The founder and undisputed leader of the small and medium SUV (C-SUV) category in the Cypriot market, the Nissan Qashqai, is now entering its third generation, having recorded an excellent track record in worldwide sales with more than 3 million cars from 2007 until today, 38.000 of which were absorbed by the Greek market.
And because the founder of a class has to change at some point, in order to show the new paths in the competition, this is the moment when Qashqai takes the next step, wanting to sweep through it again. Thus, it arrived with a more impressive and macho appearance, upgrades in quality and technology making a landing in the heart of the electrification trend with powertrains up to 190 hp. Let's take the things from the beginning…
Bigger, lighter & more spacious
At first glance, the new Qashqai looks - and is - bigger. Nissan's family SUV is based on the CMF-C platform, being the first model in Europe to be built on it, offering 41% more torsional rigidity than its predecessor. Nevertheless, he managed to show 60 kilos less on the scales after using aluminum on the doors, wings and hood, as well as synthetic materials in other places. At the level of dimensions the length has increased by 35 mm. (4.425 mm), the height by 10 mm. (1.635 mm) and a width of 32 mm. (1.838 mm), while the wheelbase is 20 mm longer. (2.666 mm) ensuring larger space for passengers (+28 mm for the rear knees, +15 mm for the front and rear heads) and luggage with a total volume of over 480 liters (+50 lt.). In the luggage compartment there is a double floor with double sided lining, one with carpet and one with plastic coating for easier cleaning.
Dynamic & sporty in the eye
Aesthetically, the Qashqai has acquired a more athletic silhouette with strong elements that make it have a somewhat wild look and certainly not go unnoticed. The new, slim full LED headlights with boomerang-shaped daytime running lights frame the wide Nissan V-Motion grille, with a chrome finish and a satin chrome secondary coating on the front. The sides are dominated by simple lines that run through the body and at the back we find a flatter design logic with a prominent element, the new lights and the name of the model that now adorns the luggage compartment door in full. The dynamic character of the Qashqai is emphasized by the wheels up to 20 inches, which are placed for the first time in the model, while in terms of personalization the Japanese SUV will be available in 11 colors, with five combinations of two colors, creating 16 different options.
Technological relaunch in small and medium SUVs
Entering the interior of the passenger compartment, the new Qashqai shows off its hi-tech face, shaking off the most conservative style of the past. The instrument panel is digital with a diameter of 12,3 inches while the "face" of the Nissan Connect infotainment system on the dashboard is a new, higher resolution, 9-inch wide touch screen, through which one can manage a variety of functions for interconnectivity. , navigation, multimedia, etc. In addition, the Qashqai is equipped with a 10,8-inch Head-Up Display system for the first time, offering according to Nissan the largest display size in the class.
Looking at the dashboard and the cabin as a whole, one notices the attention paid to quality with the focus on the new level selector of the automatic transmission, but also on the finish of the keys and the console materials. Low in the center there is a wireless charging case for smartphones that can fit large devices (up to 6,7 inches). In terms of technology, the Qashqai has all the modern conveniences of modern times: USB ports (Type-A & Type-C) front and rear, over-the-air updates of 3D navigation maps, Home-to-car services with Google Assistant & Amazon Alexa devices, Apple CarPlay & Android Auto etc .. In the -long- list also stand out the massage function for the front passengers and the next generation ProPilot with Navi-link, the semi-autonomous driving system that can now to adjust the speed according to the external conditions, to use data from the navigation system and the blind spot radars, to warn for lateral contact with an object, etc. Important for safety and the central airbag developed between driver and front passenger to avoid colliding with each other in a side collision, as part of the complete Qashqai safety suite.
First time mild hybrid & hybrid with up to 190 horses
One of the big changes of the new Nissan Qashqai is the mechanical units that make up the palette of options. Qashqai focuses on gasoline and electricity, saying goodbye to diesel, and is part of Nissan's broader target of 50% electrified sales in Europe by 2024.
At the base of the range we find the familiar four-cylinder turbo gasoline engine 1,3 DiG-T which is now combined with a 12-volt mild hybrid system and is offered in two versions of 140 hp with 240 Nm of torque and 158 hp with 260 Nm of torque, respectively. Both can be combined with the -updated for the case- 6-speed manual transmission and two-wheel drive, however the stronger one also has the Xtronic CVT gearbox option. In the latter option, it also gets four-wheel drive, along with a small increase in torque by 10 Nm (270 Nm) and five driving programs: Standard, Eco, Sport, Snow and Off-Road.
The second option is the hybrid e-Power system, which debuts in Europe with the new Qashqai. In the case of e-Power, a battery of similar size and power output as in Nissan electrics works with a 1,5 liter gasoline engine. 157 hp variable compression, which essentially acts as the generator for the battery. The energy stored in the battery is transferred to the 190 hp electric motor with 330 Nm of torque, which is solely responsible for driving the wheels of the front axle. In fact, the Japanese SUV benefits from the e-Pedal function through which cars accelerate by pressing the accelerator and slow down to "ace", a phenomenon that according to Nissan covers 90% of daily driving scenarios.
In closing, the new Nissan Qashqai is expected in our country in June 2021, being ready to enter the sales race in the very interesting category of C-SUVs.
Source: Autotriti.gr