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Gen 3 has a lot to live up to; Qashqai has been a hugely successful model for Nissan in Europe since Gen 1’s introduction in 2007 |
Nissan has unveiled the new Nissan Qashqai compact crossover SUV for the European market, set to go on sale this summer in Europe.
Marking the third generation since debuting in 2007, the new Qashqai is the first model in Europe to use the Alliance CMF-C platform. For Europe’s markets, it is built at Nissan’s Sunderland, UK, plant.
“The new Nissan Qashqai is the perfect intersection of expressive design and customer expectation,” said Matthew Weaver, vice president of Nissan Design Europe. “Their needs inform our focus, and our bold statements meet their highest expectations. With this next generation model, we have elevated the Qashqai to a new level in offering a premium yet practical, luxurious yet accessible, and advanced yet usable environment that will set the standard for others to follow.”
In terms of construction, the body-in-white makes use of more lightweight material, advanced stamping processes and welding techniques to increase strength and reduce weight. For the first time, the rear hatchback door is now made of a composite material, which saves 2.6 kilograms. This and additional advanced manufacturing techniques result in weight savings of 60 kilograms and a 41% increase in structural rigidity when compared to the out-going model.
With the new CMF-C platform, the all-new Qashqai has an updated Macpherson strut set-up at the front and at the rear. The rear suspension features a torsion beam equipped for two-wheel drive models and a multi-link configuration for all-wheel drive models with 20-inch wheels.
Nissan says power steering has also been enhanced, offering improved response and initial steering range from driver input.
“Between the design, engineering and product planning functions, we have worked harder than ever to elevate the ambience for our customers so their drive is comfortable, refined, convenient and provides a feeling of well-being,” said Marco Fioravanti, vice president of product planning at Nissan Automotive Europe. “It’s where our customers, their families and friends will be spending their time with the car and it should be an exceptional experience”
The new Qashqai features a 12-volt mild hybrid system comprising a 1.3-liter turbo engine and lithium-ion battery. The system enables energy regenerated during deceleration to be used while driving to contribute to both fuel economy and CO2 emissions reduction.
The new Qashqai also brings the first deployment of Nissan’s ‘e-POWER’ drive system to Europe, sales of which are scheduled to start following those of the mild hybrid version. To meet the typical needs of European consumers and their daily drive, the e-POWER system has been significantly upgraded for the new Qashqai with the adoption of Nissan’s world-first variable compression ratio petrol engine as the dedicated electricity generating unit. The result, Nissan says, is a compact, high-output electrified system that, thanks also to the high combustion efficiency of the engine, delivers more efficiency.
Sales will start with the mild-hybrid version, while the e-POWER version will follow later.
Newly offered on the Qashqai, ProPILOT with Navi-link helps to reduce fatigue and stress while driving by assisting with acceleration and braking within a single lane on a highway. The system features the same intuitive controls as ProPILOT, and uses navigation data to smoothly assist with driving, especially with sharp cornering and off-ramp exiting.