Is the Nissan Qashqai a good car?

In 2007, the Nissan Qashqai pioneered the crossover with its blend of compactness and practicality. Now, the Qashqai has a bold stance, sharp lighting and enough room for the whole family to travel in comfort. If you’re considering a Nissan Qashqai as your next car, take a look below as we explore the ins and outs of this ultimate crossover.

How practical is the Nissan Qashqai?

There is enough space for adults in the front of the Nissan Qashqai, with more than enough headroom for people over six-foot to sit in comfort. This is true even if you go for models fitted with a panoramic glass roof, from Tekna, which lowers the roof lining a little.

Getting in and out of the back seats is made easy thanks to rear doors that open to 85 degrees, wider than any other car in its class. That really improves access and is also a blessing if you’re putting children in a booster seat in the back as once inside, the rear seats are reasonably roomy.

There’s a total of 504 litres below the parcel shelf of the Qashqai, that means it could fit in a total of seven carry-on cases, ideal for staycations or those travelling to sunnier destinations. The false boot floor, which features on all but entry-level trim, allows you to raise the height of the floor when you don’t need maximum luggage capacity, reducing the lip at the boot entrance.

Once side of the false floor is carpeted, but, flip it over and you’ll find a wipe-clean surface that’s handy to use if you’ve got pets or transporting muddy wellies after a winter walk.

It’s also worth noting that you get a slightly smaller boot if you go for a Tenka+ model, that’s because the range-topping trim has different rear suspension that requires a higher floor.

What is the Nissan Qashqai like to drive?

You are able to choose between two 1.3-litre engines, both of which have been treated to some mile hybrid technology, in layman’s terms that means that the motor can also act as a generator, harvesting energy that would otherwise be lost when slowing down to charge a tiny battery. It then switches roles, using the energy it has captured to assist the petrol engine at low speeds and improving fuel economy.

The Qashqai is smooth and refined, well suited to a motorway drive. Outright performance is adequate, but you’ll need plenty of revs to get going, or accelerating or overtaking at high speeds, especially when fully loaded. The automatic is the pick of the bunch to drive, especially when it’s cruising on the motorway at well under 2,000rpm.

What’s the Nissan Qashqai like inside?

The driving position in the Qashqai is superb. The manually adjustable driver’s seat is comfortable and lines up well with the pedals and the fully adjustable steering wheel. When all lined up, you feel like you’re higher up from the road than you do in a common hatchback.

The dashboard design includes chunky controls for the air conditioning that make them easy to find while driving. If you go for the N-Connecta trim or above, the analogue instruments beind the steering are replaced with a bright, easy-to-read, 12.3 inch digital display.

There is also Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto smartphone mirroring on all but entry-level Visia trim, so you can bypass Nissan’s software and use your phone instead. It’s also useful that the touchscreen, which measured 8.0 inches on the Acentra Premium and 9.0 on the N-Connecta up, as it’s positioned high on the dashboard, it makes it easy to reach and not distract whilst driving.

The Qashqai’s interior looks smart and feels well put together compared with many of its mainstream rivals. Stitched faux-leather panels on the dashboard and insides of the doors give the ambience a welcome lift also, most of the knobs, buttons and switches on the dashboard feel well engineered.

In short, the Nissan Qashqai is a very comfortable and well-finished car in which to spend time and feels just as modern as its up-market rivals.

To find out more about the Nissan Qashqai or to find your perfect Qashqai visit our website.