If the original was all about shaking up the C-segment and setting a new benchmark for everyone else, the new Nissan Qashqai - the third generation arriving in 2021 -, much like the second, is focused on evolving and refining the formula that made it such a hit. For Nissan, the Qashqai plays a role not unlike the Golf for Volkswagen.
A few weeks ago we learned that the latest Qashqai will be slightly larger on the outside yet around 60 kg lighter, and we also confirmed that diesel engines will not feature in the line-up. Instead, buyers will get 12 V mild-hybrid and hybrid (e-Power) powertrains.
With the launch date drawing close, Nissan has once again offered a clearer picture of what to expect from the next chapter of its successful crossover - more than three million units sold in Europe since 2007 - this time with a deeper look at the cabin.
More space and practicality
As we saw three weeks ago, the new Qashqai will be built on the CMF-C platform. The dimensional growth of the new generation will be modest, but it should translate into noticeably roomier interior measurements.
Up front, shoulder width increases by 28 mm, while rear passengers benefit most in legroom, up by 22 mm, thanks to a 20 mm longer wheelbase. That same change is also set to improve access to the rear seats, with Nissan promising a wider, easier entry.
The boot grows significantly too, by more than 74 l, reaching 504 l - a far more competitive figure for the segment. This gain comes not only from the slight increase in exterior size, but also from the new platform, which allows a lower rear load floor. Answering requests from "many families", the new Qashqai will carry over the split parcel shelf from its predecessor, adding extra flexibility in the boot.
The front seats also deserve a mention: they can be heated and even offer a massage function. They now provide a wider range of adjustment as well - 15 mm more up/down travel than before, plus an additional 20 mm of fore-aft movement.
Nissan is also promising a more user-friendly cabin in the new Qashqai, right down to the small details. For instance, both the electronic parking brake switch and the controls for the heated front seats have been repositioned. Even the cupholders have been rethought: they are now spaced further apart and, when in use, no longer get in the way of operating the manual gear lever - 50% of Qashqai sales are with a manual transmission.
More quality and convenience
Nissan says it has identified a trend towards downsizing - not in engine capacity as in the past, but in market choices, with more customers moving from the D-segment into the C-segment. To appeal to that kind of buyer, Nissan has worked to raise material and assembly quality, while also adding equipment that is more typical of the segment above. In other words, dropping a segment in positioning does not have to mean less content or lower quality.
That approach explains features such as the aforementioned massage seats, the extra care taken over the interior trim materials, and even the more substantial, more precise feel of the physical controls. It also underpins the change to interior lighting, which moves to a calmer, more elegant white tone instead of the orange hue long associated with the Qashqai.
Attention to detail extends to the sounds you hear when using the Qashqai too, whether alerts or information cues (the "beeps" and "bongs"). For that, Nissan enlisted Bandai Namco - the well-known video game producer - to create an entirely new range of tones designed to make the audio experience clearer and… more pleasant.
More technology and connectivity
Finally, a major technology upgrade was always going to be part of the package. For the first time, the new Nissan Qashqai will offer a head-up display, measuring 10". It will be colour and projected directly onto the windscreen, and it will be available from the N-Connecta trim level upwards. The instrument cluster can also be digital for the first time (a 12" TFT screen) and will be customisable - entry-level versions will use an analogue instrument panel.
The refreshed infotainment system will now be operated via a 9" touchscreen (it is 7" on the current model) and will introduce new features. Nissan Connected Services will also be offered on the new generation.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay will be available, with the latter able to run wirelessly. Wireless phone charging is included too, and Nissan claims it will be the most powerful in the segment at 15 W. There will also be more USB ports throughout the new Qashqai: four in total (two in each row of seats), with two of them being USB-C.
More… expensive
Mild-hybrid and hybrid powertrains, aluminium doors, more driver assistance systems, more onboard technology, and so on - more equipment inevitably means more… cost. Unsurprisingly, that means the new generation of the best-seller will be more expensive when it reaches us in 2021.
Nissan has not yet announced pricing. However, with the growing adoption of options such as leasing and renting among private buyers, the strong residual values the Qashqai enjoys should help keep costs competitive.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Leave a Comment