Nissan QASHQAI 1.6 Tekna 5dr Car Review - March 2012

The Qashqai’s 1.6 litre, 4-cylinder, 16V petrol engine produces 115 bhp at 6,000 rpm, while the torque figures stand at 117 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm. This translates into a top speed of 113 mph, while 0-62 mph arrives in 11.9 seconds.

The strong suspension deals easily with bumpy and uneven surfaces, resulting in a smooth and comfortable ride. There is a fair amount of body lean through corners, but the steering offers plenty of feel. The Qashqai is extremely refined, the 1.6 litre petrol engine is very quiet, and wind and road noise are well-isolated even on faster roads.

The dashboard is clear and well-organised. The steering wheel adjusts for both height and reach, and the driver’s seat alters for height and offers good support. The elevated driving position delivers excellent front visibility. The Qashqai has a well-crafted exterior. Inside the cabin the plastics are a little cheap but the build quality is generally very high.

All Qashqais are generously equipped. Entry-level Visia models come with alloy wheels, four electric windows, electric mirrors, a CD player and Bluetooth connectivity. Acenta trim offers climate control, a CD changer, parking sensors, cruise control, and automatic headlamps and wipers.

The n-tec cars get sat-nav and a panoramic sunroof. Top of the range Tekna models, such as this one, have full leather upholstery, xenon headlights and a reversing camera. Metallic paint is available at additional cost.

The Qashqai seats four comfortably, but room is tight with five people. The rear headroom does not match some rivals but the boot is large. Boot space figures are 410 litres with the seats up and 860 litres when the seats are down.

The car features an impressive safety kit that includes six airbags, stability control and active front head restraints to reduce whiplash. The car comes with an immobiliser to deter thieves. Reliability should not be an issue, Nissan have an impeccable record in this department. The Qashqai finished in the top 40 overall in the 2011 JD Power customer satisfaction survey.

The car also comes with a three-year warrantyf or 60,000 miles.

The Tekna is priced at £20,795, which is considerably cheaper than the Volvo XC60 and slightly less than the Peugeot 3008. Its fuel economy is good and consistent with the rest of the range, as are its carbon dioxide emissions of 144 g/km which place under road tax band F. It has low running costs and is amongst the cheapest cars in the range to insure - falling under price bracket 18.

Reliability is excellent and resale values are high. The Tekna has all the gadgets but it is a little pricier than other models. However it is still a decent prospect for families looking for a well-equipped, practical, safe medium family car.