Since its debut back in 2007, the Nissan Qashqai has established itself as one of Britain’s bestselling new family cars. It can take a lot of credit for sparking the crossover craze that has seen a huge number of rivals arrive in just the past few years. However, the Qashqai, now currently its second generation, remains one of the finest examples of this type of model.
Here at Car Keys, you can arrange a purchase and save money on a lot of new family cars on the market, including the Qashqai.
Anyone nowadays after a new, spacious family car with five doors is likely to consider the Qashqai. If you’re one of those people, then this is the guide for you. Here’s our buyer’s guide to getting a new Nissan Qashqai.
Styling
With the first generation Qashqai, there was a seven-seater version called the Qashqai+2 offered alongside the standard five-seater version. The current Qashqai, however, only comes with five seats and those who want a new Nissan with seven seats and SUV styling should look instead to the latest X-Trail.
As standard, the Qashqai’s exterior sports 16-inch wheels, a black honeycomb front grille, LED daytime running lights and chrome surround detailing for the glass. Inside a five-inch colour display screen is also a standard feature. Other trim levels above standard sport alloy wheels which can measure between 17 to 19-inches depending on the exact trim.
A selection of solid paint jobs for the exterior are standard but all trim levels can get a metallic or pearlescent paint finish for extra cost. You’ll have to spend roughly £100 for either of these.
Trims and equipment
There are six trim levels for the Nissan Qashqai (not counting any special editions), starting with Visia. That’s followed by Acenta, Acenta Premium, n-tec, n-tec+ and finally Tekna at the top.
As standard, the equipment list for the Qashqai includes cruise control, electric and heated door mirrors and manual air conditioning.
Move up to the Acenta trim and you’ll get a leather finish for the steering wheel and gear know (manual gearbox only), as well as dual-zone climate control and automatic headlights and wipers.
The vast and impressive line-up of safety gadgets available for the Qashqai is one of this car’s main selling points. To access the majority of them, however, you will have to step up to at least the Acenta Premium trim. Here you get add-ons such as the Smart Vision Pack – which offers traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning, front and rear parking sensors and an anti-dazzle rear view mirror.
The Acenta Premium trim is also the lowest in the Qashqai line-up to come with sat-nav and a DAB radio with CD/radio support. You can add the Vision Pack to Visia and Acenta trim models for nearly £500 extra.
If you desire having heated front seats, then you will need to go for the range-topping Tekna trim.
There is also an options list for the latest Qashqai which has certain kit that is only optional regardless of trim. Examples include cross bars for roof railing, a dog guard/boot separator and several styling packs. Each of these cost somewhere between £200 and £400 to add.
Engines
The engine line-up includes an entry-level 1.2 DIG-T petrol engine with 113bhp, hitting 62mph in 10.9 seconds. There’s also a 1.6-litre DIG-T with 161bhp.
Meanwhile, a 1.5-litre dCi 109bhp diesel engine is, like the 1.2 DIG-T, available from the standard trim. With the benefit of standard stop-start technology, this unit offers seriously impressive economy and efficiency figures. It officially averages 74.3mpg and CO2 emissions are just 99g/km, meaning free Vehicle Excise Duty – an impressive feat for a car of this size.
A 1.6-litre diesel with 128bhp is also offered in two or four-wheel drive. Most versions come with a six-speed manual gearbox, but the 1.2-litre DIG-T and 1.6-litre dCi are also available with an Xtronic automatic gearbox.
While the 1.5-litre diesel is the logical choice for those conscious about running costs, those keen for feisty performance should consider a closer look at the 1.6-litre DIG-T. Available for the n-tec trim and above, it allows the Nissan Qashqai to cover the 0-62mph sprint in just 9.1 seconds and can hit a top speed of 124mph.
Price and options
Pricing starts at around £18,500 for the petrol-run Qashqai Visia, which is certainly competitive for cars in the Qashqai’s category nowadays. Bear in mind though that there is a significant price hike beyond that, with the 1.5 diesel Visia starting at around £20,300.
The Acenta trim Qashqai starts at a little above £20k, while the Acenta Premium with all of its standard safety kit is at least about £22,000. The n-tec trim starts a fraction higher in price.
N-tec+ models are just over £22,600 and the Tekna trip will cost at least about £24,000. Depending on what engine you pick, however, you could easily up spending close to £30,000 on a new Qashqai Tekna.