Nissan Qashqai ST Plus

A nomadic central Asian tribe known for its Persian rugs. And one of Britain’s best-selling cars. The Nissan Qashqai is a small SUV (well, crossover) that we can probably blame for all the small SUVs. When it launched to quizzical looks over a decade ago, no one could have predicted just how many rivals and imitators would follow it. If only we could have warned everyone.

The big news concerns petrol, with the old 1.2 and 1.6 turbos replaced by a pair of 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbos. That may sound piffling in a car this size, but with outputs of either 138bhp or 158bhp, they should off more than enough. And for extra cred, this 1.3 also appears in the Mercedes A-Class.

Exterior & Interior Features

As for the amount of space on offer, it’s no different to the outgoing car. That means 430 litres of boot space seats up, 1,598 litres seats down, and a clever set of shelves and dividers in the boot that can be configured through 18 different permutations, depending on the kind of cargo you’re carrying. Rear-seat knee and headroom is adequate for adults. It feels especially spacious if you go for the panoramic roof, which doesn’t open, but there’s an electric blind that’ll keep the kids amused for hours.

Vehicle Body Features

It’s easy going, too, with much of its torque nice and low down, the Qashqai’s pretty effortless to accelerate in and you needn’t change down a gear to overtake on the motorway. ‘Effortless’ rarely means ‘exciting’, and thus this isn’t a performance car, but it’s more than sprightly enough when you find yourself in the car by yourself and able to push on a bit. The 138bhp tune has ample performance, and if you rarely travel with a car-full, it’ll be more than enough.

Car Safety Features

Not least if you spend a few hundred quid extra on ProPilot, a combination of lane-keep assist and active cruise control that allows the Qashqai to effectively drive itself on the motorway. Such systems aren’t unique nowadays, but the Qashqai is one of the most family-friendly cars to offer such a facility, and it’s all wrapped up in one button press.

Nissan Qashqai ST Plus