The news cycle just continues to give more air-time to the mid-size SUV. Following our earlier reports on the updated Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, and Kia Sportage, Nissan’s local arm has decided to also jump on the wagon and unveil local details around its new Qashqai.
Four grades of Qashqai will be offered in Kiwi showrooms; the ST, ST+, ST-L, and the Ti, as well as two engine options in the form of a 1.3-litre petrol four-cylinder and an e-Power ‘hybrid’. Prices across the line-up have yet to be confirmed.
While a 1.3-litre might sound a little tiny for the class (consider that the RAV4, CX-5, and Subaru Forester can be had with 2.5-litre engines), it does produce more power and torque than the 2.0-litre it replaces; Nissan rating the diminutive unit at 110kW and 250Nm, while stating it can achieve consumption figures of 6.1L/100km combined.
While the 1.3-litre Qashqai is said to be arriving in early 2022 (customer reservations kick off this month), the e-Power alternative is set to arrive in late 2022. It combines a 140kW electric motor to a 115kW turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine generator.
Apart from rather handsome new-look styling, the new Qashqai is also expected to drive differently relative to the last one. Nissan appears to be keen on some of Mazda’s ‘Zoom Zoom’ reputation, writing that the model will feature “class-leading poise”. It achieves this, Nissan says, via the multi-link rear suspension set-up that’s standard across the range.
Out of the box, the base ST features a fairly generous amount of standard kit. LED automatic headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, a 7.0-inch digital cluster, an 8.0-inch primary touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, radar cruise control, and a new central front airbag designed to prevent front occupants from hitting each other in the event of a crash are all standard.
The latter pairing form part of the heavily stacked standard safety suite featured in all models. Front and rear autonomous emergency braking with front cyclist and junction detection, blind spot warning and intervention, traffic sign recognition, and parking sensors are standard in all models.
The ST+ adds larger 18-inch wheels, LED fog lights, automatic windscreen wipers, an upgraded 9.0-inch infotainment screen, a 360-degree camera, wireless Apple CarPlay, and one new safety feature called Moving Object Detection.
The ST-L adds adaptive high-beam headlights, 19-inch wheels, tinted windows, roof rails, a powered driver’s seat, wireless phone charging, and dual-zone climate control. And the flagship Ti gains a panoramic glass roof, a 10.8-inch touchscreen, Bose audio, quilted leather upholstery, massage seats, self-parking assist, an electric tailgate, and more.
“The new Qashqai is the perfect example of style meeting substance, from its sleek exterior design and premium cabin to its advanced safety equipment and powerful yet efficient engine options,” says Nissan New Zealand Managing Director, Ben Hamilton.
“Bigger, smarter, safer, and more spacious, the new Qashqai is everything our customers are looking for in their next SUV, all wrapped in a stylish and well-equipped package, across the range.”
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