South Africa is getting the new Nissan Qashqai hybrid crossover!
The third generation Nissan Qashqai will soon be here, and much has been written about this major update to the car that started the crossover way back when. The big new news is that it will come with a full-hybrid option early next year.
The e-Power Qashqai is rare among hybrids in that, instead of running on either petrol or electric, the petrol engine is used to generate electricity for the battery. The battery is the only driver of the front wheels, making this Qashqai more like an EV than a hybrid.
Nissan, in fact, sees the Qashqai as the last car before you go full EV.
The current European mild-hybrids use a 1.3L petrol engine, but this full hybrid gets a new 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol, combined with an inverter and electric motor to give you 140kW and 330 Nm or torque.
This power, combined with the immediacy of the torque characteristic of an EV, makes this the nippiest Qashqai. Zero to 100km/h takes only 7.7 seconds, shifting for what is essentially a family/business crossover SUV. The top speed is around 170km/h.
But you buy a hybrid for the fuel efficiency, and for some of us, the CO2 emissions.
Nissan reckons the e-Power will get 4.4-litre/100km combined driving, and CO2 of 119g/km. Even if you are not overly concerned about emissions, it is already a thing in Europe and will be here soon as well. The Qashqai is a popular choice among fleet owners, and with normal ICE cars emitting about 145g/km, the e-Power will be very competitive in that market.
Nissan’s claim that this Qashqai drives like an EV is very close to reality. The drive is quiet until you put your foot down. Then a refined, muted roar. It is nearly as responsive as a dedicated EV.
Another EV feature is the e-Pedal from the Leaf. This is basically a responsive regenerative braking system that allows you to drive with one pedal most of the time. As you lift your foot off the pedal, the car slows down and soaks up your kinetic energy into recharging the battery.
It seems as though the Qashqai will offer Nissan’s ProPilot semi-autonomous driving, which will take the slog out of rush hour and longer distances.
The Qashqai is quite different from the second, although the current model is a very good car at excellent value for money. The big difference will be the e-Power version though.
