Updates for the popular Nissan Qashqai crossover have been revealed at this year’s Geneva motor show. Most of the updates concern front exterior styling, while Nissan is also promising a significant improvement in interior quality, a large increase in the amount of active safety technology available, as well as a more refined driving experience.
At the front, the revised Qashqai gets a new front grille, with the latest ‘V-motion’ motif and new headlights with a new ‘boomerang’ LED daytime running light signature. The new headlights are also adaptive, stopping them from dazzling other road users, while maintaining maximum illumination. There are also revised rear lights and two new colours to choose from: Vivid Blue and Chestnut Bronze.
Nissan is making much of the more premium feel, with much of these changes taking place inside the passenger compartment. The brand claims the cabin is better laid out and uses higher-quality materials throughout, while there is also more technology available, including the NissanConnect infotainment system, which comes with sat-nav, DAB radio and a revised user interface. There’s also a new ‘D’-shaped multifunction steering wheel.
A new Bose seven-speaker stereo system is included, as is a large amount of active safety and autonomous driving technologies. Intelligent Emergency Braking will be available at launch, with pedestrian detection being added later. Rear cross-traffic alert will also be available, as will traffic sign recognition, intelligent park assist, intelligent around-view monitor, blind-spot warning and lane-departure warning.
Trim levels will largely be carried over from the previous iteration, although a new range-topping Tekna+ version will also be available. This adds nappa leather upholstery, with 3D quilted stitching on the centre panels.
Engines and gearboxes have been carried over from the Nissan Qashqai’s previous version, with the same choice of two diesel and two petrol engines. The two diesels manage 110 and 130hp respectively, while the two turbocharged petrol engines manage 115 and 163hp, depending on whether you go for the 1.2- or 1.6-litre motor. As before, the 110hp 1.5-litre diesel will have official CO2 emissions of 99g/km, making it the most attractive model to company car buyers thanks to its 21% BIK rating.
As ever, buyers will get the choice of four-wheel drive on the more powerful diesel engines, while six-speed manual gearboxes are standard fitment across the range, with the more powerful diesel and less powerful diesel models available with the Xtronic automatic option.
There’s no word yet as to precisely when the new car will arrive in the country, but UK managing director Alex Smith told BusinessCar that it was “very soon” and re-affirmed the company’s commitment that the car would continue to be built at the company’s Sunderland facility. We would speculate that the new car will be on sale in the UK before the end of 2017, with first deliveries at the turn of the year.
Pricing hasn’t been confirmed yet either, but Smith said that it would be “competitive in what is a very competitive sector”.