Nissan has unveiled its all-new, third-generation Qashqai that promises to offer even more than before. High-end driver assistance systems, luxury appointments and a brand new engine help the Nissan crossover take the fight to the competition.
When Nissan revealed the Qashqai in 2006, they were hoping for a relatively successful augmentation to their range. Little did they know that the world would become smitten with this new concept of a crossover between the hatch and the SUV. The Qashqai has been a runaway sale success and South Africa has enjoyed the model since its introduction in 2007, through two generations.
Now it’s time for the third generation to break ground locally, bringing with it a bevvy of driver assistance systems, a 5-star Euro NCAP rating and a significantly more premium look and feel.
Styling
I’ve always liked the balance that the Qashqai managed to strike. It was fun and playful yet at the same time, it was elegant enough to take to that important meeting, something you could be proud of. It managed to combine a sense of adventure and sensibility; it was a vehicle that I would recommend for many years. That was until the competition moved the goalposts.
Now it’s the Qashqai that sets the bar, taking on the likes of the Volkswagen T-Roc, Haval H6, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage. This is tough company to keep and the quest for market share means that any manufacturer who enters this space needs to pull out all the stops. Nissan has done this with the latest, third-generation Qashqai, giving it muscular proportions and stylish lighting elements thanks to LED technology. Large wheels, shod in equally generous rubber, lend an air of off-road credence to proceedings.
A deep-flowing chrome V dives from the angular LED headlights to low in the front bumper, presenting a glossy new-age Nissan badge. Sharp, triangular vents rest on either side and on our Acenta Plus models, drawing attention to the large 19-inch wheels. Visia models get 17-inch alloys and Acenta models 18-inch versions.
At the rear, the V-shape s inverted, pushing up into the tailgate while sharp creases run vertically from the LED combination lamps at the rear to give the new Nissan Qashqai a fluid look. Black cladding over the wheel arches and the two-tone arrangement of our Acenta Plus model create a contrast against the reflection off of the vivid blue paintwork. The two-tone colour scheme, a trend that is serving many manufacturers well, is available on both Acenta and Acenta Plus trim levels.
Interior
Immediately, one is taken aback by the perceived quality terminating from the cabin. Acenta Plus models are treated to Nappa leather upholstery in a two-tone palate, a dark blue leather complementing rich black leather. Raised white stitching does little to detract from the clean and simplified user interfaces. Nissan has clearly taken the approach of less being more and simple controls offset the large 12.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system on higher-grade models.
The angular V-theme is carried through to the interior with defined lines on the dashboard and diamond quilting on the seats. The multifunction steering wheel seems a little rushed through and while the layout of the controls are in a logical layout, the overall design seems a little last-minute parts-bin-raid. It’s a minor critique of what is otherwise a very well-trimmed and designed interior. The gauntlet has been laid down for the likes of Volkswagen.
A generous boot, thanks to a lower floor and ample rear legroom complement impressive rear headroom, ensuring that rear-seat passengers are treated to an environment that leaves them comfortable.
Technology and safety
Nissan is rather proud of its advancements in semi-autonomous driving and the new Qashqai offers Level 1 autonomy in the Acenta Plus grade. This includes systems for lane departure warning and interventions, Blind Sport assistance and intervention, emergency braking with auto-detection that uses a series of radars and cameras to accurately assess the road ahead and predict a multitude of scenarios, as well as fully adaptive cruise control.
I was rather impressed to hear that the driver monitoring makes use of a capacitive system in the steering wheel as opposed to a tension-based system. This means that there can be no fooling the system and that should there be a catastrophic medical event while behind the wheel of the car, that it will be able to detect such and safely bring the vehicle to a stop, hazard flashers activated.
The entertainment side of things is taken care of with the aforementioned 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay along with a fast-charging wireless charger for mobile phones. A myriad of USB outlets further caters for the world’s new requirement of keeping devices fully charged. Sadly, the Bose audio system lacks the punch usually associated with the brand name and could certainly benefit from the addition of a subwoofer to balance out the bright midranges.
Powertrain
At this current moment, there’s only one engine available in the range and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s not a diesel. As the world continues to shun the diesel engine, Nissan has elected to only provide a 1.3-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine. Producing 110 kW and 250 Nm, the Qashqai sends power to the front wheel through a well-programmed and stepped CVT gearbox. Three drive modes allow for drivers to enjoy a more sprightly response from the gearbox, engine and steering or choose to save fuel by selecting an Economy mode.
It’s no sports car but has absolutely no problem sticking with traffic and carrying out overtaking manoeuvres. The ride is rather firm though, despite the generous tyre profile but not to the point of being jarring or uncomfortable. It’s a compliant suspension setup nevertheless.
Pricing
The all-new Qashqai range comprises three grades with the Visia variant starting from a competitive R568 200. This version is only available in manual guise with an 8-inch infotainment system, and steel wheels and is devoid of semi-autonomous safety systems.
Acenta grade injects the Nissan ProPILOT and Nissan Intelligent Mobility (NIM) systems and complements this with 18-inch alloy wheels and the option for a two-tone paint scheme. This grade also gets Dynamic LED headlights, capable of identifying the surrounding areas and lighting them accordingly. In single-colour paint, the Acenta will set you back R639 300 while a small premium is charged for the two-tone look, costing you R644 800.
The range is topped by the Acenta Plus model which gets the full NIM array and aforementioned Nappa leather interior treatment. This variant will be the one to have and will set you back R670 600.
Chad LückhoffWith over 18 years of motorsport commentary and a passion for 90s Japanese Sports Cars, Chad Lückhoff is happiest when surrounded by drift cars and smoking tyres. His experience as the Technical Editor of the country’s top tuning magazine means that it’s the nuts and bolts of motoring that tickles his fancy. As comfortable in front of the camera as he is behind it, he’ll take you behind the wheel with his video reviews, written recounts, and invoking photography. One of the first to join the AutoTrader fray, Chad has been living his passion at AutoTrader for over 7-years.View News & Reviews
Keyword: Nissan Qashqai (2022) First Drive Review