FLASHING EVEN MORE QASH (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_nissanqashqai_2021

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 54

Nissan went all-out to keep this third generation Qashqai ahead of an increasingly competitive chasing pack in the volume brand part of the mid-sized family SUV segment. So it was smarter, classier, cleverer, quieter, better equipped and more sophisticated. Let's check the earlier 2020-2024-era version of this J12 design out as a used buy.

Modelsword count: 9

5dr SUV (1.3 DIG-T petrol / 1.5 e-POWER petrol)

Historyword count: 382

Today, our roads are full of Crossover models, compact family-sized SUV-style hatches that blend the practicality of a family five-door with the lifestyle looks of a 4x4. Nissan didn't invent this concept, but they've done more than any other brand to perfect it, most notably with this car, the Qashqai. And in its third generation J12 form back in 2021, this car was rejuvenated - as we're going to see. It's strange now to think what a gamble this model line seemed to represent when the first generation J10 version of this design was originally launched back in 2007. Nissan had to make it work because they had no alternative conventional Focus-sized hatch to sell - and they did. Sales took off - and continued strongly with a second generation J11 model launched in 2014, then heavily updated in 2017. By 2021, the mid-sized family SUV sector was crowded with rivals from just about every brand - small wonder given that by then, Qashqai-size crossovers were making up 15 percent of the European market and their share was continuing to grow at the expense of family hatchbacks and estates. Commentators like us still often call this segment from this period the 'Qashqai class', referencing Nissan's invariable sales leadership within it. But by 2021, times were changing: was the original still the best? With this MK3 J12 design, the brand wanted us to think so and loaded this larger, smarter, sharper-looking MK3 Qashqai model with all of its latest tech to make sure. Like its predecessors, the third-generation 'J12' version of this Nissan was as much a British product as any modern car these days ever is. As before, it was built in the UK - by 2021 the Japanese company's UK plant in Sunderland had produced over three million Qashqais since the original. Plus the J12 Qashqai was designed at the brand's styling studio in Paddington - and engineered at its technical centre in Cranfield. Nissan claimed this 'J12'-series version would be much better to drive, would offer more space, would be more efficient - and would even be better-smelling: yes, really. A clever e-POWER engine option arrived in 2022. And the range received a thorough update in mid-2024. It's the pre-facelift 2021-2024-era versions of this J12 design we look at here.

What You Getword count: 625

One of the challenges of reinvigorating a car based on a successful formula is to get the balance of fresh and familiar just right. And this 'gen-three' Qashqai rather hit the sweet spot, incorporating some recognisable elements into a contemporary shape that was usefully evolved. At first glance, you might think it quite similar to the previous generation model: look again. The double chrome trimmed V-Motion central grille is much deeper and the upper and lower parts of the headlamps, with this J12 of the full-LED variety, are separated by a colour-coded 'Qashqai'-branded trim strip. At the side, this MK3 Qashqai met the crossover fashion criteria of its moment. 'Floating' roof, optionally available in black? Tick. Kick-up body line over the rear wheelarches? Tick. Black cladding for the wheel arches and the lower body? Tick. It's when viewed from behind that this J12-series Qashqai design is most restrained - and perhaps most familiar, with wrap-around rear lights that offer a gentle evolution from those of the generation 2 model, slimmer and separated by spaced-out letters below the Nissan badge. And up front inside? Well you'd feel a sense of familiarity here if you'd regularly used the previous generation model day-in, day-out; the logical layout, the gear shifter angle and a seating position that's half way between SUV and family hatch. Yet you'd also appreciate that everything's been brought up to date, with smarter switchgear and a central touchscreen that sits on top of the dashboard rather than being buried into it; plusher models get the advanced 'NissanConnect' centre screen in a 9-inch size, and it's complemented further up the range by a 12.3-inch customisable instrument display. Softer-touch materials and more sophisticated instruments seek to promote the feeling of greater luxury than you might expect from the price tag, embellished on upper-spec models by classy ambient lighting and the largest head-up display in the segment. In addition, there's a reasonable amount of storage space, build quality from the Sunderland plant feels pretty good and Nissan even thought a lot about how this Qashqai smells inside, taking steps to ensure materials don't create any unpleasant odours as use and age gradually erode the 'new car' aroma. Back seat passengers should be reasonably happy. There's 28mm more legroom than in a 'gen-2' Qashqai and headroom is up by 15mm - or at least it would be on a model without the optional huge glass roof which, if you can live with the slightly lower ceiling height, gives an agreeably airy feel to the interior. Six-footers should just about fit. This rear bench doesn't do anything clever like reclining - or sliding (as it would do in a rival Volkswagen Tiguan or Skoda Karoq): and you wouldn't be very comfortable sitting for any real period in the centre of it, legs astride the transmission tunnel. Still, contoured seat backs and the space you get to slide your shoes beneath the front chairs make this part of the car feel reasonably spacious. Right: let's finish with considering the boot. The hatch reveals a wide and deep aperture, and the lip's sensibly low. Nissan redesigned the suspension of this MK3 Qashqai, giving a useful loadspace capacity increase of 50-litres, providing 504-litres with all seats in place, enough to take up to seven carry-on cases. The plus side of spending a bit more money on trim and avoiding the first two spec levels is that you get a super-useful 'luggage board' arrangement. The two removable lower panels create a flat cargo base, with a usefully-sized and invisible storage area below, into which the parcel shelf can fit. Once everything's retracted, up to 1,447 litres is freed up - useful, but nowhere near class-leading. Still, that'll probably be quite sufficient for most customers.

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