IN 2007, Nissan tipped convention on its head and introduced the motorist to a new take on the compact family car.
Not only was this an “out of the box” vehicle, it even left you scratching your head on how you pronounced the name.
The five-door Qashqai blends the agility and comfort of a hatchback with the strength and practicality of an SUV, all in a sporty, fashionable wrapping.
And after only a few minutes behind the wheel, you begin to wonder what’s not to like.
Customers across a wide demographic and with all sorts of different needs flocked to buy the Qashqai, propelling it into the top ten of best-selling cars in the UK. Its four-wheel drive system, for instance, gave it extra abilities on the rough stuff and in rough weather, while the load-carrying capability brought it more admirers.
Together with its larger Qashqai+2 sibling and the compact Juke, it cements Nissan’s claim to crossover leadership.
The fastest-selling model in the history of Nissan Europe, its success meant that last year the Nissan Sunderland plant operated 24-hour production of Qashqai, on average building 1,200 examples every day, and more than 80 per cent of production was exported from the UK. Yes, Qashqai is not only a great car but also a great British manufacturing success story Underlining its leadership of the booming Crossover market, Nissan has now made a number of significant changes to fend off some excellent rivals from Korea.
In particular, the 2012 range now has a Pure Drive version equipped with a new state-of-the-art 1.6dCi engine coupled to the Stop/Start system already introduced on the 1.6-litre petrol model.
Replacing the 2.0dCi unit in manual guise, the 1.6-litre diesel not only boasts CO2 emissions of 119g/km, but also offers the same level of performance as the bigger engine. Thanks to an output of 130PS, it is the most powerful of its size in the world.
Resultant figures are impressive: top speed is 118mph, with 0-62mph taking 10.3 seconds.
It is this engine which is sure to prove most popular, combining reduced emissions with improved performance.
Qashqai has also benefited from a number of innovative items of equipment, including for the first time in its class, Around View Monitor, an advanced visual parking aid fitted as standard to all n-tec+ and Tekna variants.
The new engine gives it decent acceleration in the first five gears, while the final gear keeps fuel consumption low.
Contact Alexanders York on 01904 520 300 for a test drive or more information.
fact file
Nissan Qashqai Tekna
PRICE: £26,045
ENGINE: 1.6dCI gernerating130ps
TRANSMISSION: six-speed manual driving two or four wheels
PERFORMANCE: 0 to 62mph in 10.9 seconds; top speed 118mph
ECONOMY: 55.4mpg combined
CO2 RATING: 135 g/km
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