2013 Nissan Qashqai

The weirdly-named Qashqai is built on Nissan's "C" platform, providing high body stiffness with reduced body weight. It received a minor facelift for 2011, with a new front, new tail lamps, fresh wheel designs and new instrument gauges. The Qashqai offers a choice of 2WD and full-time 4WD with a single 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine mated to a CVT transmission. The fancy interior seats five, and available features include intelligent key, power windows and mirrors, rear 60/40 split-fold bench seat, cloth upholstery, automatic headlights and wipers, new LED tail lamps, additional sound deadening and xenon headlights. Also available are steering wheel-mounted controls, cruise control, a CD audio system with six speakers and 6-disc CD changer, auto air-conditioning with dual zone temperature control, a Bluetooth hands-free phone system, and a choice of 16-inch or 17-inch wheels. While it looks like a 4WD, the poseur 2WD model should prove popular as a hatchback alternative,... Read More