SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. We drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under South African conditions. It also just happens that most of the vehicles we drive are world cars as well, so what you read here probably applies to the models you can get at home.

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We try the limited edition Nissan Qashqai 2,0 n-tec

Something a little different

Published in The Witness Motoring on Wednesday April 14, 2010

Introduced in August 2007, Nissan’s Qashqai crossover is billed as halfway between a hatchback and an SUV. Designed for buyers looking for something a little different from the norm, it’s bigger than a typical hatch yet not as bulky as your run-of-the-mill SUV. It’s front wheel drive only, with more city-oriented approach and departure angles, so it definitely has no off-road wannabe attitude. In other words, you get “the look” while saving up to a hundred grand in the process.

You also get the people-carrying capacity and high riding friendliness of an SUV without the thirst that often goes with it. Good for shorter drivers, families, older folk and as a baby carrier in fact. Nissan has sold over 4 500 of these to SA buyers since it was introduced.

Refreshing the image and reminding buyers of what’s available, Nissan added a limited edition version of the 2,0 litre petrol Acenta this past October. Billed as the n-tec, you get added ‘tude in the form of 18” diamond-cut alloys, darkened rear windows and dark-chromed roof rails, door handles and grille for R11 000 over the price of the standard version.  Only 200 examples will be offered.

In addition to the smouldering look, the Qashqai n-tec can be fitted with an exclusive accessories package. For R17 500 over the list price, customers can add an advanced infotainment system with satellite navigation, integrated Bluetooth functionality and an auxiliary input for your iPod or compatible MP3 player. Considering the stratospheric prices demanded by some manufacturers for their satnav and entertainment options, this one is positively a bargain. The package also includes two-tone branded leather upholstery for the ultimate in plush.

Further, not that our law-abiding and environmentally friendly readers would really care one way or the other, the satnav is loaded with warnings of all the current fixed speed traps. It also calculates actual road speed as you move between satellites, so you can be aware of how fast you really are going – no excuses when Officer Aggro pulls you over, then.

My impressions of this car include willing but not electric performance, with 100 km/h coming up in a touch under 11 seconds, a very pleasant six-speed manual ‘box geared at about 40 km/h per thousand rpm in top and confident road holding. The view outwards from the driver’s seat is good but not great in the modern fashion, as narrow rear side windows restrict one’s over-shoulder vision somewhat. This criticism is by no means restricted to Nissan or the Qashqai – most manufacturers seem to have adopted the pseudo-coupé look that causes this problem.

The boot is quite big at 288 litres, expandable to 1 056 litres with the seatbacks down. Head- and legroom for rear seat passengers is best described as “just enough”, while slightly narrower-than-expected rear doors make getting back out a little awkward for us big boned people. I put this down to the fact that Qashqais are about 130 mm shorter than regular SUVs – can’t have everything, can we?

For those who haven’t read up on Qashqais recently, all the expected safety kit is there. Six airbags, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, VDC stability management and Isofix mountings for child safety seats all contribute to a 5 Star EuroNCAP rating.

The numbers

Price: R289 500

As tested: R307 000

Engine: 1997 cc, four cylinders, petrol driven

Power: 102 kW at 5 200 rpm

Torque: 198 Nm at 4 400 rpm

Zero to 100 km/h: 10,7 seconds

Maximum speed: 192 km/h

Real life fuel consumption over about 400 km of testing: 9,7 l/100 km

Ground clearance: 200 mm

Approach/departure angles: 19,2/30,2 degrees

Warranty: 3 years/100 000 km with roadside assistance

Service plan: 3 years/90 000 km

 

 

What we do

This is a one-man show, which means that road test cars entrusted to me are driven only by me. Some reviewers hand test cars over to their partners to use as day-to-day transport and barely experience them for themselves.

What this means to you is that every car reviewed is given my own personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every car goes through real world testing; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.

I am based in Pietermaritzburg, KZN, South Africa. This is the central hub of the KZN Midlands farming community; the place farmers go to to buy their supplies and equipment, truck their goods to market, send their kids to school and go to kick back and relax. 

So occasionally a cow, a goat or a horse may add a little local colour by finding its way into the story or one of the pictures. It's all part of the ambience!

Comments?

Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you thoroughly disagree with what I say? That's your privilege, because if everybody agreed on everything, the world would be a boring place. All I ask is that you remain calm, so please blow off a little steam before venting too vigorously. Contact me here

 

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