NISSAN QASHQAI (2011 - 2013)

By Andy Enright

Models Covered

5dr Crossover (1.6, 2.0 petrol, 1.6, 2.0 diesel [Visia, Acenta, 360, Tekna])

Introduction

Pleasant surprises are always welcome. It's probably fair to say that Nissan probably didn't expect to radically change the way British buyers bought mid-range cars when it introduced the Qashqai back in 2007, but that's exactly what happened. Nissan called it a crossover and that's exactly what it was, offering a blend of the qualities of family hatch and SUV. Still, Nissan needed to stay ahead of a chasing pack that jealously regarded its consistent top ten position in the UK sales charts. A whole host of copycat vehicles followed but in 2011, Nissan made a wide-ranging series of changes to the Qashqai, keeping it at the vanguard of the new breed of crossovers. Here's how to track down a good used one.

The History

Nissan probably wins the award for most visionary car manufacturer of the past decade. Time and again it's managed to predict market trends and be there with the right product when the public gets with the program. The Qashqai is but the most obvious example, but cars like the Juke and the GT-R have also been massive hits. It's developed the theme along the way, never giving its opposition a static target to draw a bead on. In 2009 we saw an element of MPV versatility added to the mix with the seven-seater Qashqai+2 variant was launched. But of course, competitive brands were watching and by the beginning of 2010, Nissan responded with this heavily revised second generation model, a car that was smarter and cleverer.

Launched in the Autumn of 2011, the big news with the updated Qashqai was under its bonnet. To support the underwhelming 1.5-litre dCi diesel, in came a 130bhp 1.6-litre dCi diesel that made all the right numbers when it came to real world performance, fuel economy and emissions. More importantly for Nissan, it put some distance between the Qashqai and the chasing pack. Cars like the Subaru XV and the Mazda CX-5 were posing a clear threat. Results talk though, and the Qashqai battered these very talented rivals in the sales charts, right through to its replacement at the end of 2013 with a car that was new from the ground up.

What To Look For

The Qashqai has proven exemplary in its reliability; a testament to its British manufacturing team. In judging the Qashqai Used Car of the Year for the second year running in 2011, a panel of judges comprising of used car market and vehicle valuation experts at CAP said: “The Nissan Qashqai has created an entirely new ‘crossover’ sector and prompted other manufacturers to follow by marrying the practicality of a people carrier with the looks of a quality 4x4.

By achieving this in a package that also offers economy, handling, strong build quality and reliability the Qashqai has become the perfect used car for our time.” There's not really much to add to that.

On The Road

If you want a crossover model of this kind, then this one remains the benchmark, especially when it comes to on-tarmac driving dynamics. Like all its like-minded rivals, this one is aiming to offer everything people like about butch-looking SUVs in a more practical and affordable family hatch-shaped package. So you get the looks without any of the compromises you’ll not want to make if you never go off road.

At the wheel, it feels like a normal family hatch in which you simply sit a bit higher. Nice, but trying to persuade a car that looks and feels like an SUV to drive like a car is no easy task. After all, conventional logic suggests that the taller you make a vehicle the more it will roll. Still, Nissan’s British Cranfield engineers clearly don’t believe in conventional logic because this model manages to deliver its high stance and supple multi-link suspension ride without taut, responsive handling becoming a casualty in the process. A truly class-leading hatch is still slightly better of course but it can’t offer this car’s range of attributes, further improved since this model’s 2010 facelift with revised damper settings that further improve comfort and responsiveness.

Even better news is that the brakes are strong, the standard 6-speed gearbox slick and even the electric power steering responsive. And refinement? Well that wasn’t a strongpoint of the original version of this car, especially compared to say a Peugeot 3008, but it was improved on this revised version, thanks to extra noise insulation and an acoustic windscreen.

As for engines, well the 117PS 1.6-litre petrol and 110PS 1.5-litre dCi diesel have to work pretty hard to move nearly one and a half tonnes of metalwork along but they’re just about up to it, making sixty from rest in around 12s on the way to a top speed of just over 110mph.

The pick of the engines is the 130PS 1.6-litre dCi diesel, co-developed with Nissan’s Alliance partner Renault. All right, so it’s not lightning quick – rest to sixty takes just over 10s on the way to 118mph – but it’s a lot quicker than you’d expect from a Crossover capable of delivering a 63mpg combined cycle fuel figure and a sub-120g/km CO2 reading.

Overall

If you're looking for a mid-range crossover, start with the Nissan Qashqai and work from there. There hasn't been a bad model built to date, but if you're looking for the inside pick, go for one of the later versions we’ve been looking at here with the 1.6-litre dCi diesel and don't be afraid to budget a little extra to bump yourself up a trim level or two. Remember, there's no shortage of Qashqai stock out there, so make it your mission to land yourself a bargain.