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It's not an SUV or a conventional hatchback, we find out more about Nissan's new "urban-proof" Qashqai crossover...
Price: 2.0 2WD Acenta, as tested £18,244
On sale: Now
0-62mph: 10.4 seconds; top speed 119mph
Average fuel: 34.4 mpg
Standard equipment: Body coloured door handles and mirrors, a leather bound steering wheel and gearknob, Rain-sensing wipers, automatic lighting, cruise control, an ultrasonic rear park system and dual-zone air-conditioning
Tiscali verdict: 7/10 Compelling alternative to mainstream opposition
Nissan describes it's Qashqai as "urbanproof", but this new Crossover is designed to appeal to buyers bored with routine hatchbacks such as the Focus and Astra and fancy something that looks a bit more butch, fun to drive and is reasonably practical.
Crucially, Nissan no longer produces a Focus rival for Europe. No wonder really, as the Almera was never more than mediocre and with the green majority lambasting owner's of SUV's the Qashqai might be the answer for buyers who like the looks of an SUV, don't necessarily want an off-roader but want the space of a family hatch.
Not sure about the Qashqai? Check out our list of Focus rivals here...
From the front, the Qashqai looks really every bit the pukka off-roader. Worthy of particular mention are the distinctive front headlight units and the bold front grille with the large Nissan logo - it's a particularly big badge and you couldn't mistake the car for any rival on the road. Other design highlights from the front include the Qashqai's sculpted bonnet which works well with the scaled-down Murano styling. It's a high shouldered look from the back with a large semi-circular bottomed screen and large rear light clusters. The rest of the design is equally interesting, with the bulging wheel arches and cambering roof line, but the shape works better with some colours than others. Our test car looked particularly striking in its optional urban silver metallic finish.
The Qashqai's equally nice to be in. There's a quality feel to the soft-touch and rubberised trims; the seats are comfortable and supportive on long journeys and the dashboard although stark is attractive and easy to use. the Qashqai has generous headroom in the front, easily adjustable seats and the optional fixed glass roof makes the cabin feel airy and bright even on dullest, wettest days. The sloping roof-line, however does compromise the rear headroom. There's a good sized boot with the practicality of split/folding rear seat. However, the boot doesn't really open wide enough which can make loading difficult and does limit practicality.
Got £15,000 to spend? Check out our list of choices here...
So what's the Qashqai like to drive then? Despite its tall SUV stance, very good actually. The test car was fitted with the 141bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine which gives refined, if average performance. It's surprisingly frugal; though, I got almost 400 miles out of a tank, even with heavy use of my right foot. Despite its lofty appearance it's very easy to drive and the higher driving position gives you a more commanding view of the road. The Qashqai is a tidy handler too. There's more body roll than a Focus, but it always feels safe and not at all intimidating. The Qashqai rides well, smoothing out the most uneven road surfaces and potholes.
I like the Qashqai, in a market where every car looks the same it's a genuinely different proposition. Okay, so it can't cut it in the rough like an SUV and isn't quite as roomy as a regular hatch - but that's not the point. The Qashqai might just represent the future of the family car and it was designed, developed and is now built in England which I think we should be proud of.
Fancy a closer look? Check out our Nissan Qashqai gallery
