Hybrid confirmed as Qashqai fully revealed

The next generation of Nissan’s core crossover has been uncovered, along with more detail about its electric-assisted e-Power drivetrain.

CONFIRMATION that a potent hybrid powertrain will feature in the next-generation of Nissan’s Qashqai crossover has come with the brand now fully revealing the car.

Nissan New Zealand has still not offered any comment about the new model, which once again is being produced in the United Kingdom.

Whether this market will be in line for the new hybrids – psrticularly the top version of which combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor - remains unknown, though given the national climate for such powertrains is warming, the tech would seem to have a good chance.

As previously reported, also offering is a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol related to that of the current car, but with its own internal improvements to reduce fuel consumption. This unit is now mated to an uprated 12-volt electrical system, known as Advanced Lithium-ion battery System. 

With Nissan’s hybrid the 115kW petrol engine doesn’t ever drive the wheels directly - instead it sends all of its exertions to a power generator, inverter and 140kW (electric motor that's similar to the one found in the likes of the Nissan Leaf fully electric.

It drives through the Xtronic CVT automatic and also comes with the option of four-wheel drive, with five driving modes - Standard, Eco, Sport, Snow and Off-Road.

The e-Pedal system that features on the Leaf also enacts on the five-door crossover, meaning drivers can make use of one pedal driving. Stepping off the throttle can provide up to 0.2G of regenerative deceleration without any need to touch the brake. 

The revised 1.3 turbo comes in two states of tune, 102kW and 116kW. The more powerful avails with a CVT automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive; the other with a manual six-speed.

The styling is familiar, but the shape is more smoothed-off and more creased in places; it also has the same family face premiered by the smaller Juke. There's also, for the first time, the choice of having 20-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, visibility is said to be improved and there's more room for passengers in the rear - with the back doors opening by up to 80 degrees to make ingress and egress as simple as possible - and the boot space has gone up by 50 litres compared to the old model, too. This is accessed by a powered tailgate as standard.

 Up front, there's an updated and significantly sharper infotainment system plus heavily digital interface. Besides the nine-inch touchscreen, which contains the navigation, onboard entertainment and more, there's a 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster, while a 10.8-inch head-up display is the biggest in this segment.

New Pathfinder smartens up

New tech and fresh styling, plus a return to an automatic transmission, with current underpinning and engine retained.

NISSAN has revealed the next generation of its Pathfinder sports utility, but has yet to make clear if it will be available in New Zealand.

Designed and built in its primary market, North America, the new model presents a new styling on top of a current platform that has been extensively re-engineered.

The sole engine being discussed for now is a 3.5-litre petrol V6 that’s been a Nissan stalwart though it has slightly more power and torque, with an uplift to 212kW and 351Nm, but a hybrid featuring a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol is said to be in the wings.

Plus, the transmission is new, Nissan having divorced the current model’s constantly variable unit for a nine-speed orthodox automatic. The model avails in front as well as four-wheel-drive.

Other news is that it seats eight, over three rows, and loads up on latest Nissan technology, including a swish infotainment suite.

Much of the old car remains under the new model's skin, with the new SUV sharing the previous model's 2900mm wheelbase. Overall length has shrunk by 38mm to 5003mm, while the car's width and height have grown by around 19mm and 12mm to 1979mm and 1778mm respectively.

The body styling rework delivers the company's new design language, expressed particularly strongly up front with C-shaped LED headlights and signature daytime-running lights, plus Nissan's 'V-motion' grille.

The eight-seat layout is standard, but a seven-seat configuration is an option, the latter taking individual chairs in the second row separated by a removable centre console.

Comfort levels step up. The driver and front passenger enjoy climate-controlled seats and even the third row seats can be heated. The interior is dressed in semi-aniline leather.

The new infotainment provisions with a 9.0-inch touchscreen running a 'NissanConnect' system, including wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto capability and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The driver gets a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel with a 10.8-inch head-up display, while other interior featured include wireless smartphone charging, satellite navigation, a 360-degree camera, and a Bose premium audio system with 13 speakers.

Nissan's release today speaks of an onboard 'ProPilot Assist' system with adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist, to offer semi-autonomous speed control on highways. The brand's 'Safety Shield 360' safety suite offers front and rear autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning and high-beam assist.

Modest price hit for Navara refresh

It’s more than just a fresh face, but the biggest single increase appears to be $1300.

ENHANCING the safety spec, improving refinement, delivering a restyling and introducing of a new flagship model have hardly impacted on Nissan Navara pricing.

In advance of delivering the facelifted model line, Nissan New Zealand has sent out RRPs to its dealers and it appears to be a good news story.

The biggest increase seems to be a $1300 hit, for the ST doublecab automatic four-wheel-drive.

Many other derivatives go up by much less – in one case by a mere $300 – and in two instances, the stickers have reduced.

The ST four-wheel-drive auto doublecab is down $1100 and the range’s new flagship, the Pro-4X (pictured), at $70,400 in automatic form is $6200 cheaper than the top dog of the outgoing range, the N-Trek.

Whether the Pro-4X replaces the latter is still a matter for conjecture; it’s a factory flagship that might yet become a base for a new N-Trek (a package created in Australia for Nissan by a third party developer).

The updated line comprises five rear-drive models and 11 editions with on-demand four-wheel-drive, all with a 2.3-litre four-cylinder twin turbo diesel engine.

The 2021 lineup presents the first big facelift for the ute and introduces five years into its life cycle.

Not everything changes. The engine continues to make 140kW and 450Nm and remains wed to the existing seven-speed auto. Suspension tune is not touched. Towing capacity remains capped at 3500kg but Nissan has indicated improved payload, with up to 1.1-tonnes of carrying capacity in the Pro-4X and up to 1.2 tonnes on workhorse models.  

However, it’s not challenging to pick the new from the old.

The biggest obvious visual revision is to the front. The fresh face is a shared identity – the next-size-up Nissan Titan in North America has much the same look. Aside from the XL-sized grille, Navara takes bi-LED headlights with C-shaped daylight running lights. 

All this means it adopts new sheetmetal forward of the windscreen, bonnet included. The rear outer skins, tailgate, wheel arch flares and tail-lights are come in for re-sculpting.

The sides of the ute tub are 20mm higher, though this is more for styling than to create extra usable space and the tailgate hinge is spring-loaded. 

The interior gets a minor makeover and a more compact steering wheel, with extra buttons which work in conjunction with a larger digital display between analogue dials in the instrument cluster. The steering wheel still only has tilt adjustment rather than height and reach adjustment. A new laminated windscreen, thicker side glass, and extra sound-deadening behind the dash promise a quieter driving experience.

The Navara moves to autonomous emergency braking, forward crash alert, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind zone warning for the first time. So, a step up … but still a step behind the likes of the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50.  

Nissan is yet to outline if this advanced safety tech will be on all variants.

As before, top-end Navara models come with push button start, dual zone air-conditioning, rear air vents, heated front seats, power folding sides mirrors, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and embedded navigation. The infotainment is the same system that came with an update 18 months ago.

Hybrid engines outlined for Qashqai

The next generation of the Qashqai crossover is gaining electric assistance.

 HYBRID powertrains will feature in the next-generation of Nissan’s Qashqai crossover. 

Even though the car’s official release is still a year away, Nissan has decided now is the right time to share information about the new option, the most advanced version of which is intended to be offered under the e-Power branding.

Nissan New Zealand has not offered any insight as to whether this market will be in line for the new units, the top version of which combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to drive the front wheels.

Also offering is a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol related to that of the current car, but with its own internal improvements to reduce fuel consumption. This unit is now mated to an uprated 12-volt electrical system, known as Advanced Lithium-ion battery System. 

 Hybrid drive appears to be set to be the sole choice for the car in Europe, however that does not discount that other engines could be provisioned elsewhere.

The 1.5-litre set-up differs from many other hybrids in that the 115kW petrol engine doesn’t ever drive the wheels directly - instead it charges the battery which supplies an electric motor producing 140kW and 330Nm of torque.

The advantages? There are several, the brand claims. Primarily, though, with the electric motor driving the wheels alone, the Qashqai will benefit from the driving characteristics of an EV, not least more instantaneous throttle response.

The car will not only accelerate quicker than its hybrid rivals but does so with a lower engine rpm, which should mean that it doesn’t suffer from the much-criticized rubber-band effect under acceleration of other parallel hybrids with CVT transmissions, the maker suggests.  

Lower CO2 emissions also result and the arrangement also means that Nissan has been able to tune the 1.5 petrol unit to operate at its most efficient when topping up the battery, meaning that it has the potential to deliver strong fuel economy. 

The e-Pedal system that features on the Leaf also enacts on the five-door crossover, meaning drivers can make use of one pedal driving. Stepping off the throttle can provide up to 0.2G of regenerative deceleration without any need to touch the brake.

Recuperated energy is deployed in the form of a modest 6Nm torque boost under acceleration for up to 20 seconds at a time. Combined with a stop/start system that cuts the engine from 17kmh when coasting to a halt. 

The revised 1.3 turbo comes in two states of tune, 102kW and 116kW. The more powerful avails with a CVT automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive; the other with a manual six-speed.

As Nissan has previously confirmed, diesel will no longer feature in the Qashqai’s engine family.

Surprisingly, a plug-in hybrid won’t be coming, either, with Nissan instead prioritising e-Power tech and all-electric vehicles such as the new Ariya, the Qashqai’s slightly larger electric sibling.

The car has yet to be fully unveiled – that happens soon – but some carefully-considered images of some interior highlights have been issued. Also, the car’s general dimensions has been revealed. It is known that the new car is 35mm longer and 30mm wider than its predecessor. The interior gains 22mm extra knee room for rear seat passengers and 28mm more shoulder room for those up front. Front and rear headroom has also improved by around 15mm, thanks to the redesign.

Juke recall gives new meaning to sticker shock

Don’t worry, it seems only the neighbours are upset by this issue.

COULD it legitimately be called a jack-up? 

A recall action for the latest Nissan Juke, that seems not to have impact on examples shipped to New Zealand, is certainly something out of the ordinary.

It seems the car has become subject to a precautionary check-over action across the Tasman because the jack that comes with the car does not comply with Australian safety standards.

The problem isn’t with the device itself – it’s in perfect condition to undertake the job of lifting the vehicle off the ground to change tyres. 

It’s all down to it not having a label that passes muster with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

It says the jacks do not comply with Australian safety standards due to the omission of a correct instruction label. Not having this could potentially cause an accident if a vehicle is not jacked correctly by the operator.

Affected vehicles were sold between 20 May 2020 and 2 September 2020. Nissan Australia is contacting owners to organise inspection and repair of the defect. 

As for New Zealand? Well, we take the same stock as Australia, but there has been no word from Nissan New Zealand – whose new boss in still stuck in Australia, due to coronavirus travel restrictions – and, from a quick check with a local dealer, the consternation raised across the Tasman has not been felt here. ‘All news to me’ was the local comment, with thought no action is required here.