Some things in life aren’t always what they seem. On the face of it, they’re uninspiring, run-of-the-mill, ordinary. But then, every now and then, you can’t help but be completely blown away by something you expected little of.
I have driven many new cars over the last couple of years, and yes, some of them have been tremendous, some not so. I also make a point of trying not to carry any preconceptions into a review. It is so easy to be swayed by your thoughts and for past experiences to alter a viewpoint. When the Qashqai (funny name, isn’t it) was dropped off, I gave it the quick once-over and had a poke around inside. Hmmm…. And that was it for an hour or two. Other obligations prevented me from having a play straight away.
When the time came to go for a drive, I sat for a little while, read through the handbook, had a twiddle with the knobs and switches and then set off.
Only a few cars have ever had such an immediate effect on my thoughts. By the end of the road I thought ‘This is Nice!’. By the edge of the village, it was ‘This is Excellent’. By the time I’d reached some decent “Big” roads I was buzzing. What an absolutely lovely car to drive.
On paper the Qashqai doesn’t seem so special. This proves beyond doubt that it’s impossible to tell how good a car is until you get behind the wheel.
Over the weekend I had the pleasure of taking 3 of our teenagers across the country to Sherwood Forest and a couple of days of unseasonal activity at Center Parcs. A drive from South Wales to Nottinghamshire on a Friday afternoon has never been my idea of fun. There’s something about the Midlands’ motorway network which brings me out in a rash at the very thought of it. But…. The minute we set off, it was put to the back of my mind.
The front seats are sumptuous, supportive and comfortable, like living room armchairs, allowing you to settle in immediately. The controls and steering are effortless and the ride and road holding are completely beyond that expected of a car such as this. The 1.5 dCi diesel power plant in a car of this size doesn’t seem quite right, but this Qashqai is lively, responsive, revs easily and completely belies its small engine capacity. Everything else works so well around it that I didn’t even give it a second thought. Even five-up, climbing some of the M1’s steeper inclines in sixth gear there wasn’t the slightest hint of it running out of steam at any point. In fact, once the steering wheel-operated cruise control was set, the miles just flew by.
The luggage space is cavernous, allowing plenty of room for everything we needed and a whole lot more. Teenage kids seem to be completely incapable of travelling light these days, so even they were happy, which always makes for a contented weekend.
However, it was once the weekend was over that I really found the true merits of this car. Much of my day-to-day driving involves running into and out of town, the bank run, postal collections, picking up and dropping off the kids to and from their various activities. The light, easy comfortable, quiet and manoeuvrable Qashqai makes light of the most challenging and frustrating city traffic. It turns what could be a real drag into a really pleasant drive. By the end of the week I actually found myself staring at it in admiration, wondering why I hadn’t noticed this car before. It is a tall, proud-looking car and I was actually quite sad to see it go when the time came.
I am a convert! Pound for pound it is a car that has impressed me more than almost any other over the last two years, not for high performance, not for classic sporty looks, or even for gadgets and gizmos, but for being a practical, incredibly economical, and absolutely delightful to drive all-round car.
Nigel Crawford
October 2008
Model Driven: Qashqai Acenta 1.5dCi
Total Price OTR £17,254.00
|
The Ford Kuga
