Nissan’s Qashqai was a surprise hit following its 2007 launch and strong initial sales were achieved without the aid of the seven-seater ‘+2’ model that we look at here. With this more complete range, Nissan has good reason to be confident about the car’s chances. Andy Enright reports
Cottoning onto the fact that there exist a host of families who want neither a big, bulky 4x4 nor a style vacuum that most MPV people movers represent, Nissan has brought us the seven seat Qashqai+2. A true ‘crossover’ vehicle with elements of a number of genres, the company hopes it’ll catch on. Don’t bet against it.
Nissan has some form when it comes to bucking convention. When the Almera was pensioned off, it wasn’t replaced by anything directly comparable. The same went for the Primera, evidence that Nissan was tearing up the rule book and abandoning this middle market. Instead, the company concentrated on producing more ‘lifestyle’ choices amongst its vehicle portfolio with cars like the Micra C+C, the 350Z, the Pathfinder and the Navara all doing very good business. The Qashqai has also been a big hit, offering an alternative to the conventional family hatch without looking like a big, profligate urban 4x4. Now it’s bigger but still looks anything but a Chelsea tractor. The Qashqai+2 taps into a market that needs a sizeable family car that will see occasional seven seat usage but which still looks socially acceptable and has a modicum of style. Think for a moment how many other cars can fulfil that brief and you’ll understand why Nissan is so bullish about this model.
There’s one of the widest choices of engines in the sector with two diesels and two petrol powerplants. The range kicks off with a 1.6-litre 115bhp petrol unit and moves up through 106bhp 1.5dCi diesel and 140bhp 2.0-litre petrol units before topping-out with the 150bhp 2.0-litre dCi diesel. Nissan hasn’t skimped when it comes to transmission options either, the Qashqai+2 being supplied with five and six-speed manual boxes, a six-speed auto option and even an advanced Constantly Variable Transmission (CVT).
"For families who want neither a big, bulky 4x4 nor a style vacuum that most MPV people movers represent…"
The ALL-MODE 4x4 system is available on the 2.0-litre vehicles. This is an electronic system which automatically engages four-wheel drive the moment a loss of traction is detected. It offers more safety and security in extreme weather on-road. Nissan makes no bones of the fact that the Qashqai+2 is anything but an off-roader, citing its lack of ground clearance. What precludes it from tackling rutted tracks makes it a better car on the blacktop, the hunkered down centre of gravity giving the Nissan the driving dynamics of a typical family hatch. The Qashqai+2 weighs 100kg more than its five seat sibling and the suspension and steering systems have been retuned to take account of this.
Everything from the windscreen pillars forward is standard Qashqai. Everything behind this point has been modified in the Qashqai+2. The wheelbase has been extended by 135mm and the overall length has grown by 211mm to 4,526mm. To make sure that rear seat occupants don’t feel too hemmed in, the roof line has been reprofiled as well, adding 38mm to the car’s height. The doors have been redesigned and the side windows are now bigger, as is the rear tailgate window, making the back feel anything but claustrophobic. The middle row of seats splits 40/40/40 and the backrest reclines to no fewer than nine adjustment positions.
The back row of seats is designed for kids or adults up to 1.6m (5’3"), the seats fold 50/50 and can be folded away simply by pulling a strap. There’s no need to go through the hassle of removing head rests first. When folded down, there’s a massive 500 litres of stowage space, and the rear hatch is both wider and has a lower loading sill than the standard Qashqai model. There’s even an underfloor stowage area to keep valuables out of sight. The sturdy lid of this stowage area also doubles as a cargo divider to prevent your eggs getting squashed by your Irn Bru.
Like the five seat Qashqai, the +2 is available in three different trim and equipment versions – the now familiar Visia, Acenta and Tekna levels.Depending on the version, standard equipment includes automatic lighting, automatic wipers, speed sensitive door locking, cruise control, privacy glass, electric windows, parking sensors, a choice of 16 or 17-inch alloy wheels and Nissan’s Intelligent Key. Manual or automatic air conditioning incorporates mild flow ventilation while to provide sufficient airflow for the rearmost passengers, a larger compressor is fitted. Also standard are the full-length panoramic glass roof and roof rails.
Nissan has built an enviable reputation for safety and the Qashqai+2 incorporates a number of noteworthy features. Accurate electrically-assisted power steering, multi-link rear suspension and beefy anti-lock brakes with brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution could well be enough to keep you out of a prang in the first instance and there’s also the additional safety net of eighth-generation ESP stability control from Bosch.
There’s little doubt that the Qashqai will find ready buyers when the time comes to sell as it seems to have struck a chord with British customers looking for a socially responsible alternative to the usual ‘Chelsea tractor.’ The front wheel drive cars are in even hotter demand than the four-wheel drive models as a result.
The front-wheel drive diesel model with the manual gearbox returns 42.8mpg. To give you an idea of how easy it is to dent this once all-wheel drive comes into the equation, the automatic 4x4 diesel variant gets a mere 36.2mpg. The same goes for carbon dioxide emissions. Where the 2wd manual diesel emits a reasonable 174g/km, the 4x4 diesel automatic isn’t anything like so saintly at 208g/km. Going for the petrol 1.6? Well, the official combined fuel economy figure of 42.2mpg is a lot better than you’d expect from a petrol-powered compact 4x4. Go for the 2.0-litre petrol and that figure falls to 34.9mpg.
There aren’t too many cars that aim to exploit an as-yet untapped niche which seem as guaranteed of success as the Nissan Qashqai+2. Like all the best ideas, it’s dumbfounding that nobody thought of it before. Perhaps it’s a case of an idea whose time has come. Research has shown that we demand more of our cars in terms of space and versatility but this is balanced against an increasing environmental concern that makes big, profligate vehicles appear rather gauche.
The Nissan Qashqai+2 taps into this mindset and is sure to generate a host of me-too imitators in due course. Many of these will be rushed into production without the depth of engineering of the Qashqai+2. With a broad range that encompasses four engines, three trim levels and the choice of two or four-wheel drive, it’s hard to see how Nissan can fail.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Nissan Qashqai+2 range
PRICES: £17,199-£22,699 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 5-10 [est]
CO2 EMISSIONS: 139-208g/km
PERFORMANCE: [2.0 petrol 2WD] 0-60mph 10.1s / Top Speed 112mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0 petrol 2WD] (urban) 26.4mpg / (extra urban) 42.8mpg / (combined) 34.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: ABS with Brake Assist and EBD, Active front headrests.
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 4521/1780/1648 mm