Verdict
The Qashqai is an attractive and practical family car, so no wonder it has spawned so many imitators. It tows well, too, although we wish the towing limit was higher.
Pros
The diesel engine is powerful enough for strong acceleration when towing
Strong resale values contribute to affordable running costs
Cons
The legal towing limit is relatively low
Compared with some rivals the Qashqai is expensive
Few cars have attracted quite so many imitators as the Nissan Qashqai. Rival car makers are now falling over themselves to make crossovers – cars which mix the rugged styling of a 4×4 with the family-friendly features of an MPV.
Nissan makes both front and four-wheel drive versions of the Qashqai. It’s the front-wheel-drive diesel which we’re testing here.
The hill start also posed no great challenge to the Qashqai
Towing
The 2.0 dCi Tekna’s kerbweight is a healthy 1665kg (once you’ve included 75kg for the driver which the latest EU standard does but Nissan’s published weights don’t). However, the towing limit is 1400kg, which is a little disappointing.
We went towing with a Swift Expression 470 with a Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass of 1310kg. Thanks to the 2.0-litre diesel’s 148bhp and 236lb.ft of torque, the Nissan pulled the outfit from 30-60mph in 12.1 seconds. The stopping distance of 11.9 metres from 30mph may look poor, but it’s forgivable given how wet the track was. We had no worries about the Qashqai’s braking on the public road.
Through the lane-change test the Nissan leaned quite heavily but the caravan never dragged the car off course. The hill start also posed no great challenge to the Qashqai, either in first gear or reverse, although it’s possible to spin the front wheels briefly in the wet before the traction control does its job.
Space
Inside, the Nissan offers a comfortable driving position although legroom in the back is no better than adequate. The seven-seat Qashqai + 2 has more space, although it’s considerably more expensive.
Running Costs
The Qashqai is rather pricey compared with many rivals, although strong resale values soften the blow.
Technical Specifications
Kerbweight | 1665 kg |
Towball Limit | 75 kg |
Maximum Towing Limit | 1400 kg |
Power | 148 bhp |
Torque | 236 lb ft |
Offical MPG | 44.1 mpg |
CO₂ | 160 g/km |