8 February 2011
According to Nissan New Zealand's Marketing Operations Manager, Peter Merrie, the name of a car doesn't matter; it's the car itself that counts. He's right of course, but the name of Nissan's latest offering takes some getting used to.
Named Qashqai in New Zealand and the UK, and Dualis in Japan and Australia, there is no doubt that we will see both names on our roads in time, with used imports sure to make it to our shores.
Qashqai (pronounced cash kai) is a name derived from a North African nomadic pastoralist tribe. Slotting into the market niche that was previously occupied by the Primera, it bears no resemblance to the now discontinued model it replaces. Suffice to say, it sits neatly between the Tiida and X-Trail.
The Qashqai was conceived, designed and developed in Europe.
Production began in Europe and Japan over a year ago, but Nissan New Zealand has been waiting to get plentiful production allocation from Japan before launching the new model here.
Nissan Europe's Design Director, Stephane Schwartz describes the Qashqai as a fusion of themes and concepts; a car that refuses to conform. He says that research found that conventional hatchbacks and saloons were no longer exciting enough for some buyers, so to cater for the market, a new type of car was created.
The front wheel drive Qashqai is taller than a traditional hatch but has a similar footprint, and is shorter than an SUV yet offers the practicality normally associated with such a vehicle. While Nissan insists that the Qashqai is not a Crossover, the proportions, visual aspect, ride height and rugged wheel arch appendages would suggest otherwise.
Whether it's a hatch, a crossover, soft-roader, SUV or saloon is bound to spark pundit discussion, along with the name, but whatever pigeon hole we want to slot the Qashqai into, it is a very capable and appealing vehicle.
Qashqai blends urban chic with useful practicality.
It is a vehicle set to carve out a new market niche for Nissan. With 188mm ground clearance, the Qashqai is higher off the ground than other vehicles in its sector, making for easy entry and exit.
On the road, the Qashqai offers high levels of comfort and the elevated seating position provides a commanding view of the surroundings. Unlike many other vehicles which sit up high, the Qashqai sits firmly on the road and handles well, with minimal body roll.
The cabin is spacious and well laid out. All controls are within easy reach of the driver and the huge cooled glovebox has 14 litres of storage space, large enough to carry 15 x 330 ml cans of drink. Also incorporated is a sunglasses holder.
The centre console houses twin cup holders and a voluminous storage box. The large loading space behind the 60/40 split folding rear seats swallows similar amounts of luggage to a conventional hatchback.
Two modesl are offered, the entry level ST and the higher spec TI.
Standard features on the ST include a six speaker stereo with single disc CD player, heated and folding door mirrors, manual air-conditioning, tilt and rake steering column and front fog lights.
The TI adds a higher grade seating fabric, leather steering wheel, dual zone climate air-conditioning, intelligent key, reading and map lights, rear centre arm rests with cup holders , 17" alloy wheels and automatic Xenon headlights.
Both models are powered by a 102kW 1,997cc petrol engine producing 198Nm of torque at 4,400rpm, with some 90% of that torque available from 2,000rpm.
The front wheels are driven through a CVT automatic transmission which Nissan claims benefits fuel efficiency due to the virtually limitless number of ratios and consumption is quoted at 7.89 litres per 100km.
MacPherson struts, mounted on a sub-frame suspend the front, while a fully independent mulit-link set-up is adopted in the rear. The front subframe has compliant rubber mounts to isolate road noise and vibration and a front anti-roll bar is attached directly to the strut assembly to minimise body roll.
Safety features include ABS braking with Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Electronic Stability Control (ESP). Six airbags are standard equipment, with full length curtain airbags providing head protection for both front and rear occupants.
The Nissan Qashqai is being launched in New Zealand along with four other new models; the new Maxima, Murano, 370Z and GT-R.
The Qashqai ST is listed at $34,300, while the up-spec TI is priced at $37,300.