Nissan debuts new Qashqai, local timing TBC

CONCLUDING a pumped-up teaser campaign, Nissan has unveiled its new-generation Qashqai with the popular small SUV set to be moved across to the new Alliance CMF-C platform while retaining almost nothing from its predecessor.

Sporting a new but definitively Qashqai look, the next-gen model has grown in every dimension compared to the current model, being 35mm longer (4425mm), 40mm taller (1635mm) and 32mm wider (1838mm), riding on a wheelbase that has been stretched 20mm (2666mm).

The new ‘Nissan V-Motion’ grille is without doubt the star of the show at the front in terms of styling, flanked on either side by a (horizontal) V-shaped head- and daytime running light arrangement.

Below the lights is a set of deep-set triangular cheeks containing the indicators while the foglights are housed within the black lower intake.

Character lines and body sculpting are in abundance down the flanks of the car, culminating in a somewhat squared-off rear end sporting the familiar thin tail-lights and typical SUV body cladding/faux skid plate.

It is a similar story inside the cabin where we find a cabin full of swooping lines and angled contours with the dash oriented towards the driver.

A 9.0-inch infotainment screen is mounted proudly on the dashboard with a row of multi-media controls underlining the arrangement, below which resides the HVAC controls and clutter-free centre console.

While local range, specification and pricing details – as well as timing – are yet to be confirmed, other standard kit highlights include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 10.8-inch head-up display, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and ambient lighting.

As previously reported by GoAuto, the new Qashqai will be available with two different powertrains, both featuring some form of electrification.

The first option will be a turbocharged 1.3-litre petrol engine available in two different states of tune – 103kW/260Nm and 116kW/270Nm – paired with a mild-hybrid system (MHEV).

The only transmission option for the 103kW version will be a six-speed manual while the higher-output version will be available with the choice of either a manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

High-output CVTs will also have the option of all-wheel drive – all other versions are front-wheel-drive only.

Almost guaranteed to be the flagship powertrain will be the new e-Power electric motor system which, much like Honda’s e:HEV system, utilises an internal combustion engine to maintain battery charge levels while an electric motor sends drive to the wheels.

When all is said and done, the system produces 140kW/330Nm, all of which is sent to the front wheels.

Under the skin the new Qashqai rides on an updated Macpherson-strut front suspension set-up while the rear will depend on wheel size and drive type.

On front-wheel-drive versions fitted with wheels up to 19 inches, rear suspension duties will be catered for exclusively by a torsion beam set-up while those with 20-inch wheels and/or all-wheel-drive will score an “advanced multi-link” arrangement.

As is usually the way with a new model, safety has been stepped up considerably with the new Qashqai set to be fitted with the latest version of Nissan’s ProPilot driver assistance suite.

Advanced adaptive cruise control with stop and go, speed sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring and assist, flank protection, autonomous emergency braking and a new central airbag are all included.

Nissan Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO) regional chairman Gianluca de Ficchy said the new Qashqai’s comfort, refinement and technology was going to be comparable with upper-segment vehicles.

“The driving experience will satisfy drivers and passengers alike,” he said.

“With Nissan’s bold e-Power technology, we feel that customers will fall in love with the feeling of an electric powertrain, without the range concerns.”

The current model has been a solid seller for Nissan Australia since it launched here in 2014 with 722 units shifted last month alone, accounting for 7.3 per cent of the increasingly crowded and popular sub-$40,000 small SUV segment.