Qashing in: 2014 Nissan Qashqai Review [Video]

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The Qashqai has seen massive success as the gamble that not only paid off, but practically defined the crossover segment in 2007 as the ultimate in fashionable family motoring. Flash forward to the British designed and made 2014 Nissan Qashqai, now in its 2nd generation, where all round improvements and updates have geared it to remain the benchmark in a segment which has become particularly competitive.

The new 2014 Nissan Qashqai is not a million miles from the successful formula of the previous generation in looks, but there have been some general dimension alterations (it’s now 47mm longer, slightly wider and slightly lower) and a general shift in sleekness. It’s had a bit more family hatch injected into it, moving away from the overly SUV aesthetic to a more confidently mature yet sleek and sporty machine. Inside, the cabin has been nicely updated too with a smarter, again more car-like interior rather than the rough and ready but not quite SUV vibe in the previous generation. The general sense is that of clear simplicity, with nicer materials used throughout. The 7” Nissan Connect infotainment system dominated the dash and houses plenty of interesting tech to keep you happy.

There is another TFT screen neatly placed between the instruments behind the wheel which shows you any and all important driving information. The practicality here is good too with lots of cubby holes and compartments for your storage needs and extra deep cup holders to prevent bottles getting in the way when you reach over to the gear leaver. The best part about this cabin has to be the seats, which are incredibly supportive and comfortable due to NASA body scan technology which means they are shaped to optimise blood flow in your lower back. The back seats sadly aren’t as comfy or clever, clearly being orientated towards children. That being said, there has been a noticeable increase in leg and shoulder space. The lack of luggage space was a bugbear of the original model.

So Nissan have listened and adjusted the boot space accordingly so that you have an extra 20ltrs to play with – making it much more usable at 430ltrs. This isn’t class leading by any means, but it’s more than you’d get with the likes of a Mitsubishi ASX or Skoda Yeti. It can be extended to a very respectable 1585ltrs by folding the back seats down should you need more cargo space. The boot area is also much more practical with a nice underfloor compartment and a very useful luggage board system, which gives you panels to configure the boot space how you want. They are also double sided – one of the sides being an easy wipe surface so you can store items such as muddy boots without having to worry about messing the car up. Very handy!

To drive, the new 2014 Nissan Qashqai still embodies the zippy, hatchback-like quality that its predecessor defined the class with back in 2007, but it has been made notably better. The handling and suppleness have been retained despite the SUV-esque dimensions on the vehicle. That’s quite some feat of engineering if you think about it. The clever Multilink suspension system is now only available in the top end model, while the others are kitted out with a lighter rear torsion beam suspension system. To make up for this, the 2014 Nissan Qashqai comes with the standard chassis control system and the active ride system which, when combined, irons out the road to create a beautiful ride quality. The active trace control system helps cornering by combating under and over steer, while the improved weighting on the steering allows you to power it through each bend with confidence. There could definitely be a little more feedback from the steering wheel however.

This being said, the 2014 Nissan Qashqai is certainly the best and quietest driving crossover. There are 4 engines available. The old 1.6 and 2.0ltr petrol powered units have been sent to the knackers yard and have been replaced by 2 petrol DIGT turbocharged engines – the 1.2ltr and the 1.6ltr. The 115ps 1.5ltr will no doubt prove the most popular. With 0-62 in 11.3 seconds, it’s not the fiercest machine but it will certainly do most people zipping around day to day. If you need more speed, then the 150ps 1.6ltr model will oblige you by increasing the torque to 240Nm (from 190Nm). The pulling power is still a bit feeble at 1200kg. For that end you’d be better off with either of the 2 diesels – the 110ps 1.5ltr DCi power plant (0-62 in 12.4 seconds/top speed at 112mph/braked towing at 1350kg) or the top of the line 130ps 1.6ltr DCi (62 in 10.5/top speed 118mph/braked towing at 1800kg). This top diesel variant is also the only one that can be specified with full 4WD and automatic transmission.

Although oddly enough you can’t have them both. On the subject of 4×4 prowess, it’s a fine working system that is much how it was before. However, as with pretty much all of this segment, it isn’t an actual SUV so it’s best not to treat it as such. It will be very useful for more adverse road and weather conditions though. All in all, what’s the lowdown with the 2014 Nissan Qashqai? This is simply a great crossover that has now been injected with a bit more hatchback factor to roll with the demand of the public these days. The great improvements across the board help solidify its place as the car that sets the benchmark in this segment. That being said the driving could do with being a tad sharper still and the SUV application has been all but stripped away, but chances are this won’t matter hugely for a lot of people since it does a remarkably good job of embodying everything a crossover should be on the road. The 2014 Nissan Qashqai is definitely one you have to consider if you’re considering buying or leasing in this segment.

If you want to get hold of the 2014 Nissan Qashqai then don’t hesitate to leave us a message on our contact us page or give us a call on 01903 538835 to find out about our Nissan lease deals.