One of the most popular cars in the UK market over the last 15 years or so, the Nissan(Renault) Qashqai is getting another makeover, with a ground-up redesign. Here’s some extracts from Renault’s press office;
Nothing stands still for long in the highly competitive crossover segment that Nissan pioneered with the original Qashqai. In the three-and-a-bit years since the third generation Qashqai was launched, it has sold more than 350,000 units in Europe and continues to set the standard for crossovers – the pioneer and still the benchmark. And to maintain its place as the reference in its segment, it has received a comprehensive aesthetic refresh, as well as significant technology updates.
The new headlights bring a sense of purpose and presence, with an even sharper look. It now features an adaptive high beam module complemented by a smaller unit for wider beam distribution, useful for increased visibility in low-light conditions and fog.
A new 18″ diamond cut alloy wheel is now standard on the mid-grade Qashqai. For the higher grades, there is a new 19″ alloy and a new 20″ diamond-cut alloy wheel design. This range of striking wheels gives one of the widest range of wheels in the segment, adding an extra dimension to the Qashqai’s eye-catching design refresh.
Three new colours have been added to the Qashqai’s palette. Pearl White is new and features a cleaner, pure tint that appears to give a glow in certain lighting conditions. Pearl Black replaces the previous black option and has a richer black tint and has the effect of sharpening the definition of the Qashqai’s visual geometry.
INSIDE SPACE
Updated seat trims have been introduced across the upper three grades of Qashqai for an even more premium feel. Most notable is the black partially quilted premium leather on the top spec Qashqai. On the penultimate grade, there’s a quilted synthetic leather which is complemented by “burnt umber” flashes on the seat base and shoulders of the seat upright.
The seats on the N-Design grade feature black leather with quilting, and Alcantara® inserts, while specific embossed “Qashqai” wordmark adorns the section just below the headrest.
ADVANCED TECH AND SAFETY
IE SAYS: Insurers will love this new 3D tech, which should help minimise the risk of various low speed parking incidents, by offering detailed viewpoints and alerts as the driver attempts to park or exit from tight spaces.
Around View Monitor [AVM] is one of the most commonly used features on the Qashqai and has been significantly upgraded. This is a signature Nissan technology which dates back to 2007.
When reverse is selected, the view of four external cameras is combined to give a birds-eye view of the vehicle to allow parking manoeuvres with maximum confidence. The newly upgraded AVM tech employs four cameras to deliver super clear view in all light conditions.
The upgraded AVM system now features a 3D function allowing the driver to see the car not only from above, but also select one of eight different external camera view points to visualise the car from the front, rear, sides or corners to potentially identify any unseen exterior hazards. It works in tandem with Nissan’s Moving Object Detection system, which sounds an alert when it perceives a moving object in the proximity of the Qashqai.
Additionally, a feature known as “invisible hood view” allows the driver to see the position of the front wheels as if looking at them from just behind, which enables them to precisely manoeuvre in tight locations, such as multi-storey car parks where there are concrete kerbs (or metal bollards) which would damage a wheel. This view uses machine learning to create the image based on what the front camera can see in front, with the wheels super-imposed into the view to give a sense of perspective.
Furthermore, the AVM tech can be used to help drivers make a safe entry from a difficult exit onto a road where visibility is limited. It uses a wide-angle front camera to show the view from the front of the bonnet, projected onto the central screen. Like the “Parking Spot Location Memory” function, locations with limited visibility can be stored in AVM’s GPS memory, so it will automatically activate close to the junction.
ADAS FUNCTIONS
The Autonomous Emergency Braking functions have been recalibrated to sharpen its risk detection and to react more quickly in case of possible collision. This applies to Front Emergency Brake, Pedestrian Front Emergency Brake, Front Emergency Brake Cyclist, and Intelligent Emergency Brake functions.
In the case of emergency braking, the Emergency Stop Signal will be activated. This triggers the flashing of the rear brake lights to catch the attention of vehicles behind. It activates when a sudden brake pressure is applied at above 60km/h.
The Emergency Lane Keep System is now automatically activated on starting the Qashqai. It triggers the operation of both Lane Departure Warning and Lane Departure Prevention systems at speeds above 60km/h. It consists of a haptic warning via a vibration through the steering wheel when the system detects the car is too close to either the central lines or the side of the road.
The Intelligent Speed Assistance system which helps the driver to adapt the vehicle system to the prevailing speed limit by using both a camera to read speed limit road signs as well as GPS data has been upgraded. A flashing icon already catches the driver’s attention when they are above the speed limit, and it will now sound an alarm if they don’t reduce their speed.
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