The big-selling Nissan Qashqai has been facelifted, with the major headline a new petrol powertrain range for the British-built crossover.
A 1.3-litre petrol engine has been developed in conjunction with Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler. It will be offered with 130hp and 160hp outputs, and replaces the existing 1.2 115hp and 1.6-litre 163hp petrol units.
The new engine is available in front-wheel-drive format only and while as standard it is combined with a six-speed manual transmission, the 160hp version can be specified with a new dual-clutch auto unit, fitted for the first time in a mainstream Nissan model.
Nissan says that the new powertrains will both improve fuel economy and emissions while also offering much better drivability – acceleration is sharper, but the engine also smoother and quieter.
With both power outputs and a manual transmission best fuel economy is quoted at 53.3mpg and CO2 emissions at 121g/km. Compared to the outgoing 1.2-litre unit the emissions figure is 8g/km lower despite a 25hp power increase.
The new 1.3-litre engine is expected to be fitted to more than half of all Qashqais sold in future.
Also now available for the Qashqai is NissanConnect, an infotainment system operated through a seven-inch touchscreen in the centre console and with full smartphone compatibility.
All models except the entry-level Visia now offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, while the system also provides TomTom Premium Traffic, downloading real-time data. The subscription-based service is free for the first five years of ownership and transferable to a new owner if the car is sold.
A new smartphone app called Door to Door Navigation can be downloaded to the owner’s phone and enables planning of routes before leaving the home or office. Once the route is complete it is sent directly to the car’s system to be ready as soon as the driver gets into the car.
Nissan is yet to reveal prices of the new Qashqai models.
