Nissan QASHQAI Ti 2020 Review

Another example of the seemingly endless array of small crossovers and SUVs, the 2020 Nissan QASHQAI Ti is the range-topper of the four available QASHQAI offerings. It finds rivals in the Toyota C-HR Koba, Kia Seltos GT-Line, Hyundai Kona Highlander and Honda HR-V VTi-LX in specification but the similar offerings from luxury brands are also not too far up the road in terms of price.

Compact crossovers are never exactly half and half; some lean more towards being a hatch while some move more towards conventional SUV. We tend to use the 'SUV' term loosely as they generally don't possess too much 'sport' or 'utility' but the QASHQAI definitely sit at the SUV end of the ledger.

Typical SUV styling, high ground clearance and an upright driving position complete the narrative. Being closer aligned to an SUV does have its advantages in leg room and boot space but the QASHQAI's front-drive format limits any potential for off-road adventure.

The 2020 Nissan QASHQAI Ti hits the market at a not-so-cheap $38,490 plus on-roads.

The new-for-2020 model is now updated with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with a safety upgrade of autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection. In addition, adaptive LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, rear camera, active park assist, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control are all included in the QASHQAI Ti's impressive list of standard features.

You can also tick off a six-speaker stereo, rear privacy glass, roof rails, panoramic sunroof, 19-inch alloy rims, dual-zone climate control, 7.0-inch infotainment screen, leather-accented seats and push-button start.

The heart of matter is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine putting out a very modest 106kW and 200Nm of torque. However, the QASHQAI Ti strangely feels a little stronger than those figures suggest.

The Ti is only available with a constant variable transmission.

You should consider the 2020 Nissan QASHQAI Ti for its no-fuss 'under the radar' everyday performance.

We're not damning it with faint praise when we say it's more than adequate in most applications and frankly we struggle to find any meaningful faults. It's packed with five-star safety tech, comes equipped with all the latest connectivity, has a large multimedia touchscreen and heated seats with leather accents – pretty much everything you'd ever need or want.

The QASHQAI also offers nicely balanced handling and good levels of grip.

There's plenty of room for a couple or small family and the crossover orientation means it's practical. Getting three adults across the back would be a major stretch (err, squeeze) but leg room is actually pretty good and the boot space of 430 litres (expanding to 1598 litres with both 60:40-split second-row seats folded flat) is more than adequate for most applications.

When you think of baby SUV or urban crossovers, the QASHQAI may not be front of mind, hence my 'under the radar' tag. But perhaps that's because it does do everything pretty well.

The 2020 Nissan QASHQAI Ti is aimed at those chasing a raised driving position and a little more practicality than a conventional hatch.

If we call a spade a spade, it's not a true SUV but rather a jacked-up urban runabout with plenty of bells and whistles. At the same time, thanks to its equipment levels, it starts to blur the lines between luxury crossovers and mainstream small SUVs.

In fact, it even gets you thinking whether or not jumping up to a prestige baby SUV is worth the extra – particularly if you're not really worried about a badge. The QAHQAI is certainly not too far from the small Euros in terms of handling, and it's luxurious enough and has all the safety features and infotainment.

The only things missing are a little engine power and the (admittedly subjective) Euro styling.

The 2020 Nissan QASHQAI Ti is, in a word, solid. It does everything well and performs just as one would expect of a modern vehicle approaching $40K.

Nothing spectacular jumps out at you but, on the flip side, nothing negative pops up either – it's just a nicely well-rounded machine. Its on-road behaviour is fine and it has all the mod-cons to make driving comfortable and enjoyable.

Having recently reviewed the Lexus UX 200, the QASHQAI performs admirably in comparison – and consider the UX is $10K more. The Nissan might be giving away a little in luxury feel but its poise and balance around corners is a match and the practicality of its increased boot size an advantage.

Ever the racer, I did do a sneaky lap or two around Queensland's Norwell Motorplex and the QASHQAI delivered two notable surprises.

Firstly, its stability control is not intrusive at all. It shows an underlying good chassis, with Nissan not relying on the software of the electronics in favour of the hardware of the suspension.

On road there's a bit more body roll than I'd like (yes, I'm a racing driver) but I think that body roll helps induce better turn-in, so on track it feels better balanced the harder it's pushed.

Secondly, the CVT gearbox actually had distinct ratio steps with the engine dropping in revs and ramping up much like a conventional transmission. Annoyingly, it still behaved like a 'normal' CVT and jumps to high rpm at the drop of a hat on road.

So, in summary, if you are chasing a well-rounded crossover the 2020 Nissan QASHQAI Ti should be high on your list.

How much does the 2020 Nissan QASHQAI Ti cost?
Price: $38,490 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder
Output: 106kW/200Nm
Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission
Fuel: 6.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
C02: 159g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)