Business Car Manager verdict

There is an awful lot riding on the new Nissan Qashqai, given just how popular the outgoing model remains.

The evolutionary route was probably best, and there’s certainly nothing in the new model that will put off existing owners.

The fact that it’s lower in height might worry some, but headroom inside is actually increased, while boot space also gets a useful increase. The boot itself is an engineering marvel, with hidden storage, multiple floors, wiped-clean panels, cubby holes and dividers all available to create the perfect storage space.

The Connect system won’t frighten anybody either, the touch screen working well for controlling the sat nav and other ancillary functions. Fortunately Nissan hasn’t fallen victim to the trend of moving everything behind a complex menu system, so the dashboard still has traditional dials for temperature and volume controls.

The Nissan Qashqai offers a first class driving experience, with some great design touches throughout, all wrapped up with some excellent build quality. It does this while providing healthy fuel economy and company car tax-avoiding levels of CO2 emissions. All models are well equipped and prices, while slightly higher than previously, aren’t unrealistic.

Few flaws exist, but what there are can easily be overlooked in a car that is so clearly competent in every area. It may not be a terribly exciting car, but it’s all the car many people will ever need.

Huge expectations? Consider them met.

The Low Down…

…and what it costs