In this second generation, the Japanese bestseller Nissan Qashqai is more mature and convinced of its qualities. Come and meet us in version 1.6 dCi Tekna.
I confess that my first contact with the new Nissan Qashqai was very clinical. Perhaps he had never rehearsed an automobile so pragmatically. It was all very methodical. With the key in hand – and still in the Nissan press park – I gave the Qashqai a few rounds to evaluate its design, entered the cabin, adjusted the seat and touched practically all the panels, turned the key and continued on my journey. A process that should have taken no more than 5 minutes.
And it didn't take more than half a dozen kilometers to reach a conclusion as to the qualities of the new Nissan Qashqai: this second generation Japanese SUV is a superlative of the first generation. Though short, these words mean a lot. They mean that Qashqai is still the same as itself, but it's better. Much better. In part, this explains the familiarity with which I approached the Qashqai.
Can you play the same game as a C-segment van? Not really, but it's not too far away. SUV style pays for itself.
On second thought, it wasn't a clinical approach, it was a family approach. After all, it was like I already knew him. Like those childhood friends we don't see for years on end and then meet again several years later. They laugh the same way, behave apparently the same way, but obviously they're not the same. They are more mature and sophisticated. This is the 2nd generation of the Nissan bestseller: like an old friend.
I even thought of making an analogy with the ripening of wine, but mixing alcohol and cars usually gives a bad result.
More mature in the way you tread the road
Already rolling, the first differences began to appear. The way the new Nissan Qashqai approaches the road leaves its predecessor miles away. It's more controlled and infinitely more accurate – thanks largely to active trajectory control, which uses stability and traction control to control grip. Whether on the highway or the national road, the Nissan Qashqai feels right at home. In cities, the various parking aid chambers help to “shorten” its exterior dimensions.
Once again, Nissan got the recipe right. The second-generation Nissan Qashqai has what it takes to continue the successful path that its predecessor inaugurated.
Don't expect a sporty posture (the direction remains vague), but expect an honest and healthy posture. As for comfort, there was also a notable evolution here – even in this version (Tekna) equipped with low-profile tyres. And even when we fill the Qashqai with weekend junk (friends, nephews, mothers-in-law or suitcases) behavior and comfort remain in good shape. It should not be forgotten that despite being larger, the new Qashqai was 90 kg lighter than the previous model.
Can you play the same game as a C-segment van? Not really, but it's not too far away. SUV style pays for itself.
In the engine an excellent ally
We already know this 1.6 dCi engine from other tests. Applied to the Nissan Qashqai, it once again asserts its credentials. The 130hp provided by this engine does not make the Qashqai a sprinter, but neither does it make it a lazy SUV. The engine perfectly fulfills daily use, allowing safe overtaking and maintaining cruise speeds above 140km/h – not in Portugal, of course.
As for consumption, these are directly proportional to the weight of our right foot. With moderation consumption does not exceed 6 liters, but with less moderation (much less) it counts with values above 7 liters. Is it possible to consume around 5 liters or so? Yes, indeed it is possible. But I am one of those who defend that “time is money”. If they belong to my club, then always count with an average of 6 liters per 100km.
Interior: is it really from segment C?
As I said at the beginning of the text, everything is very familiar inside the new Qashqai, but: what an evolution! Nissan has gone to great lengths in the construction and interior design. It even makes a game very similar to the main German references, effectively gaining in equipment and technological content, losing some points in the general perception of solidity.
There are some flaws (little serious) but to the touch and sight, the Qashqai doesn't look like a C-segment car. And then there's all the treats and more in this Tekna version. From the N-Tec versions onwards, all Qashqai receive the intelligent protection shield, consisting of the lane warning system, traffic light reader, automatic high-beam control, active frontal collision avoidance system and electrochromatic interior mirror.
Tekna versions add the Driver Assist Pack comprising: drowsiness alert, blind spot warning, moving object sensor and 360-degree camera with active automatic parking. And I could go on, in Qashqai there are gadgets that never end.
Are they all missed? Not really. But once we get used to their presence, it's a luxury that we find it hard to give up. I felt that when I delivered the Qashqai and had to return to my 'everyday' car, a 2001 Volvo V40. Indeed the Qashqai is a car that likes to please all its occupants.
Once again, Nissan got the recipe right. The second-generation Nissan Qashqai has what it takes to continue the successful path that its predecessor inaugurated.
Photography: Diogo Teixeira
| MOTOR | 4 cylinders |
| CYLINDRAGE | 1598 cc |
| STREAMING | Manual 6 Speed |
| TRACTION | Forward |
| WEIGHT | 1320 kg. |
| POWER | 130 hp / 4000 rpm |
| BINARY | 320 NM / 1750 rpm |
| 0-100 KM/H | 9.8 sec |
| SPEED MAXIMUM | 200 km/h |
| CONSUMPTION | 5.4 lt./100 km |
| PRICE | €30,360 |