Nissan has a runaway sales hit with the crossover SUV ‘Qashqai’ but now the range is complete with a seven-seat version called Qashqai+2.
The biggest selling car in the first week of 2009 was Nissan’s chunky Qashqai. It is a car that offers many of the advantages of and SUV without the high price tag or perceived bad environmental impact!
Up until now the five-seat car was one of the most desired family cars around but with the launch of the seven-seat version even a hardened motoring hack like me is grinning.
Nissan point out the obvious in the press blurb stating that Qashqai+2 will fill the gap for buyers who want the practicality of an MPV and an estate car in something that looks the business.
Qashai+2 is longer and taller than the standard car and while it looks very similar to Qashqai, from the windscreen pillar back it is all-new.
The European-designed car now features an even bigger glass panoramic roof (140mm longer) and of course Bluetooth remains standard, features which were the main talking points with the original Qashqai. Also new are the front grille, roof rails, privacy glass and a new look tailgate to mark it out from the standard Qashqai.
The wheelbase (distance between the front and rear wheels) is longer by 135mm and this allows the additional two more seats, while still allowing the car to appear well proportioned. The seats are not removable but they do fold completely flat, which helps turn the Nissan into a seriously versatile machine.
Inside, apart from the additional seats the Qashqai+2 remains pretty much the same as the original. The middle seats now slide to allow access to the rear. The load/tonneau cover can be stowed in-car when all seven seats are in place, which is handy. Boot space is improved upon to 550 litres (+140) and access to the boot area is now 13mm lower.
While four-wheel drive Qashqais are available it is the two-wheel drive versions that are driving sales. Two petrol version (1.6 / 2.0) and two diesels (1.5dci / 2.0dci) are in the Qashqai+2 range.
My front wheel drive test car was powered by a 2-litre diesel and the extra power over the 1.5 diesel offered in the five-seat Qashqai proved very nippy and economical despite the larger displacement.
On greasy wet days it is quite easy to break traction as the 2-litre dci has buckets of torque. Overall the big diesel turned the +2 into a very relaxing drive well able of delivering plenty of extra poke when needed.
Okay, so there must be a downside? Well, like most SUVs & Crossovers there is compromise when you need extra ground clearance and Qashqai+2 has a relatively high floor.
Nissan is very honest when it says the sixth and seventh seats are intended for people up to 1.6 metres tall. Access to the back two seats tricky and best left to the supple and young or a slightly stooping Sting after a Tantric warm up!
Qashqai+2 is a very good car and fills the gap nicely between conventional mid sized MPVs and SUVs. The 1.5 dci is the greenest +2 as it falls in to tax band ‘C’.
Michael Sheridan
