It has been more than ten years since we met the Nissan Qashqai on the road. It arrived in Europe in 2007 as a pioneer of the crossover segment. This segment has grown since then, and practically there is no car manufacturer that does not have such a model. Despite this, the Qashqai model is doing well and still maintains sales at the top of this segment.
We got its second generation for testing, which underwent a facelift last year and recently received the top-of-the-line Tekna+ equipment with Xtronic CVT transmission.
From the outside
The exterior of the second-generation Qashqai model was already successful after it was put on sale in 2013. After the facelift, it received a new front part with larger headlights and more prominent rear lights. The sharply cut features of the Nissan fit extremely well. The moldings on the hood flow seamlessly into the V-shaped chrome strip on the front fascia, which adorns the brand's new models. I like the distinctive LED daytime running light signature that also provides turn signal functionality.
From the side, the rich side glazing tapering to the rear stands out, which promises an excellent view from the car. The massiveness of the body is accentuated by the fenders protruding into the space. The side doors are sensitively divided by a molding passing through both handles. The unpainted lining of the fenders and sills optically narrows the car and makes it slimmer. The jewel of the side view is the beautiful 19" wheel rims (with 255/45 R19 tires).
The rear part is practically protected by black plastic at the bottom. The taillights reach deep into the rear fenders and emphasize the width of the car. The relatively large rear window is finished with a sports spoiler. I appreciate that the manufacturer did not succumb to the temptation to put fake exhausts on the back.
Overall, the car looks playful from the outside with a certain amount of aggressiveness disguised in the front fascia. After the facelift, the car looks more mature and thus only masks its advanced age.
Inside
In the interior, the situation is a little different. Higher-quality materials and especially the new steering wheel will surely impress, but the rest has remained "old". But in order not to sound bad, why change something that is still good, right? I noticed the carefully crafted door upholstery with a leather-stitched massive handle. The mentioned sports steering wheel with a thin central part, a cut-off bottom and a lot of buttons left a great impression on me. The softened plastics are not only on the top of the dashboard, but also in the artfully carved space in front of the passenger. The dark dashboard is softened by silver moldings and chrome frames around the ventilation vents. The upholstery of the pillars and the roof is also black.
The instrument panel is fitted with well-read classic dials with an ever-present coolant temperature indicator. Despite the amount of information, the large TFT display in the center is clear and can be controlled using the buttons on the steering wheel. I cannot forget the excellent-looking seats upholstered in fine Nappa leather creating a 3D pattern in the central part. The automatic transmission selector is a little longer than I would have expected and is located in the center tunnel in a raised position.
Not to brag, not everything that is "old" is still good and should not be changed. First of all, it is a small infotainment display, which currently does not have much to offer. In addition, it is full touch, tends to get dirty and has outdated graphics. Also, the rocker switches for heating the seats and the small shapeless cabin lighting buttons look outdated and have nothing to look for in a modern car. On the other hand, I appreciate that Nissan still trusts the standard buttons to control basic car functions and infotainment.
Apart from a few design faults, there is little to complain about the interior. Although it is quite dark, it looks elegant and cozy.
Driving
I found the position behind the wheel quite quickly. Of course, it sits higher, but it doesn't look unnatural. The seats have stiffer padding, but the sitting position is comfortable and does not cause problems even after a long drive. The lateral guidance is rather symbolic, but I did not feel it as a shortcoming while driving. I appreciate the four-way adjustable lumbar support, but I missed the adjustment of the seat position. Although the "3D" pattern of the leather upholstery looked effective and prevented the body from sliding on the seats, on the other hand, every member of the crew sweated a lot on them. Perhaps it would help if the leather at least in the middle of the seats was perforated, if not ventilated.
The position of the seat all the way down and the steering wheel up and maximally pulled to the body suited me, a driver taller than me (185 cm) may already have a problem. The distribution of the pedals didn't cause me any problems, but the left leg support was sized to the length of a child's shoe.
Despite the compact external dimensions, I did not feel a lack of space behind the wheel in any direction. The soft padded armrests were perfectly positioned for me. The center console together with the tunnel is subtle and does not get in the way when driving, and it is also softened in the area of contact with the right foot.
I rate the view from the vehicle as one, as well as the large rear-view mirrors, which automatically fold down when backing up for a good view of the curb.
I have no reservations about the ergonomics of the basic controls. The steering wheel is pleasant to hold and the buttons on it are located within comfortable reach of the fingers. I was surprised by the phone control on its right side. However, some elements are placed rather unhappily in my opinion. The seat heating switches in front of the armrest, the Start-Stop system switch off somewhere under the left knee, the handbrake button under the center console and, moreover, without the AutoHold function… You can get used to everything, but such details spoil the impression of an otherwise pleasant interior.
On the road
Under the hood we had a four-cylinder diesel engine with a volume of 1598 cm 3 , a maximum power of 96 kW at 4000 rpm and a torque of 320 Nm at 1750 rpm. Immediately after starting, I was surprised by its noise, or only its average soundproofing in the cabin, as it looks quite refined from the outside. It revs up quite willingly and provides a smooth pull up to 4500 rpm.
The engine is connected to a CVT automatic transmission (continuously variable transmission) and seven preset stages. The task of this element is to simulate a classic type of gearbox with a hydrodynamic converter. However, in the case of the tested model, I must state that it did not work out 100%. The so-called vacuum cleaner effect could not be completely suppressed, especially when accelerating from low speed. I noticed another problem when trying to start gently from a place where I encountered a jerking of the transmission or almost no reaction and on the other hand, when I gently pressed the gas pedal, on the contrary, a sharp acceleration. When gradually applying the brakes until the vehicle stops, you can feel the struggle of the transmission with the brakes and, in addition, hear a strange, although not significant hum, probably from the transmission. During normal driving, I didn't notice any more problems and everything worked relatively normally.
When accelerating, I would not feel the declared power of 96 kW. In this case too, I think the transmission is to blame, in which part of the performance is lost. The relatively high weight of the vehicle, which is almost 1.6 tons, also has its share in this.
I didn't help myself much by using manual transmission mode. There was basically no manual mode, reactions were not the fastest and the gearbox did what it saw fit.
It is difficult to evaluate the engine, as its performance was strongly influenced by the criticized gearbox. However, I can objectively comment on the consumption, which I rate as excellent. I handed over the car with a value of 5.9 l/100 km.
Driving in the city is perfect for this type of vehicle. The car is also very agile in narrow streets, which is related to the turning radius of only 10.7 m. On the contrary, I rate the number of revolutions between the stops of the steering wheel, approximately 3.2, as too high. The power steering is set as a compromise, the steering is not overpowered, but not too stiff either. The chassis, even on 19" wheels, handled the worse sections of Bratislava streets without any problems, and few unevenness was transmitted to the passengers. The driving assistant in the convoy could be relied on one hundred percent. However, it bothered me that it was not able to remember the setting of the distance from the vehicle and it had to be set anew every time it was activated. The consumption achieved in the city ranged from 6 to 7 liters depending on the traffic and the number of intersections.
On the roads, you could rely on an excellently adjusted chassis. Despite the drive of only the front axle, the car had a multi-element rear suspension, which was not usual for Nissan Qashqai in the past. I had the feeling that I was sitting in a sporty hatchback of the lower middle class. The inclinations of the car were minimal and the car was able to go through these tight turns at high speed without the slightest hesitation. Sharp bumps could be heard at higher speeds, but they were felt only minimally and did not upset the rear axle.
The joy of driving was spoiled by the relatively weak engine and especially the aforementioned gearbox. It also didn't benefit from the less sharp steering. However, you could rely on excellently dosed and effective brakes. The consumption in the districts during brisk driving represented a value of 5.5 liters.
The adaptive cruise control worked without problems. The lane keeping system was too aggressive for my taste and fought quite hard with the driver, so I didn't use it. I liked the location of the car warning light in the blind spot inside the cabin and not as is common with other brands in the rearview mirrors.
I am quite sensitive to noise when driving on the highway. I rate the Qashqai's soundproofing as moderate at best. Aerodynamic noise was filtered out quite well up to a speed of 120 km/h, after which it started to increase. But I was more aware of the noise from the chassis, which penetrated from the rear axle. 2400 engine revolutions at a speed of 140 km/h is not too much, but the weaker noise reduction of the drive unit also did not add to the comfort of the car crew. When the speed is reduced to 130 km/h, the revolutions drop to 2200. Otherwise, driving on the highway was pleasant and comfortable. Consumption could be kept at 6 liters without much effort.
The car seemed quite contradictory to me in terms of driving. The excellent impression of the chassis was marred by the not-quite-successful transmission and weaker sound insulation. The engine is not the most powerful, but I can imagine it in conjunction with a manual transmission, when it would certainly provide better dynamic characteristics and even lower fuel consumption.
Practical side, price
On the practical side, there is not much to fault the car. Taking into account the wheelbase of 2646 mm, the car is relatively spacious for people of short and medium height in the rear seats. When sitting "behind myself", I personally touched the front seats with my knees. Getting into the rear seats is easy thanks to the wide-opening doors. The available IsoFix mounts enable trouble-free installation of the child seat. I missed the ventilation vents on the back of the center tunnel as well as the USB slots for charging mobile devices.
There is plenty of storage space in the interior. I was surprised by the huge box in front of the passenger and under the armrest. There were more folders in the central tunnel, but they were already smaller and there was nowhere to store e.g. mobile phone. In that case, however, cup folders always serve well. The luggage compartment has a slightly higher loading edge. With a volume of 410 liters, it belongs to the class average. I liked the possibility of positioning the floor and thereby dividing or fixing the load.
I cannot fail to mention the 65 l fuel tank, which is larger than average for this class, which will ensure a range of over 1100 km with real consumption.
The price of the tested model is set at EUR 36,550, including EUR 650 for the blue Vivid metallic. I consider this price to be excessive for a compact crossover with a relatively weak engine and only front axle drive despite the full equipment. However, the currently offered discount of EUR 4300 brings it to a more acceptable level.
Verdict
Nissan Qashqai is still one of the most beautiful crossovers on the market. It scores points not only for its design, but also for its excellent driving characteristics, which deserve a more powerful engine. If it weren't for the completely successful automatic transmission, I would have been quite satisfied with the car. After experience with this particular configuration, I'd go for the Qashqai with lower trim and a manual transmission. I would choose another engine. My choice would be a gasoline unit with a power of 120 kW.
