The new Nissan Qashqai has been revealed, with third-generation crossover scheduled to arrive in South Africa later in 2021.
In Europe, the new Qashqai will be offered with a 12 V mild-hybrid system comprising a turbocharged 1,3-litre petrol engine and a lithium-ion battery. It will be offered in 102 kW form with a six-speed manual gearbox and in 115 kW guise with a continuously variable transmission.
There will also be a version with the Japanese firm’s latest “e‑Power” drive system, which will use what Nissan terms a “world-first” variable compression ratio petrol engine as a dedicated electricity generating unit.
Riding on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s latest CMF-C platform, the new Qashqai employs more lightweight material than before (the rear hatch, for instance, is now fashioned from a composite material). The crossover employs an updated McPherson strut suspension set-up, with the rear featuring a torsion beam on front-driven models and a multi-link configuration on all-wheel-drive derivatives with 20-inch wheels.
Inside, you’ll find a new 12,3-inch TFT multi-information screen with configurable layouts as well as a 10,8-inch head-up display projecting key information onto the windscreen. The nine-inch display screen, meanwhile, is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, while a smartphone wireless charging pad will be available, too.
“As part of the Nissan Next Transformation Plan in our region, we are excited to welcome the new edition to the Qashqai family later this year. Fourteen years after creating the crossover segment, we are confident that this model will be a game changer,” said Stefan Haasbroek, Nissan South Africa marketing director.
“This pioneering model will be in South and Sub-Saharan Africa in the latter part of the 2021 Financial Year for both regions, respectively, and we are looking forward to a completely renewed design inside and out, innovative technologies and electrified power on our roads,” he added.
