Nissan Qashqai +2 SUV review, test drive

The Qashqai +2 is much more impressive from behind the wheel. I drove the Nissan crossover on a mix of city streets and fast mountain roads, and came away seriously impressed. This car has a 1.6 DCi diesel engine that is more powerful than the 110bhp 1.5 DCi we are used to. It puts out a nicely measured and smoothly delivered 128bhp and there’s plenty of torque. In fact, the new engine coped well despite the hefty 1,404kg kerb weight of our test car and the presence of some steep inclines on our route. There is very little turbo lag, the engine spins sweetly and responses are impressively quick. As a result, it feels like you are driving a car with a much larger engine. The strong mid-range pull and the wide powerband of the engine also allow you to overtake cars quite easily. What also impressed was the positive action of the manual gearbox. It needs a firm hand at times, but it is almost impossible to miss a shift, which is good for a six-speeder with a double-H gate.

Crossovers are meant to drive and ride as well as cars. This is a bit difficult when the vehicle in question is this large and bulky, but the Qashqai +2 does surprisingly well. There is a hint of body roll and this is noticeable when you want to change directions quickly, but other than that, there is plenty of grip around corners. The steering is well weighted and responds well, and after some time at the wheel, it’s relatively easy to work the car into a nice rhythm. Also impressive is the ride – it feels nice and absorbent at low speeds and well settled as you go faster, managing to do both without much compromise. There is a bit of tyre and wind noise at higher speeds though, which is a bit of a shame. 

The Qashqai +2 is a vehicle that’s really well suited to Indian requirements. It looks like a full-fledged off-roader, it has a seriously impressive diesel engine, there’s plenty of space on the inside, and it even rides and drives well. The third row may be too cramped and the design of the dashboard may look seriously out of date, but these are things that Nissan can fix quite easily on the new model – the car Nissan plans to get to India at a price of around Rs 22 lakh. Should be a car worth waiting for.