Refreshed Nissan QASHQAI brings better safety

A more comprehensive safety suite headlines the changes for Nissan’s facelifted MY18 Nissan QASHQAI line-up, which is priced from $26,490 for the ST manual ($500 more than before).

Most importantly, the 2018 upgrade for Nissan’s popular small SUV brings autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane-departure warning on all models for the first time.

The QASHQAI model range has also been rejigged, with the slow-selling diesel models gone and an additional mid-grade ST-L joining carry-over ST (entry-level) and Ti (premium) petrol range.

Priced $3500 higher than before at $37,990 plus ORCs, the top-shelf Ti won’t be available until March production (and on sale around June) because of delays in refining its new adaptive cruise control technology.

Nissan will in the meantime offer a model grade above ST-L called N-TEC, a model name used in the previous generation QASHQAI, although now far better specified than before.

Freshened exterior
The most obvious change to the QASHQAI update is its new front-end incorporating the corporate ‘V-motion’ grille and a flat ‘hologram style’ Nissan badge that conceals the AEB’s radar. New headlights, bonnet and bumper round off the nose surgery.

At the rear, new LED lights and a new rear bumper are the visual cues to the new model, alongside new alloy wheel designs across the range. The antenna is now a ‘shark fin’ type on the roof, said to improve radio reception.

Inside, there’s a new flat-bottom steering wheel and better finish to air-vents and door-handles. QASHQAI enthusiasts will also observe that there’s new stitching on the centre console lid and leather gaiter for the CVT gearshift lever.

All windows now have one-touch operation and can be lowered/raised outside the car with the key fob, while front seats from ST-L grade up have be redesigned for better comfort and support, while ST gets a new cloth material.

NVH improved
Thicker window glass and improved sound deadening materials have resulted in lower NVH levels. Nissan claims that ‘speech intelligibility’ in the cabin has improved five per cent as a result.

The range has new suspension spring and damper rates, thicker sway bars and other minor changes to firm up ride. A thicker steering shaft is said to improve tracking through corners and other tweaks have reduced vibration felt through the steering wheel and improved the steering’s self-centring.

New safety features
The AEB and forward collision alert now standard on all models was available for QASHQAI in overseas markets when the SUV launched here in 2014, but had not been engineered to suit the Aussie market back then.

While lane departure warning was available before, it now features on all models rather than just Ti. Lane-keeping assist is another new technology, but only available on Ti.

While the QASHQAI has been touted as the first Nissan with ProPilot technology, (which can accelerate, brake and steer the vehicle without driver intervention in certain situations), this feature “is not for Australia at this point of time”, according to Nissan’s product planning manager, Christopher Schultz.

“We are studying it – I think in the future we will likely move to those sorts of technologies, but there’s a lot of mapping and assessments in each country before that can happen. It is only for certain European countries at this point,” he added.

The QASHQAI update retains the five-star ANCAP safety rating, six airbags and reversing camera of the previous model. Park assist, around-view monitor and moving object detection features from the previous model continue, standard on all but ST.

Standard features
The ST comes standard with a leather-clad steering wheel, keyless entry and start, rear camera, front/rear parking sensors, 17-inch alloy wheels, electric park brake with auto-hold function and a six-speaker audio system with AM/FM radio, CD, MP3, USB, AUX and Bluetooth that functions through a 5.0-inch infotainment screen.

A six-speed manual is standard; the CVT can be had for $2500 extra.

The new ST-L model adds 18-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, fog lights, privacy glass, heated and folding door mirrors, part cloth/part leather seats, heated front seats, power driver’s seat adjustment and a 7.0-inch infotainment screen that incorporates sat-nav and DAB+ digital radio.

The infotainment screen has a new more ‘app-like’ interface design but speaking of apps, Apple Car Play and Android Auto are not offered. The ST-L also has the previously mentioned around-view monitor and moving object detection feature.

The N-TEC special-edition (for it will not be offered once the Ti arrives mid-2018) in addition to ST-L features has 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, auto-on headlights, panoramic glass roof, rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone climate control, blind-spot monitoring, park assist, driver fatigue warning, rear cross-traffic alert and mood lighting.

New features not seem on QASHQAI before that are included on N-TEC/Ti spec include high beam-assist and adaptive headlights.

The Ti, when it arrives next year, has in addition to N-TEC features active cruise control, lane assist and leather seat trim.

A new colour called Vivid Blue joins six existing colours: Ivory Pearl, Platinum, Gun Metallic, Night shade, Pearl Black and Magnetic Red. All colours but Ivory Pearl and Pearl Black are considered ‘premium paint’, for which you pay an additional $495.

The 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder petrol continues unchanged, with maximums of 106kW of power at 6000rpm and 200Nm of torque at 4400rpm.

Average fuel consumption is pegged at 7.7L/100km for the manual and 6.9L/100km for the CVT, while CO2 emissions outputs are 178/159g/km respectively.

Nissan expects to sell around 1250 examples of the new QASHQAI a month -- up around 100 on the previous model’s average.

The model split is expected to be evenly divided between ST-L and N-TEC/Ti at 34 per cent each, with the remaining 32 per cent accounted for by the ST.

While ST manual is expected to have a very small three per cent take up, Nissan corporate communications manager Tony Mee said that it offers a “price point” appeal for the range.

2018 Nissan QASHQAI pricing (plus ORCs):
ST — $26,490
ST-L — $32,990
N-TEC — $36,490
Ti — $37,990 (from mid-2018)