Features / 28 September 2022 / Albert du Toit

What the new Nissan Qashqai is competing against in the crossover category

The third-generation Nissan Qashqai has gone on sale in South Africa with prices starting from R568,200 for the entry-level Visia trim.

Those who want the best of what the Qashqai range has to offer will then have to hand over R670,600 for the top-spec Acenta Plus.

The result of this relatively steep asking price, though, is a crossover that is filled to the brim with features as each of these new Nissans brings with it LED headlamps and daytime running lights, a reverse camera, a wireless charger, cruise control, keyless start, a 7-inch instrument panel, and an 8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The mid-range model gains equipment such as dynamic headlamps with high-beam assist, a 360-degree camera application, a 12.3-inch media display, adaptive cruise control, on-board navigation, blind-spot intervention, rear cross-traffic alert, front emergency braking, lane departure warning and prevention, lane keep assist, and driver attention alert.

The top-spec Qashqai further sports Nappa leather upholstery, heated and massaging front seats, a Bose sound system, and larger wheels.

Powering Nissan’s new crossover is a 1.3-litre, turbocharged petrol block, paired with a six-speed manual gearbox in the base specification and a CVT in the rest. The cheapest model is also the only one generating 96kW and 240Nm as both the pricier examples put out 110kW and 250Nm.

As such, the manual drivetrain manages to accelerate to 100km/h in 10.3 seconds while returning an average consumption of 6.4l/100km, whereas the automatics finish the sprint in 8.9 seconds at a rate of 6.1l/100km.

Crossover competition

The new Nissan Qashqai is slowly inching into the premium price range in South Africa’s ever-growing crossover category as it’s now competing against more conventional luxury brands including the likes of Audi, Mini, and Volvo.

The vehicles on offer for roughly the same amount as the third-generation Qashqai can be found below.

Click on the underlined prices for more information.