The ultimate SUV trendsetter is still leading the way 15 years after it first went on sale - and here’s everything you need to know about the brilliant Nissan Qashqai.
The Qashqai, launched in 2007, is often described as the ‘King of the Crossovers’.
What does that actually mean?
Well, back in the early Noughties, Nissan started to conceive of a small SUV that appealed to traditional hatchback drivers.
Regular, big SUVs were considered too big to shuttle around town and for ‘general everyday usability’, according to the Japanese firm. Lease customers and buyers were also put off by the fuel efficiency of larger SUVs.
What Nissan needed was a baby brother to the firm’s X-Trail - essentially taking the best bits of a hatchback and mixing it with a compact SUV bodystyle.
And, so, the Qashqai was born - a vehicle that bridged the gap between SUVs and hatchbacks.
The Qashqai, as Nissan boasts, ‘changed the face of European motoring’ and spawned a new breed of ‘urban nomad’ motorists.
Pretenders to the King of the Crossovers throne soon followed. But the Qashqai has done a good job at fighting them off.
Here’s what you need to know about the current model - and right now we’ve got some exceptional lease deals for you to take advantage of!
What’s good about a Nissan Qashqai?
The current incarnation is the third generation of the Qashqai, having been unveiled last year.
And what’s great in terms of practicality is that the modern model is actually 35mm longer, 25mm taller, and 32mm wider than the previous Qashqai.
There’s more room in the back for rear occupants, which grew by 28mm to 608mm. Front and rear headroom in the back and front was also improved by 15 mm.
Meanwhile there’s extra distance in the front between the driver and the passenger, to ensure you’re not rubbing elbows.
The look of the Qashqai was also wholly revamped in 2021.
There’s a more aggressive body stance, a commanding ‘V-Motion’ front grille, and ‘boomerang’ rear lights.
What’s more, the boot has expanded by 50 litres compared with the old model. With the regular petrol engine that’s 504 litres of luggage space - which is more than you get with rivals such as the Renault Kadjar, Ford Kuga, or Volvo XC40.
Is the Nissan Qashqai economical?
With belts being tightened, this is an important question to answer.
There are, essentially, two powertrains to choose from.
The first is a 1.3 litre petrol mild-hybrid ‘DIG-T’ engine that’s available with two power outputs - either 140 PS or 158 PS.
Whichever power output you go for, you can expect a return of around 44 miles to the gallon - which isn’t too shabby at all.
There’s another powertrain, called ePower, which is a very clever hybrid system.
It uses a 1.5 litre petrol engine to feed power to an electric motor, which in turn drives the wheels. It gives the feel of driving a fully electric vehicle without you ever needing to charge it up. And with the ePower system you can expect around 53 mpg.
Is the Qashqai a 4x4?
It can be if you’d like it to be. All-wheel-drive is available on the 158 PS petrol engine Qashqai, but there’s no option of 4WD with the ePower unit.
How many seats do you get with the Nissan Qashqai?
In the past, you could get behind the wheel of a seven seat Qashqai. The old ‘Qashqai +2’ model used to have two very small seats in the rear for children.
There’s no option of seven seats with the current Qashqai. For those extra passenger spots, you’ll have to look to the Qashqai’s larger stablemate, the X-Trail.
What are the alternatives to a Nissan Qashqai?
When it comes to rivals, there are plenty. And your choice will probably come down to affordability and looks. And, remember, as we pointed-out above, we’ve got some exceptionally-affordable deals on the Nissan Qashqai right now.
In a head-to-head, the Qashqai’s major rivals are the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, though you can also add the Peugeot 3008, Skoda Karoq and Volkswagen Tiguan into the mix, too.
What sort of equipment do you get with a Qashqai?
The good news here is that the Qashqai comes generously equipped as standard, including on base models.
The entry-level ‘Visia’ trim brings you a 7 inch display, a rear parking sensor and tech such as intelligent cruise control with traffic sign recognition.
Moving up through the range, to mid-level N-Connecta, you can expect a large 12.3 inch info screen, privacy glass, ambient lighting and 360 degree view monitor.
Meanwhile range-topping Tekna+ models feature quilted leather front seats with ‘massage’ function, as well as an uprated sound system, panoramic glass roof, and a comprehensive suite and driver safety tech, including Intelligent lane Intervention and intelligent forward collision warning.
Where is the Nissan Qashqai built?
The Nissan Qashqai is built right here in the UK - at the famous Nissan factory in the North East of England.
In fact, the Qashqai has been put together in the UK ever since its inception back in 2007. So, in some ways, when you lease a Qashqai you’re actually helping to support the British economy.
A Nissan spokesperson said last year:
“The team at the plant have undergone thousands of hours of training for the launch of Qashqai, which is designed, engineered and manufactured by Nissan in its UK facilities, supporting more than 7,000 jobs in Paddington, Maple Cross, Cranfield, Lutterworth and Sunderland, as well as a further 24,000 in the wider UK supply chain and about 5,000 in UK dealerships.”
Take a look at some of our eye-catching special offers on the Nissan Qashqai
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