Peeking under the bonnet of the new Nissan Qashqai

Peeking under the bonnet of the new Nissan Qashqai

Nissan revealed the brand new Nissan Qashqai last week and claimed that it will redefine the crossover sector. After the fanfare of the release of the model and its pricing, we've taken a look under the bonnet to take a more in-depth look at what the new model has to offer.

The Japanese manufacturer is using the new model to bring premium features to the family car market and the new Qashqai has four grades - Visia, Acenta, Acenta Premium and Tekna - each of which are packed with innovative features.

The Visia models start at £17,595 and increases to £22,395 with standard kit that includes Bluetooth, hill start assist, cruise control, LED daytime running lights and air conditioning. The mid-range Acenta is priced from £19,145, with the addition of 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone air conditioning, a leather steering wheel and automatic lights and wipers.

Next up is the Acenta Premium trim, which features a seven-inch touchscreen, rear-view camera, front and rear parking sensors and push-button start.

The range topping Tekna features 19-inch alloy wheels, Bi LED headlights, full leather trim, intelligent park assist and electric seats.

Aside from the features and add-ons, Nissan has updated the engine range for the new Qashqai model, with four new refined petrol and diesel-powered models available within the range.

The four new turbocharged engines all feature stop-start technology, which improves fuel consumption.

Nissan's two new diesel engines come in the shape of a 109bhp 1.5-litre model and a 128bhp 1.6-litre version. The first returns 74.3 mpg with the fuel saving features and emits just under 100 g/km of CO2, while the 1.6-litre engine, which can be specified with four-wheel drive and a new Xtronic CVT automatic gearbox, has slightly higher emissions of 115 g/km of CO2.

Petrol powertrains come in the shape of an all-new 113bhp 1.2-litre turbo engine, which has similar performance to the outgoing 1.6-litre petrol motor but with better economy at 50.4mpg and 129g/km. The most powerful engine available in the new Qashqai is a 148bhp 1.6-litre turbo.