Call me crossover

Forerunner of a new popular segment, when it first appeared in 2007, the Nissan Qashqai reintroduced the crossover concept into the modern era, once tentatively explored by other car makers (remember the Matra/Simca Rancho of the '70s?) but without the following that it is now enjoying. A vehicle with the footprint of a sedan but with ground clearance comparable to that of an average off-roader, allowing better all-around mobility - with or without all-wheel drive - and greater interior space. Since then, the market has rewarded this segment, currently representing in all its subgroups between 40 and 45% of total sales, in Italy and Europe. Launched in the spring of last year, the new Qashqai looks higher, longer, wider, and more stylish.

The third generation of the popular Japanese crossover differs from its predecessors while maintaining the proportions and features Nissan has always destined to its mid-range sport utility since its birth. Whether crossover or sport utility, dimensions count, hence a couple of inches added here and there but not to the point of distorting the familiar feeling of a successful model. The new Qashqai is now 4.42 metres in length (+ 35 mm), 1.83 m wide (+ 32 mm) and 1.62 m high (+ 25 mm), with a wheelbase of 2.66 metres (+20 mm), to ensure greater stability and interior space. The recent “facelift” graced the Qashqai with a modern, though still recognizable look, underlined by the V-Motion grille, flanked by new full LED light clusters with separate daytime running lights to reduce the front section. Large wheel arches and mudguards in neutral colour can now accommodate generously sized wheels, up to 20 inches in size for the first time on Nissan's sport utility. Slightly narrower the rear lights, again full LEDs, extend beyond the rear tailgate to the side panels creating a three-dimensional image. The greater volumes naturally have repercussions on the interior, with a more space for the legs of the passengers, as well as a luggage compartment capacity of 504 litres, expandable to 1,593 once the rear seats are folded, with a loss of about seventy litres in case a traditional spare wheel is fitted in place of the repair kit (depending on the version).

The new Qashqai, as expected, boasts the highest standards in terms of connectivity and infotainment as well as ADAS devices. Starting from the dashboard, which features an innovative HUD - Head Up Display (10.8") for the driver, which digitally reproduces circular instruments, projecting the main information onto the windscreen. The 12.3" TFT display shows all the on-board and navigation options, with controls placed also on the steering wheel, and the dedicated NissanConnect Service App through which several vehicle functions can be managed remotely, whether planning music playlists or routes and destinations from the comfort of your own home through the Home to Car functions. Part two-wheel drive crossover, part SUV thanks to the 4WD option, the new Nissan Qashqai has a new set of driver assistance systems under the ProPilot function, capable of effectively relieving driver fatigue. From adaptive cruise control, which maintains the legal distance in traffic and detects speed limits and adjusts the speed independently without the driver having to do so, as well as lane keeping, blind spot control and obstacle detection, able to scan road well beyond the car immediately in front, providing the necessary information to the Intelligent Forward Emergency Breaking in case of sudden obstacles and other emergency situations.

No more plug-in?

Interesting news about the option of power-units. One bucks the trend as it marks a clear difference from the solutions adopted by the main competitors. Nissan is set to offer its e-Power unit in 2022, an exclusive technology already seen in Japan on the Nissan Note and Serena models, a fundamental component of that Nissan Intelligent Mobility that aims to reach 50% of total sales of electric vehicles in Europe. Clearly at the expense of Diesel engines which will disappear permanently from the lists for this model. Not an EV in the most traditional sense of the term, but a 157 hp 1.5-litre petrol engine that acts solely as a generator for the lithium-ion battery pack and as a direct power supply to the 140 kW (190 hp) electric motor, with a torque in the region of 33.6 kgm, responsible for providing the front wheels with the driving force. This allows the car to travel in electric mode without the burden of having to look for a recharging station. The twofold advantage lies in never having to stop to recharge the batteries (except for stops at the gas station for gasoline, just like a traditional car) and in the rather small size of the battery pack - undeclared as yet but probably around 1.5 kWh - thus reducing production costs. Similar to the one introduced on the Nissan Leaf, the Qashqai e-Power will be equipped with the e-Pedal system, making it possible to accelerate and brake through a single pedal.

At the moment, fuel consumption is unknown, but expected to be quite convenient given the fact that the ICE unit will consistently run at optimum speed, while the vehicle’s overall performance will be guaranteed by the generous power delivered by the electric unit. A 12 Volt mild hybrid, instead, is available for the 1.3 DiG-T versions, which feature a more traditional 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit, already tested on the previous Qashqai and available in two power levels, respectively 140 and 158 HP at 5000 rpm, 24.5 and 26.5 kgm of torque immediately available at very low revs (27.5 kgm for the automatic version), managed by a 6-speed manual transmission or the new Xtronic automatic transmission. Only in combination with the latter, and the more powerful engine, it is also possible to opt for the 4WD adaptive all-wheel drive system, electronically managed through one of the five programs selected by the driver: Standard, Eco, Sport, Snow and Off-Road, with response times further reduced to 0.2 seconds for the transfer of torque to each wheel at the first hint of loss of grip. The lithium-ion battery pack is recharged by the tried and tested braking energy recovery system, as well as by the alternator/generator, allowing the electric motor to be used in combination with the heat engine, contributing to a substantial reduction in fuel consumption, with a declared average consumption of between 14 and 16 km/litre. All without sacrificing a sporty feel, with top speeds in the region of 200 km/h and 0-100 km/h acceleration between 9 and 10 seconds, depending on the version. As the first European model of the Nissan-Renault Alliance, the third generation Qashqai debuts the new CMF-C platform that will be used as the staple structure for the group’s future mid-range cars. A four-wheel independent layout, with double McPherson strut suspensions, or multilink at the rear for all-wheel drive versions, guarantees dynamic control of the vehicle. Another new feature is the extensive use of lightweight materials, such as aluminium for the hood and door panels, and synthetic composites for the tailgate, ensuring significant savings in terms of weight, with a reduction of 60 kg compared to the previous model, despite the increased dimensions, with torsional rigidity increased by 41%. With a view to providing a sporty feel, the wheel system also benefits from the introduction of new light alloy wheels that now range up to 20", available as an option on the top of the range Tekna+ version, alongside the less extreme 17”, 18” and 19 inch wheels, with tires ranging from 215/65 R17 to 235/45 R20.