2024 Nissan Qashqai review | CarExpert

Nissan’s compact Qashqai SUV rolls into 2024 with no adjustments, save for the addition of a brand new hybrid hero mannequin.

Having touched down regionally nicely after its European debut, the Qashqai is a gentle vendor in a really aggressive nook of the brand new automobile market… though Nissan would little question like stronger provide to assist it struggle the Mazda CX-30 and Hyundai Kona on the VFACTS gross sales charts.

On paper, the Qashqai has all of the makings of a fan favorite. It’s sharp to have a look at, has a strong turbocharged engine beneath the bonnet, and packs loads of area into its cabin regardless of a city-sized exterior. It’s even enjoyable to drive.

Are we lacking one thing, or does the Qashqai deserve extra love from Australian new automobile consumers in 2024?

How a lot does the Nissan Qashqai value?

2024 Nissan Qashqai pricing:

• 2024 Nissan Qashqai ST: $33,890
• 2024 Nissan Qashqai ST+: $37,890
• 2024 Nissan Qashqai ST-L: $42,190
• 2024 Nissan Qashqai Ti: $47,390
• 2024 Nissan Qashqai Ti e-Energy: $51,590

All costs exclude on-road prices

Wish to see how the Qashqai shapes up with its rivals? Put it side-by-side utilizing our comparability device.

What’s the Nissan Qashqai like on the within?

With a wing-shaped dashboard, fascinating blue-and-black trim finishes, and a beautiful flat-bottom steering wheel, the Qashqai appears to be like and feels fairly particular for its worth.

The horrible plastic steering wheel within the ST+ (sitting under this ST-L within the vary) has been turfed in favour of a leather-trimmed unit, which can also be a giant step in the suitable path.

The remainder of the primary contact factors are stable. The seats are trimmed in quality-feeling suede (with leather-based bolsters) and provide extra assist than within the outdated automobile the place it at all times felt such as you had been perched on crates, whereas the view out is extra SUV than high-riding hatch.

Nissan’s determination to suit a heated steering wheel and heated seats pays dividends on chilly Melbourne mornings, and heated fabric seats are a uncommon (however successful) mixture.

The infotainment system is a lot better than the low-res, low-tech touchscreen that served within the final Qashqai. It now has wi-fi Apple CarPlay, fairly enticing graphics, and sharp responses.

It’s very useful; though, it’s nonetheless not on a par with the uber-modern Hyundai Kona’s setup.

We’d additionally like to see Nissan roll out its full digital instrument binnacle throughout the vary. The common journey pc is ok, but it surely’s nothing extra – and the Qashqai’s rivals, together with its company cousins at Renault – provide higher-tech choices for comparable cash.

There’s loads of storage up entrance, with deep cupholders and a slot beneath the dashboard. You additionally get an honest bin beneath the central armrest, and spacious door pockets.

Entry to the rear comes courtesy of doorways that open to 90 levels, which anybody loading a toddler will recognize.

The vast opening makes it simpler to get little one seats in with out painful contortion, and greater adults are extra simply in a position to clamber in if required.

As soon as in, there’s above-average ranges of legroom and headroom. Additionally useful are the twin USB ports and air vents, together with the central fold-down armrest. It’s a really usable area, extra in keeping with a Kia Seltos than the outgoing Kona.

We carried a carload of fully-grown adults with out an excessive amount of bother, and also you’ll be capable of get children within the again seat with out many complaints. The center seat remains to be for emergencies although.

ISOFIX factors characteristic on the outboard rear seats, and there’s a trio of top-tether factors for little one seats.

Quoted boot area ST-L is 429 litres with the rear seats in place, increasing to 1524 litres with them folded.

What’s beneath the bonnet?

Energy within the Qashqai ST-L comes from a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, making 110kW of energy and 250Nm of torque.

It’s hooked as much as the entrance wheels, fairly than all-wheel drive, and the one transmission on provide is a CVT.

Claimed gasoline financial system is 6.1 litres per 100km, however we noticed 8.0L/100km over every week skewed to metropolis driving. The Qashqai has a 55-litre gasoline tank, and drinks 95 RON premium unleaded.

How does the Nissan Qashqai drive?

The newest Qashqai is a much more polished performer than its breathless predecessor.

The turbocharged engine fires quietly, and the very fact Nissan has opted for a CVT as an alternative of the dual-clutch that options in Renault and Mercedes-Benz automobiles with the identical engine, which makes it smoother round city.

Slightly than hesitating or jerking off the road it feels standard, slurring round city inoffensively and making faux gearshifts to do a convincing torque converter impression.

There’s a touch of turbo lag off the mark but it surely’s straightforward to drive round, and when you’re up and working the additional torque relative to the naturally aspirated mannequin earlier than it’s welcome whenever you put your foot down.

We’ve praised the ST+ with its smaller wheels for its journey consolation, and the ST-L on its 19-inch wheels isn’t fairly as refined on pockmarked metropolis streets.

Nonetheless, it does job smoothing out the sharpest lumps and bumps within the metropolis, and doesn’t really feel too terse or sporty.

The trade-off is eager dealing with. Mixed with fast steering off-centre, the suspension tune means you possibly can actually throw the Qashqai round and it’ll go along with you.

Outdoors town, there’s little or no wind noise within the cabin to smash the serenity. You do get a touch of highway roar from the tyres on typical Australian nation highways; nevertheless, which isn’t unusual in small vehicles aimed predominately on the European market.

Though it’s barely noisier than is right, the Qashqai is properly settled at greater speeds. It has a giant automobile feeling, settling down in a approach that evokes confidence.

Like its rivals (assume Hyundai Kona) it’s grown up for this technology, and is now extra comfy than ever away from the confines of town.

Nissan’s suite of ProPilot driver assists, which incorporates lively lane-centring and adaptive cruise on the freeway, is well calibrated. It easily maintains a niche to the automobile in entrance, and the lane-keeping feels assured sufficient to intervene when required, however intelligent sufficient to remain hands-off when not required.

What do you get?

Qashqai ST highlights:

• Computerized LED headlights
• Computerized high-beam
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Non permanent spare wheel
• One-touch energy home windows with distant operation
• Proximity entry and push-button begin
• Energy-folding, heated aspect mirrors with LED indicators
• Urethane steering wheel with rake and attain adjustment
• Digital park brake with auto maintain
• 7.0-inch TFT journey pc
• Guide air-con controls with rear vents
• 8.0-inch touchscreen show
• Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• AM/FM and DAB+
• Inbuilt voice controls
• Entrance and rear USB-A and USB-C ports
• Six-speaker sound system
• Driver’s seat lumbar alter
• Charcoal fabric seats

Qashqai ST+ provides:

• Rain-sensing wipers
• LED entrance fog lights
• 18-inch wheels
• 12.3-inch touchscreen show
• Satellite tv for pc navigation with dwell site visitors
• Wi-fi Apple CarPlay

Qashqai ST-L provides:

• 19-inch wheels
• Rear privateness glass
• Roof rails
• Adaptive, auto-levelling headlights (12 particular person segments per mild)
• Heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Wi-fi cellphone charger
• Twin-zone local weather management
• Fold-down rear-centre armrest with cupholders
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• Fabric/PVC leather-based upholstery
• Eight-way energy driver’s seat
• Heated entrance seats
• Ambient lighting (centre console)

Is the Nissan Qashqai secure?

The Nissan Qashqai has a five-star ANCAP score, primarily based on testing performed in 2021.

It scored 91 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 93 per cent for little one occupant safety, 74 per cent for susceptible highway person safety, and 97 per cent for security help.

Customary tools on all grades contains:

• 7 airbags: entrance, front-side, curtain, and front-centre
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
  • Junction help
  • Pedestrian detection
  • Bicycle owner detection
• Reverse AEB with rear cross-traffic alert
• Lane-keep help
• Blind-spot help
• Visitors signal recognition
• Adaptive cruise management with pace limiter
• Tyre-pressure monitoring
• Reversing digital camera
• Rear parking sensors

The ST+ provides a surround-view digital camera, whereas the ST-L provides:

• Entrance parking sensors
• ProPILOT lane-centring assist
• Alarm system

How a lot does the Nissan Qashqai value to run?

The Nissan Qashqai is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.

Servicing is required each 12 months or 15,000 kilometres. The primary six providers will set you again $375, $694, $398, $1027, $422 and $1108 respectively utilizing Nissan’s capped-price service plan.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Nissan Qashqai

The brand new Qashqai has grown up… however we already knew that.

The brand new inside feels correctly trendy, the brand new engine packs sufficient of a punch, and the outside is sharp sufficient to face out in a rising crowd.

It doesn’t have the ultra-modern really feel of a Kona inside, nor the choice of an reasonably priced mid-range hybrid just like the Corolla Cross, but it surely does have practicality on its aspect.

Nissan deserves factors for providing a useful again seat and boot in what’s nonetheless a comparatively compact bundle. In actual fact bonus factors are due, as regardless that Nissan is charging $4k extra the ST-L ditches the horrid plastic steering wheel discovered within the ST+.

So sure, this Nissan does deserve some extra love from the Australian public.

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