Nissan’s original Qashqai of 2007 was one of the first cars to combine 4×4 styling with hatchback running costs, and this formula quickly turned it into a best-seller. Not only that, but it started a whole new class of car – the so-called crossover – leading to more than 20 rivals from different manufacturers all fighting to match the Qashqai’s phenomenal success.
With all of its key competitors having been recently refreshed it was time for Nissan to do the same, hence the arrival of this 2017 Qashqai with tweaks to the styling along with improvements to safety and comfort. Among its rivals are the Seat Ateca, Volkswagen Tiguan, Peugeot 3008, Kia Sportage and Renault Kadjar.
Space in the Nissan Qashqai
There’s enough space to keep four six-footers comfortable for hours, and a fifth person can squeeze in for shorter journeys. Meanwhile, easily accessible Isofix mountings on the outer rear seats make it a doddle to fit child seats.
The boot is square and can swallow a couple of large suitcases, although the Renault Kadjar and Seat Ateca have even more space back there. When the rear seats are folded flat, there is a step up to them on the cheapest version of the car, the Visia, but other Qashqais have adjustable floor panels that level things out. As a bonus, these panels can be used to divide up the boot space so smaller items don’t slide around.
You’ll find a couple of cupholders between the front seats, along with a large storage bin to keep your valuables out of sight.
Comfort in the Nissan Qashqai
If comfort is your number one priority then the Qashqai is a great choice. It is brilliant at soaking up bumps and potholes, particularly if you stick with 18-inch wheels or smaller. It also does a solid job of shutting out wind and road noise, and the two petrol and two diesel engines are impressively smooth. True, the 1.6 diesel does transmit a few vibrations into the car, but it’s still better than many rivals.
People of all sizes should be able to find a comfortable driving position in the Qashqai because there’s a wide range of adjustment and the seat controls are precise in operation. All models also come with a height adjustable driver’s seat.
Dashboard Styling of the Nissan Qashqai
One area Nissan sought to improve with the 2017 Qashqai was the perceived quality of the interior. As such, the latest version uses revised materials and, on top-spec models, some rather nice leather seats with full electric adjustment. There are still a few too many hard plastics compared with a BMW or Audi, but among its mainstream rivals, the Qashqai feels suitably plush.
What is starting to let it down is the touchscreen infotainment system, which looks rather small compared with other options on the market, and has a fairly low-resolution screen, which not only makes the functions look basic but also means the parking cameras don’t give a particularly crisp display. There’s also no Apple Carplay or Android Auto smartphone integration. That said, it does at least remain one of the easier systems to use.
Driving Ease of the Nissan Qashqai
Visibility is quite restricted; you sometimes have to crane your neck at junctions to look for approaching traffic, and it can be difficult to judge where the back of the car ends when reversing if you don’t have parking sensors.
More positively, the controls are responsive and the manual gearbox has a direct shift action. All of the engines make it easy enough to keep up with the flow of traffic, and even the entry-level 1.2 petrol only starts to feel out of puff if you have a full complement of passengers and their luggage. Around town, or with one or two people on board, it’s perfectly adequate.
A four-wheel drive is an option with the 1.6-litre diesel, while if you want an automatic gearbox you can choose between 1.2 petrol or 1.6 diesel models.
The Qashqai is enjoyable and reassuring to drive because the steering is precise and there’s plenty of grip. What’s more, when you turn into a corner the Qashqai’s body doesn’t flop over on to its side but instead feels reassuringly composed, and the suspension deals brilliantly with any mid-corner bumps that threaten to knock you off course.
The automatic version of the Qashqai uses a CVT gearbox that, while better than most of this type, can still cause the engine revs to soar when you accelerate hard, and is thus rather tiresome on a spirited drive.
Reliability of the Nissan Qashqai
The Qashqai comes with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty as standard, which is about the minimum you could expect these days. Renault offers a four-year warranty on its Kadjar, while Hyundai provides five years on the Tucson and Kia seven on the Sportage.
The 1.5-litre diesel Qashqai returned an official average of 74.3mpg, which in the real world translates to between 50-55mpg. That’s comparable with some of the best family hatchbacks, but a Renault Kadjar with the same engine manages to be more economical still, with a real world average of 55-60mpg.
The 1.6 diesel isn’t quite so efficient in official tests but can still return more than 50mpg in normal driving without too much effort. Opt for the 1.2 petrol however and you’ll struggle to get anything like the economy that you can with a petrol Seat Ateca; expect about 30-35mpg versus the 40-45mpg you would get from the Seat.
Safety in the Nissan Qashqai
All Qashqais are also available with autonomous emergency braking (it’s standard on N-Connecta spec and above), and from Autumn 2017 this system will recognise pedestrians as well as other cars. In addition, higher-spec Qashqais come with road sign recognition and lane departure warning. These items can be ordered on Visia and Acenta Qashqais as a relatively affordable Smart Vision pack, which also includes front and rear parking sensors.
Nissan’s Safety Shield system meanwhile bundles blind spot monitors, rear cross traffic alert and automatic parking, and the Qashqai is now available with a ProPilot system which can drive the car in traffic jams by using the adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist.
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