So what is it like living with this mid-sized crossover?
Well for starters it looks good. The car features a striking look with powerful curves, clean lines and intricate details. I particularly like the LED Day-Time Running Lights (DRLs). They tend to give the car a more aggressive look when viewed from the front. The car looks compact but step inside and you will find ample space.
Interior
Inside the car the dashboard is neat and ergonomic. Our car is fitted with a touch screen infotainment system which also supports the 360 degree camera feature also fitted to our car. This system is great for navigating parking bays and the occasional drive-thru. As I mentioned earlier the space offered is decent. Up front I found there to be more than enough leg and head room. The rear also benefits from impressive space as the rear seats can be adjusted backwards. The boot is fairly large, fold the rear seats down and you can fit just about anything inside.
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The drive
On the highway, where I spent most of my time, the Qashqai delivers a smooth ride while sipping on juice. This is mostly down to its 1.2-litre turbocharged engine though. The little motor develops about 85kW and 190Nm. The problem, if I’m honest here is that in an urban environment the car does struggle to get a move on. Unfortunately the Qashqai does suffer from a fair bit of turbo-lag when pulling away. Work the manual gears though and you can better the power delivery.
The figures
The Qashqai is not a tarmac shredding kind of car, it is, instead, a subtle, economical crossover that is light on fuel and relatively comfortable. I did over 1200km with the car in my time with it and I averaged around 8.2litres/100km.
Verdict
Sure, there are other cars out there, like the new Renault Kadjar which shares the same platform as the Nissan, but the Qashqai is a popular choice. Having sold around 2 million units globally Nissan definitely has winning recipe when it comes to the Qashqai.
We will keep you informed about our time with the car in the upcoming weeks.
