbar support, and they hold passengers firmly when the driver puts Qashqai through her paces at speed. Changes of direction can be very quick with the steering in Sport mode, and the six-speed manual gearbox certainly doesn’t need to be overworked in Malta as she cruises effortlessly in sixth at our maximum speed. This is one of the real benefits found in the diesel means of propulsion.
We were pleasantly surprised at the way the car handles our slightly imperfect road surfaces at speed. The overall feeling is of comforting safety, and this has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that many people only feel ‘safe’ in their large multi-purpose vehicles.
Qashqai is so nicely ‘balanced’ that cornering at speeds way above those that would seem to be dictated by the type of vehicle, is unflinchingly comfortable, with immense levels of grip on our arterial roads that have been provided with anti-slip wearing courses. Having said that it was also a bit of a revelation how well the car handled ‘nasty’ bends on our lesser roads. This is all part of Nissan being able to produce the ‘Car of the Year 2014’.
Acceleration from this 1.5 litre diesel is good and with 100 km/h appearing in only 11.9 seconds, with the potential to reach a maximum speed of 185 km/h, this car is no sluggard, and with her handling qualities will be darn hard to beat, in class.
It’s also comforting to know that the suspension is absolutely ‘on the mark’. Most of like McPherson struts up front, this time with rigid mounting mini sub frame, and at the back one finds the popular Twist beam type of suspension. Steering is the ever popular British rack and pinion, power assisted and the brakes, which are really quite exceptional have discs all round and seem to stop the car from very high speeds with absolutely no trace of fade, or the desire to run anything but ‘True’.
Following modern practice this model comes in two-wheel drive format, and with the Nissan Stop/Start system, fuel consumption, especially in Malta and Gozo will be most exceptionally ‘light’.
Verdict
COMFORT
This car of the Year will even be enjoyed by the elderly amongst us. She is very, very comfortable no matter where you sit, and easy to get in and out.
PERFORMANCE
With her acceleration, top speed and road holding this is a great vehicle to drive, far and fast.
QUALITY
Quality is synonymous with dozens of other manufacturers in the UK.
At a glance
TOP SPEED
185 km/h
0-100km
11.9 seconds
ECONOMY
Combined cycle 3.8l/100 km
C02
99g/km
ENGINE
1.5l, four cylinders inline displacing 1461 cc
POWER
110 bhp at 4,000 rpm
MAXIMUM TORQUE
260 Nm from 1,750-2,500 rpm