Australian New Car Buyer – June 2019

AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE | 117

J

ust why Nissan chose to name
its small SUV after a group
of nomadic tribes from Iran is
anybody’s guess. The Qashqai
traditionally use donkeys to get
around. Presumably that’s not
the connection Nissan was trying
to make...
All models run a naturally-
aspirated 2.0-litre petrol engine,
with a humble 106kW of power
and 200Nm of torque, put to
the road via six-speed manual
or continuously variable (CVT)
transmissions.
Qashqai has no off road
pretensions, so the entire range
is front wheel drive.
Pricing opens at $27,490 for
the base ST manual and runs to
$37,990 for the bells and whistles
Ti CVT; we’re testing the mid-
spec ST-L CVT, at $33,290.
In addition to ST’s keyless
entry and starting, fast glass on
all windows (with opening and
closing via the remote as well)
and parking sensors, ST-L adds
18-inch-alloys, heated, folding
side mirrors, roof rails, a seven-
inch touchscreen, navigation,
digital radio and heated, power
adjustable front seats with
cloth/leather facings.

You’re short-changed on

equipment at this price, with no

auto headlights, rain-sensing

wipers or dual zone air. Apple

CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone

connectivity and stand alone voice

control are also absent, so all

infotainment functions must be

manually selected and operated.

Autonomous emergency braking

and lane departure warning are

standard; ST-L adds surround

cameras, including 360 degrees

overhead view and rear object

detection. Blind spot monitoring,

rear cross traffi c alert and lane

keeping should also be included at

the price, but are available only on

more expensive variants.

Fit, fi nish and materials

quality are excellent, and sound

quality from the standard audio

is pretty good too.

You’re coccooned in a stylish,

sporty, twin cockpit layout,

though seated quite high.

ST-L’s driver’s seat is fi rm

and supportive and the driving

position is adjustable for all

physiques. Rear seat legroom is

suffi cient for most adults, and

it’s easy to get in and out, but no

vents are provided.

Nissan claims that bumps are

smoothed out by the selective

application of braking and

engine torque to the relevant

wheels, a technology it calls

“Intelligent Ride Control.”

That’s not the reality. The

suspension is too stiff, the front

end in particular jolts the body

on bumps and potholes, and

the ride in town is often harsh.

Compliance improves with speed,

but Qashqai’s suspension tune

is too punishing for its people

moving role -- pointlessly so

given its limited abilities.

Nissan has been doing CVTs for

a long time and it shows in the way

the transmission hooks up crisply

and effi ciently on a light throttle,

so responsiveness from rest and

low speeds is surprisingly brisk,

making Qashqai a good thing in

the daily traffi c grind.

There’s no auto stop/start,

so fuel consumption, though

typically 10-11L/100km, can

reach 12.5L/100km in traffi c.

When you want big grunt and

go, well, it ain’t there, though

the transmission tries hard

to fi nd it by switching to faux

conventional auto mode, with

stepped shifts. In cruise mode

at 100km/h, Qashqai is quiet and

frugal, returning 6-6.5L/100km,

on regular unleaded.

Although Qashqai feels sorta

kinda sporty, notably in the

suspension’s fi rmness, it doesn’t

inspire confi dence at speed.

Roadholding on choppy surfaces,

especially at the front, feels

tenuous at times.

The electric steering has two

adjustable settings: numb and

completely dead.

Nissan claims “Active Return

Control” adds to steering

precision, and “Intelligent

Trace Control” provides “more

confi dence and dynamic feel

without interfering with the

driving experience.”

Are we really supposed to

take this nonsense seriously?

The Qashqai is stylish

and spacious, but, it’s also

a strangely dysfunctional

combination of modest

performance, mediocre

dynamics and a punishing ride,

with a standard equipment list

that’s skinny at the price.

THINGS WE LIKE

Sleek exterior styling

Classy, inviting interior too

Good reliability and reasonable

running costs

Comfortable seats and good rear

seat and boot space

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE

Overpriced

Petrol engine needs more oomph

Short warranty

Hard ride

Dead steering

SPEX (ST-L)

Made in England

2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol/six-

speed CVT/front-wheel drive

106kW of power at 6000rpm/200Nm

of torque at 4400rpm

0–100km/h N/A

6.0L/100km highway; 10.7L/100km

city; 91 octane; CO 2 emissions are

178g/km

Warranty: Five years/unlimited

kilometres

Standard: Stability control, six

airbags, surround cameras,

automatic emergency braking,

lane departure warning,

Bluetooth, navigation, 18-inch

alloys, heated front seats

Redbook future values: 3yr: 48%;

5yr: 37%

compare with ...

Ford Escape, Hyundai Kona, Honda

HRV, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-3,

Subaru XV, Toyota C-HR, VW Tiguan

Safety

ANCAP

Performance

Handling

Quality and reliability

Comfort and refi nement

Value for money



Overall



STARS

S NISSAN QASHQAI FROM $27,490