Japanese auto maker Nissan recently unveiled the new Qashqai, a second generation Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) for the international markets. However, sources have claimed that this car is likely to reach Indian showrooms in the near future. Manufactured at the Nissan's UK plant, the 2014 Qashqai crossover was showcased in London. According to reports, the vehicle is available in two variants- petrol and diesel for the overseas markets. It has a starting price of £17595 that goes upto £27845. Post its launch in 2007, the first generation Qashqai has clocked sales of over 2 million units worldwide. Sources claim that it is the most successful car in the Nissan's portfolio and has been a spectacular hit in the European automobile market. In addition, there are four trims in the new Qashqai, which include Acenta, Tekna, Acenta Premium and Visia, each having different pricing.
Variants of this car are avaialble in four engine options, all of which run on turbocharged units. These include 1.2-litre and 1.6-litre DIG-T petrol engines that churns out 113 bhp power and 148 bhp, respectively. On the other hand, the diesel variatns come in 1.5-litre dCi engine that develops 110 bhp and 1.6-litre dCi unit, which produces 130 bhp. These variant options comes with 6-speed manual transmission.
The revamped Qashqai 2014 is a front-wheel drive with an all-wheel drive in 1.6-litre dCi diesel engine. Interestingly, Nissan has improvised the suspension system by using MacPherson struts at the front. Active ride control system equipped in the vehicle counter balances the undulations when riding on bumpy roads. It offers good driveability and riding comfort to the driver. The responsiveness of power steering response has been significantly improved over the older version. With this change, the driver can easily switch from light to higher mode when steering the vehicle. For safety, there is Front Collision Avoidance system that tells the driver to apply brakes and de-accelerate the vehicle in case there is presence of another automobile on roads. Provision of Driver Attention Support, Traffic Sign Recognition and Moving Object Detection in the new Qashqai allows the rider to drive safely.
This second generation Qashqai from Nissan stable is stylish and smart in looks. It has enhanced technology featuring fuel-efficient engines, refined design with improved interior space and performance. The new Qashqai compact SUV shares its platform with the previous version, except the increased width and length and reduction in height in the 2014 model. From its exteriors, the front part of the Qashqai 2014 has V-shaped honeycomb grille that carries the Nissan logo. The outer body is more curvy with 19-inch alloy wheels. The inside has more storage and boot space with enough leg and headroom.
Industry experts have lauded Nissan's plans to strengthen its market share in India by launching new vehicles. Also, the Japanese car maker is known globally for producing top class utility vehicles, which render a powerful performance. However, the Indian car market is driven greatly by factors like price and fuel-economy. Thereby, it would be really important to see what sort of pricing strategy Nissan adopts for the Qashqai model. It has been seen in the past that models priced aggressively have performed exceptionally well, the most recent example being Ford EcoSport, which will provide tough competition to Qashqai.
