The biggest challenge for any car manufacturer operating in this field is trying to persuade a car that looks like an SUV to drive like a car. Honda showed what was possible with the CR-V, but Nissan has taken the game onto a whole new level with the Qashqai. It drives beautifully.
You’ll notice first a six-speed gearbox is standard (it's not in the equivalent Focus) and second the eerily smooth idle of the all-new 138bhp 2.0-litre motor. This is a promising start.
The engine conveys an aura of sophistication which, as we shall shortly see, the Qashqai is going to need to cover flaws in other areas.
Pushed to the limit, the car’s not that quick, not least because at 1437kg it’s heavier even than the conspicuously heavy turbocharged and supercharged Golf 1.4 TSi Sport.
However, it’s hard to imagine the style-conscious family types it’s aimed at becoming too upset about the weight of a car that will nevertheless hit 60mph in 10.1sec and cruise quietly up to a 119mph top speed.
Of greater importance will be the slick gearchange, smooth clutch action and the highly flexible nature of the engine, despite its maximum torque of 144lb ft peaking at a high-sounding 4800rpm. That's because 90 per cent of that torque is actually present at just 2000rpm.
Fuel consumption isn't great - on test it managed just 28.9mpg. Even Nissan’s own figures indicate the combined consumption of 34.4mpg is inferior to that of an equivalent Focus or Golf. At least the 65-litre fuel tank should still mean over 400 miles between stops.
But company buyers are going to need to want this Qashqai very badly. With CO2 emissions nudging 200g/km, it will be assessed on 26 per cent of its value. Buy a no less powerful but quicker and lighter Honda Civic 1.8 VTEC ES and that figure falls to just 17 per cent. For a 40 per cent tax payer, the Qashqai will cost over £600 per year – £50 a month – extra to run.
