New Nissan Qashqai flaunts fresh design details
The new Nissan Qashqai has some significant new design details both inside and out
Nissan has unveiled the latest generation of its best-selling SUV, the Qashqai. It is the first model in the company’s European portfolio to be based on the CMF-C platform.
The Nissan ‘V-Motion’ grille is flanked by a new front lighting system that now consists entirely of LEDs. Two narrow light strips, one positioned higher than the other, start from the side of the vehicle and run towards the grille to meet and create a V shape. The body work that runs between the two LED strips is narrow and sharp, adding a subtle injection of detail and precision to the overall shape of the front.
With no need for separate head lamp units, the body work under the lamps is more substantial. Familiar vertical pockets are included, used for air ventilation and to house sensors, while the fog lamps sit low on the bumper as they did on the previous Qashqai.
A stronger belt line runs along the side of the car and emphasises the shoulders. The rear has also been subject to a significant redesign, with slimmer lights that run parallel with the belt line. The line continues through the lamps, with the Nissan logo sitting neatly in the middle on the boot lid, giving the entire vehicle a pleasing symmetry. There is some angular bodywork on the haunches, with a sharp vertical ridge slicing upwards from the bumper to the lamps. These add to the width of the rear and neatly frame the back end.
The interior has been modernised with higher-quality materials and cleaner surfaces. Leather (or a material that looks like it, at least) adorns the central section of the dash and features some nice stitch lines. Under this sits a ledge finished in what appears to be a composite material that mimicks wood, while a glossy metallic finish is applied to the centre console and small sections of the doors. The perforated and quilted seats are new too, to provide a more premium feel.
The touchscreen is no longer embedded in the dash but instead sticks out from the top. It is a new 12.3-inch unit that features a Japanese ‘Kiriko’ cut glass motif. There is also a new 10.8-inch head-up display (HUD) for driver information. The automatic gear selector has been redesigned too, and is now far smaller and rectangular, though the manual version still looks very conventional. As a whole, the inside is much more appealing package, far more slick than that of the previous Qashqai.
It’s worth noting that the new Qashqai will be available only with electrified powertrains, offering the choice between a number of mild hybrids and a full hybrid. There has been speculation over whether a fully electric version will be available, but any added electrification to a best-selling SUV shows a clear statement of intent, and Nissan is already coming out with the Ariya, a fully electric SUV that’s only slightly larger than the Qashqai.
Nissan also recently unveiled its new Pathfinder SUV and Frontier pick-up for the North American market, and it is likely that a version of the new Qashqai will be offered there as well as the Rogue Sport.