During the 2018 Auto123.com Awards ceremony, held this past November 22nd in Toronto, the new Nissan Qashqai took home the 2018 Subcompact SUV of the Year trophy. It beat out the two other finalists in the category, namely the Toyota C-HR and Subaru Crosstrek. Surprised?
The fact is that the Qashqai is a handsome and very affordable vehicle (starting at just $19,998) that proves to be a safe bet for buyers, which is rare for a brand new product. As the popular Rogue’s little brother, it is already enjoying a lot of success in Canada.
One of the advantages of the Nissan Qashqai is the ability of its interior to accommodate five passengers without impinging on the space available in its large and easily accessible trunk area (which is supplemented by a sub-floor offering additional cargo space).
While the driving experience is not as stimulating as the one delivered by a Mazda CX-3, the Qashqai won’t leave you disappointed on the road thanks to a multilink independent rear suspension. Fuel consumption is pretty reasonable, too, at around 8.4L/100km. The 2.0L four-cylinder engine under the hood produces 141 horsepower via a six-speed manual transmission or a CVT.
The Nissan Qashqai’s standard features include a rear-view camera, Siri Eyes Free, Bluetooth hands-free phone and streaming audio plus a text messaging assistant. Hill Start Assist and Intelligent Trace Control help boost driver confidence, while Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning, Intelligent Cruise Control and Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection are optionally available.
What Nissan has to say…
“Qashqai holds its own with all of its portfolio mates, just as expected of any vehicle that wears the Nissan badge. It fills a need for singles and couples who want more space and versatility than the average sedan for everyday urban use and social activities. Though more compact than Rogue, the new Qashqai fully measures up in terms of features that make driving more enjoyable for both driver and passengers.”
Take some time to consult its specifications, read our Qashqai reviews, see a comparison between the C-HR and Qashqai, discover 10 good reasons to buy one and browse through our photo gallery below.
