Road Tests
Read the road tests that have appeared in Local Cars magazine
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Nissan Qash Qai
Such is the gloriously anomalous nature of our Cumbrian weather that while I was haring round with the roof down in a sexy Peugeot 308 CC and taking the whiteness from my bald last week, last week I was rooting around the wardrobe to rescue a motheaten raincoat and umbrella when suddenly the sun shone again as I headed to an event over the Border which brought to mind our sporranwearing, urban-centric Prime Minister and via a punative VAT and tax system his campaign against rural dwellers and who, obviously unknown to him, often live up tracks, down ford-ridden lanes, endure adverse weather and often have one or two animals to lug about. We thus often require vehicles that we can tow and are sometimes wrongly criticised by the “greens” for using much-maligned 4x4’s, which the miserable Prime Minister and Chancellor sees as a tax milch cow.
Well, this week’s test car from Benfi eld Nissan, was a delightfully motorised two-fi ngered symbol to the “greens” and the grasping tax gatherer as the Nissan Qashqai had a very modest 1.5 litre diesel that does more than 50mpg with lowish CO2 emissions.
No wimp, it will tow 1.2 tonnes and, being well under two litres, nicely limbos under the tax threshold for so-called gas guzzlers, so with prices starting as low as £13,499, as well as attracting an equally modest insurance rating of 5E, it is seemed a worthwhile look.
The weird name, which I gather is pronounced as Cash Ki, I found out the Qashqai in as Indian tribe, though from which continent Google did not tell me, but I still think it an odd and meaningless choice for what is an attractive vehicle.
As you will see it is a good looking and classy SUV. Its raked and teardrop treatment of the window line, its sculpted arches and pleasingly under-stated muscular design means the Qashqai would fi t well at any point to point, gymkhana, golf club, swish country house.
It is an odd car to categorise, as the model on test was not a 4x4 but the £16k mid-range, two-wheel drive version.
Not a true SUV then and certainly not as ugly as many of that type are; nor is it a mere car as it had presence and lugging power allied to green credentials .
If you want a full 4x4 version with true off-road capability, prices start at £20,799 and that is a good £5,000 cheaper than the rival RAV4 that is neither as good looking nor as elegantly imposing.
Firing the Qashqai and standing on the outside there is no doubt this is a diesel, but once inside the sumptuous interior it is subdued and tamed to a mere and unobtrusive hum.
All fi ve seats are comfortable with plenty of legroom, though for ultimate comfort I would stick to two rear passengers with the armrest down when I felt I needed a chauffeur.
The crisp European interior design (Nissan is part of the Renault conglomerate) is unfussy with a neat console and good quality materials, plus all the usual temperature, audio and function controls neatly placed and repeated on the steering wheel.
With the rear seats up the boot space would take a bale of hay for the ponies or a month’s shopping from Tesco and with them folded fl at it would take a model railway layout if you were banned from the spare bedroom or you were a closet modeller.
On the move, the 1.5 turbo diesel from the Renault stable is a very willing workhorse that spins to maximums like a petrol one.
Being coupled to a very slick six-speed gearbox, it allowed me to make full use of the 106bhp and reasonable 240 Nm of torque that peaks at 2000rpm.
The performance is spirited without neck-jarring acceleration but, with its high seating position, willing engine and great gearbox, my run round the narrow roads near Haweswater was an enjoyable and rewarding experience as it had real feel through the steering and handled much more like a car than an SUV.
For those who need to know, it does 0-62 in 12 seconds and with the foot to the fl oor will reach 110mph on an autobahn.
Other Nissan’s SUVs I have found to be a bit agricultural, but the Qashqai is refi ned and would appeal to an active young family and be a practical companion if they had country aspirations and the need to tow Belinda’s nag to a pony club meet, yet be a motorway cruiser for holiday as well.
Though there are more powerful options, I found the 1.5 a perfect and enjoyable companion that would suit me very well if I had a friendlier bank manager! |
