WATCH: All-new Nissan Qashqai has curb appeal and drive

Qashqai is a word derived from the name of an Iranian tribe and links the car as an “urban nomad”, apt to the new design and appearance. It speaks to the adaptability of the vehicle. It’s easy to mistake the new Nissan Qashqai for another brand.

I’ve always known Nissan to be a trusted brand but it was never sexy… Ads on TV showed families and the occasional dog living the South African life. It was ideal, picturesque, serene, but let’s admit it, a bit bland.

Fast-forward to 2023, and Nissan has really upped its game in the reliability stakes, especially with the impressive all-new Qashqai SUV.

The body is completely new and the design is more than a mere facelift. Along with the angular and sexy exterior, the interior has been upgraded to look more aggressive, smooth and appealing.
So appealing, not only do you see it coming, you want to drive in it.

In current times, switching it up by adding a bit of style is certainly what many people want when buying a car. Performance is not everything; beauty is – and this is a beautiful-looking vehicle.

With a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, the vehicle gives great performance on the road and handles well on curves, as well as in peak-hour traffic.

And, although it aggressively hints at off-road ability, don’t be fooled – this is still just a front-wheel-drive station wagon…

Yet, following in the tracks of the original Nissan Qashqai, which set new standards for handling among family SUVs, the new vehicle never feels like it’s slipping or about to get bent out of shape in dramatic manoeuvres.

All-new Nissan Qashqai is packed with features

Aside from the handling, my favourite part is the interior because the upgrade offers class and comfort, as well as high-tech appeal to the smartphone generation (which is all of us these days, to be honest).

You can’t offer this type of car to a tech-savvy market without all the bells and whistles and the Qashqai will satisfy tech geeks as well as those who just want to show off.

When speaking to people about the car, it is apparent that it was viewed as a family car, at times even a “mommy car”.

There is nothing wrong with a mom car, because this usually means reliability, durability, comfort and safety.

Ever heard of a dog guard in a car? Well, this car has one, so your best friend can be part of your daily rides.

The car also has door entry guards, sport pedals and foot rests, boot entry guards for added protection when loading and unloading and a smartphone cup holder.

It has female appeal and slant, and this is delightful because it’s something sexy for the girls who can use it like different pairs of shoes for different roles: go from picking up the kids to packing bags for trips in a spacious boot, to picking up friends for a night out on the town. A real trendsetter.

Don’t think the performance is poor, it isn’t. Boasting a good amount of power and grit, it holds down well through all weather conditions.

Infotainment isn’t tricky to connect to, with an eight-inch touchscreen system which accommodates Apple Auto and Android CarPlay, with the latest charging ports as well as supporting passengers in the back and their devices – not to mention anchor points for baby seats.

The Nissan Qashqai stands out as an attractive, modern car for the modern single or modern family.

At the starting price of R568 200, it’s a reasonable investment for a family. Even if you’d like to cut down on the budget and only own one family car – this one is more than enough.

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