Looks
Currently in its second generation, the 2014 Nissan Qashqai isn’t as revolting as some of the other cars in the brand’s lineup. Narrow angular headlamps, a honeycomb upper grille and a slatted lower grille come together to form a pleasant mug on the Qashqai. Though a bit bland and conservative towards the rear end, the Qashqai is probably the best looking when compared to its aforementioned rivals.
Feels
I am unable to fathom what the designers were thinking when it got to the interiors of the Qashqai though. Did they sit around a table and discuss what techniques could be used to produce the dullest and most unappealing interiors? All I can is, the circular A/C vents and dreary centre stack speak for themselves. One thing’s for certain though, the futuristic and well laid dashboard found in the Kia Sportage and Honda CR-V is definitely a lot nicer.
Engineering
In terms of safety, the 2014 Nissan Qashqai is equipped with ABS and Electronic Brake Distribution, six airbags as standard and Active Head Restraints on the front seats that move forwards in a rear collision to reduce the risk of whiplash injury.
What’s on offer?
The Qashqai is powered by a 2.0 litre 4 cylinder engine that sends 142 horsepower and 201 Nm of torque through Nissan’s favourite, the dreaded CVT transmission. With a price tag ranging from AED 78,000 to AED 106,000 it feels like Nissan is on a mission to cheat their customers.
Summing it…
Its Korean rival costs AED 6,000 less and though that isn’t a very big amount, the Sportage offers a lot more for your money than the Qashqai does. Sure, the Honda CR-V is significantly more expensive at AED 107,000 but that’s because it’s that much of a better car. At the end of the day, the 2014 Nissan Qashqai is a good looking, overpriced and under-equipped compact SUV.
