Nissan Qashqai 1,2T Acenta
Nissan’s bestselling model has been granted a fresh face and updated standard specification to maintain the Qashqai’s impressive sales record
LAUNCHED in 2007 as a spiritual successor to the body-onframe Terrano II and serving as Nissan’s entry into the then-still-burgeoning midsizecrossover segment, the Qashqai has been a resounding success, finding some 30 000 new owners in South Africa. Globally, it’s Nissan’s bestselling vehicle. In fact, it would appear the only stumbling block eager buyers have encountered before parting with their hard-earned rands has been how to pronounce the vehicle’s name...
While the 2014 launch of the second-generation Qashqai would later that year see its design align closely with the brandnew X-trail, the introduction of a midlife facelift distinguishes the Qashqai once more. Along with the adoption of Nissan’s latest V-motion grille design, styling updates to the Qashqai range include new bumpers front and rear, revised taillamp clusters and the choice (depending on speci- fication level) between new 17and 19-inch alloy wheel designs.
A welcome addition to the reworked interior is the fitment in all derivatives bar the entrylevel Visia of a leather-bound, flat-bottom, multifunction steering wheel. A masterstroke on Nissan’s part, it’s an item that not only looks great, but is also tactile to hold, adding a touch of sophistication not often accessible at this price point.
While there’s leather upholstery to be found in Acenta Plus and
top-of-the-range Tekna models, the cloth-covered items fitted to the rest of the Qashqai range are among the most comfortable in this segment. While the rear bench offers acceptable levels of head- and legroom, a notable absence is dedicated air vents aft.
Auto headlamps and wipers, LED daytime-running lights, climate control, electric windows, cruise control and a comprehensive audio system, including Bluetooth, are all standard on mid-spec Acenta models. While sat-nav and a touchscreen are fitted to the Tekna, the standard audio interface offered throughout the rest of the range is neat.
Boasting a simplified model line-up, the updated Qashqai range now comprises four 1,2-litre turbopetrol derivatives and three 1,5 dci turbodiesel options. Where the entry-level 1,2T Visia is available exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox, two further petrol-powered models (in Acenta and Acenta Plus spec) are coupled with a CVT. The gearboxes in all three 81 kw/260 N.m diesel derivatives are manually operated.
At R367 000, it’s the new 1,2T Acenta model that offers a compelling combination of value-formoney specification, efficiency and relative performance. With 85 kw and 190 N.m of torque on offer, it’s a powertrain that requires optimal revs to maintain steady momentum, yet thankfully this is easily achievable via Nissan’s slick and precise manual transmission. Never sounding overworked, the powerplant is more than happy to put in the hard yards round town before settling into a comfortable cruise. That said, as with any smallcapacity engine, it’s best to take it for a long test drive before buying so as to best understand the intricacies of keeping it “on the boil”. The reward, in turn, is a claimed (and, based on my time with the vehicle, believable) fuel consumption figure of 6,2 L/100 km.
With its combination of ever-impressive quality, an absorbent ride, composed dynamics and Nissan South Africa’s reconsidered standard-specification lists (including a sixyear/150 000 km warranty), it feels as though the much-loved Qashqai has been granted a fresh lease on life. I wonder how our Top 12 Best Buys awards voting (published in the March 2018 issue) for the midsize SUV/ crossover category may have changed had its launch been just a few weeks earlier.