With more than 3-million units sold in the first two generations, Nissan is looking to Qashqai version three to build on its position in the compact crossover market that has ballooned substantially since the first model was launched in 2007.

For this new iteration, launched globally today, Nissan has retained the guiding principles that have driven the concept, design and development of the two previous generations of Qashqai: design, packaging and powertrain, combined with elevated quality and a driving experience from a higher segment.

Thanks to the new Alliance CMF-C platform, a showcase of advanced engineering, innovation and advanced technology, the new Qashqai will again raise the bar in the crossover segment and customers will savour those attributes.

“The starting point for the design and development of the all-new Qashqai was a deep analysis of the relationships we’ve had with all of our Qashqai customers over the last 13 years. It has enabled us to understand their needs and, in particular, what they value in the crossover that they use and rely on daily,” says Marco Fioravanti, Vice President, Product Planning, Nissan Automotive Europe.

Although unmistakably Qashqai in its styling, the third generation is more muscular, sharp and modern.

On the exterior, the Qashqai’s enhanced body stance is more purposeful, with prominent shoulder lines, an extended wheelbase and imposing 20-inch alloy wheels introduced to Qashqai for the first time.

The wheelbase of the car has increased by 20 mm with the overall length increasing 35 mm. There is a marginal increase in height (25 mm) and width has increased 32 mm.

The front end of the all-new Qashqai sports an enlarged Nissan V-Motion grille, finished in chrome with a secondary pinstripe of satin chrome. This is flanked by slim, full LED advanced matrix headlamps with boomerang signature daylight running lights.

The new Qashqai offers an advanced infotainment system with a broad portfolio of connected services including effortless integration of smartphones, in-car WiFi for up to seven devices and NissanConnect Services, a dedicated app with which to interact with and monitor the vehicle.

The larger, higher resolution 9-inch NissanConnect display screen is a digital gateway to navigation, entertainment and vehicle settings, and is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, with wireless Apple CarPlay also introduced.

A new high-definition, fully electronic 12,3 inch TFT multi-information screen offers a choice of configurable layouts to display navigation, entertainment, traffic or vehicle information, all controlled from a new tactile dial switch on the steering wheel.

Through the NissanConnect Services smartphone app, vehicle control functions are available such as remote horn and lights, as well as remote door lock and unlock. Smart alerts can also be set including speed, time and zone with app notifications should the vehicle exceed the set parameters.

The new Qashqai has improved forward, side and rear visibility. Enhancements include a wider windscreen opening angle, thinner front pillar design and side mirrors mounted on the door, instead of the a-pillar, reducing zones of obscured visibility.

Knee room for rear occupants has grown by 28 mm to 608 mm, with more distance created between driver and front passenger. Front and rear headroom has increased by 15 mm thanks to the small increase in exterior dimensions.

Overall luggage capacity has increased by 50-litres from the previous generation model thanks in part to the cargo floor being lowered by 20 mm as a consequence of the improved packaging of the rear suspension.

Supporting Nissan’s goal of achieving 50% electrified sales in Europe by 2024, the new Nissan Qashqai will not only be available with a 1.3 DiG-T petrol equipped with mild hybrid technology, but it also represents the European debut of e-POWER, Nissan’s innovative and award-winning powertrain that draws technologies from the company’s pioneering Nissan LEAF electric vehicle – specifications for South Africa are still to be announced.

The 1.3-petrol engine will be offered with two power outputs – 102 kW and 116 kW – with either a 6-speed manual transmission, or new Xtronic gearbox. Maximum engine power arrives at 5 500 r/min, with maximum available torque of 270 Nm at a convenient 1 750 r/min on 116 kW Xtronic and high power MT variants.

The new Qashqai’s e-POWER system is comprised of a high-output battery and powertrain integrated with a category-leading variable compression ratio 114 kW petrol engine, power generator, inverter and 140 kW electric motor of similar size and power output as found in Nissan’s electric vehicles.

It is a solution that combines the enjoyable, seamless linear acceleration which is characteristic of an EV, but without the need for charging.

In terms of construction, the body in white makes use of more lightweight material, as well as advanced stamping and welding techniques to increase strength but to also reduce weight. For the first time, the rear hatchback door on the Qashqai is now made of a composite material, which saves 2,6 kg.

The front and rear doors, front fenders and hood, are all now made of aluminium, which offers a weight-saving, when taken all together, of 21 kg over the out-going Qashqai’s body in white.

Thanks to the CMF-C platform, the new Qashqai has an updated Macpherson strut set-up at the front and at the rear. For two-wheel drive Qashqai specified up to and including 19-inch wheels, rear suspension is a torsion beam configuration. For 20-inch wheels and all-wheel drive versions, it will be equipped with an advanced multi-link set-up.

The new Qashqai will be equipped with the next generation of ProPILOT driver assistance, bringing greater driver support in a wider array of circumstances. Called ProPILOT with Navi-link, the system has been designed to reduce fatigue and stress while driving, while being very intuitive to use. [Only available with Xtronic transmission].

ProPILOT with Navi-link is able to accelerate and brake the vehicle within a single-lane on a highway. The system can accelerate the vehicle to cruise at a set speed and can brake the vehicle down to 0 km/h in heavy stop-start traffic. The system is able to resume automatically if the vehicle has been stationary for less than three seconds and the traffic in front of the car moves away.

On the new Nissan Qashqai, the updated system is now able to adapt the car’s speed according to additional external circumstances: when the car crosses to a lower speed limit zone on the highway, the system is able to read road signs and take into account navigation system speed limit data to slow the Qashqai to the appropriate speed, meaning the driver doesn’t need to adjust the cruise control speed manually.

The system can also use data from the navigation system to adjust the speed for approaching curves or exit ramps that have a tighter radius.

Furthermore, ProPILOT with Navi-link can now communicate with the Qashqai’s blind-spot radars to help intervene with a steering input correction to help prevent a lane-change manoeuvre if there is a vehicle in the blind-spot zone.

Another feature of the suite of safety technology on-board the new Qashqai is the new central crash bag, which deploys from between the two front seats, to prevent the front row occupants from making contact in the event of a side-impact. This supplements the driver and passenger crash bags, as well as the side and curtain bags fitted as standard to the new Qashqai.

“The new Qashqai is going to change what customers can expect from a family car. Comfort, refinement and technology will be comparable with upper segment vehicles, while the driving experience will satisfy drivers and passengers alike. 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,” said Gianluca de Ficchy, Chairman, Nissan Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO) Region.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS*

		1.3-petrol Mild hybrid	e-POWER (1.5-petrol)
		6MT	6MT	Xtronic
		2WD	2WD	2WD/4WD	2WD
Power	HP (kW)	138 (103)	156 (116)	187 (140)
Torque	Nm	240	260	270	330
Wheel drive		2WD	2WD	2WD / 4WD	2WD
Overall length	mm	4425 (+35)
Overall height	mm	1635 (+10)
Overall width	mm	1838 (+32)
Wheelbase	mm	2666 (+20)