The Nissan Qashqai is one of Europe's most popular family cars – more than three million have been sold – and the original model sparked our craze for crossovers, with SUV looks but car-like driving characteristics and runnings costs.
The 2021 new Nissan Qashqai (the third generation of the car) looks to move the game on even further bringing with it huge strides forward in mild and full-hybrid technology, an interior that's more spacious, posher and crammed full of tech, a lighter and stiffer body, as well as coming with a suite of autonomous driving aids.
The 2021 new Nissan Qashqai feels a lot more substantial from the inside, too, with a transmission tunnel that's noticeably wider and a more imposing dashboard. All the panels at eye level have a padded leather feel, you get textured trims and flashes of aluminium. Top of the range models also get stitched leather and seats covered is soft Nappa leather, with electrical adjustment and a massage function.
Infotainment has also taken massive leap forwards from before. You now get a nine-inch centre touchscreen, which recognises commands like pinch and swipe and comes complete with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You also get USB-A and USB-C charging ports in the front and the back.
Behind the steering wheel you'll find a 12.3-inch digital instrument binnacle that can perform a range of functions, including displaying a huge sat-nav map exactly where you want it. The 10.3-inch head-up display goes one step further. It beams vital information onto the car's windscreen so you'll never have to take your eyes off the road.
The Nissan's infotainment system is fully connected so you can send the nav your destination from the comfort of your living room and, using the Nissan Connect App, you can do things like check the car's fuel levels, flash its lights , sound its horn (to find it in a car park) and open it remotely.
The new Nissan Qashqai gives you the same commanding, SUV-style view of the road that you got in the old model and visibility has been improved thanks to a wider windscreen, with slimmer pillars and wing mirrors that are mounted on the doors. There's loads of room up front for adults and headroom has increased by 15mm across the board.
It's in the back where you'll notice the biggest change, however. The car's increased wheelbase – it has grown by 20mm – means rear seat legroom has increased by 28mm, so even if you're tall another tall adult can sit comfortably behind you.
Boot space has also increased – its 504-litre capacity is 50 litres more than you got in the old car. The boot opens and closes electrically and it has a handsfree function, operated by jiggling your foot under the rear bumper.
The boot's packed full of features including shopping hooks and a 12V power socket and there's space for valuables under the false floor which has a wipe-clean side. You also get a couple of extra storage spaces on either side of the boot which will be handy for bottles of screen wash and the like. Fold the back seats away and you get a completely flat floor that stretches from the boot opening to the backs of the front seats.
The 2021 new Nissan Qashqai is available with a choice of mild-hybrid engines producing either 140PS or 158PS, as well as a full-hybrid e-POWER model which is powered by a 190PS electric motor.
It's the full hybrid model that's the big talking point. Unlike a Toyota Prius which has an electric motor that runs in parallel to it's petrol engine, helping it out where possible, the Qashqai is basically an electric car that uses its 156PS 1.5-litre petrol engine as a generator – there's no mechanical link between the wheels and the engine.
Not unexpectedly then, Nissan says the e-POWER Qashqai drives like an electric car with instant get-up-and-go away from the lights thanks to peak torque of 330Nm being available from the moment you switch it on. You also get Nissan's e-Pedal – regenerative brakes that mean the car slows when you lift your foot off the throttle, so you should only have to press the brake pedal for sudden stops.
The e-POWER can drive for short distances on electric power alone (no more than two miles) but the clever setup means the petrol engine runs at a preset RPM which is more efficient than running up and down the rev range like in a conventional car. This technology was pioneered in the Nissan Note in Japan.
While the mild-hybrid system adds 22kg to the weight of the 2021 Nissan Qashqai – and the full-hybrid system will doubtless add a lot more than that – Nissan has made some serious efforts to reduce the heft of the crossover's body in white.
To that end, the bonnet wings and doors are made of aluminium, saving 21kgs, while the boot lid is made from a composite and is 2.6kgs lighter than before. All in all, the body is 60kgs lighter than the old model's, but also 41% more rigid, so it should feel more assured on the road and also more sturdy in an accident.
You get two suspension setups bolted to it – front-wheel drive models with 19-inch wheels get Macpherson struts at the rear, while cars with 20-inch wheels and/or four-wheel drive get a multi-link setup which should deal better with bumps. The steering is also said to offer better feel, to be more responsive and to have less friction than the setup in the old car.
You can expect the new Nissan Qashqai to go on sale later this year with a starting price of around £25,000 – broadly in line with rivals such as the Kia Sportage and Skoda Karoq. Expect to pay closer to £30,000 for a top-spec petrol model with four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox, while the new e-POWER front-wheel drive hybrid will likely cost closer to £35,000.
The new 2021 Nissan Qashqai looks significantly more muscular than the old model and it's also bigger in every way – 35mm longer, 32mm wider and 25mm taller. Up front you get the Qashqai's familiar V-Motion grille but it's much larger than before and it's emphasised by the slim LED headlights (matrix in top end models) that sit either side of it.
The strong new look continues around the sides, not least because this is the first Qashqai to be available with 20-inch alloy wheels – up from 19s in the old model. Sharp creases along the bodywork keep things looking brawnier than any Qashqai has before and the 'Qashqai' stamped into the bumper is a neat touch which looks like a soldier's dog tag.
The branding around the rear isn't quite so subtle, 'Qashqai' is literally spelled out across the boot lid. In all, you can choose from 11 colours and five contrast colour combinations, or 16 finishes in total.
Automatic versions of the 2021 new Nissan Qashqai are available with the latest version of Nissan's ProPILOT autonomous driving system.
It can accelerate, brake and steer the car for you on A roads and the motorway, and it can adjust its speed to take account of speed limit signs as well as automatically slowing for tight corners. It can also bring the car to a complete stop in queuing traffic before making off again when the jam clears.
In combination with ProPilot, the Qashqai can steer you back into lane if you try and pull out in front of a faster moving car and it can warn you if you're going to scuff the car's sides when turning into a perpendicular parking space. Automatic emergency brakes are standard and they can predict – rather than react – to quickly slowing traffic and they also work in reverse. Another safety feature is the centrally deployed airbag that stops the front seat passengers coming into contact in a side-on impact.
Finally, the Qashqai will be available with matrix LED headlights with 12 LEDs that can be switched off individually to cast dark spots over other cars, so you can use your full beams in oncoming traffic.
Yes, the new Nissan Qashqai was revealed today (18 February 2021). It features a posher more spacious interior, hybrid powertrains and the latest self-driving tech.
Yes, the new Nissan Qashqai is worth buying. Its spacious interior is perfect if you have a family and its hybrid technology should make it very cheap to run.
The Nissan Qashqai was the world's first crossover – a car that combines SUV looks with car-like running costs and handling characteristics. It's a winning combination that means Nissan has sold more than 3 million Qashqais in Europe.