I don't like SUV's.
This is what I thought before tried one. It was one of those tantrums that a 8 year old has when he says that he doesn't like a thing without even trying it first. In my head, a SUV is a pretty redundant vehicle. It's not meant for off-roading, but it is also not a very efficient car to use on the road. It is also an expensive car to buy and to maintain. The thing is that people adore SUV's and it was Nissan that massified the SUV's with the Qashqai.
This is not a review about the latest Quashqai facelift, this is a review of one of the last generation Qashquai, released in 2014 and ended production in early 2017.
And what I think of it? Well, I think the car is absolutely brilliant, but it is not enough to convince my rational part of the brain.
Why is it brilliant?
1 - Design: The design of this car is jaw-dropping! The first generation of the Qashqai was pretty dreadful, but the second-generation is pretty sexy. The 18' inch wheels are very nice, and boosts the overall look of the Qahsqai.
2 - Lot's of equipment: This Qashqai unit is very well equipped, and has some extras that once you tried them, it will be difficult to live without them. For example the 360º camaras are a must if you want to park your Qashqai properly on tight spots. Then you have Sat Nav, Lane Assit, Hill Assist, Brake Assist, Panoramic Roof, Dual Zone Air Con, Intelligent Lights, Cruse Control, a generous boot with lots of space and compartments.
3 - Driving experience: Driving an SUV gives you a nice sense of power and safety. It is a very comfortable car for long trips. It is also a car that absorbs pretty well bumps and irregularities of the road. Sound isolation is also very good, even though if you rev the engine too high you will hear very well the 4 cylinder diesel engine, which is a shame. Anyway, if you drive normally, you will find that a voyage in the Qashqai is very calm and relaxed.
Why this car don't convince my rational side?
1 - Engine: The 1.5 dci with 110 hp is more than enough for a Nissan Pulsar model that tips the scale at 1250 kg, but the Qashqai weights 1350 kg, and I think that the engine could be more powerful than it is to handle the extra weight. In terms of acceleration, the Nissan Pulsar is pulls better and is also very economical (3-4 liters per 100 km), in the other hand, with the Qashqaui you will find that it is quite a challenge to do 5-6 liters per 100 km.
2 - The interiors: Even though the Qashqai interiors feel more premium, they are very similar to the interiors of the Nissan Pulsar. The steering wheel is the same, the shift knob and other buttons around the dashboard are the same, witch makes you feel that you are paying more money, to have basically the same interior of a car of the segment below.
3 - The 18' inch wheels: While they are very attractive this wheels will make the Qashqai less comfortable which is a shame because they really give the car a cool look.
4 - Space: Even though this is an SUV, the Qashqai doesn't have much leg room in the seats behind and the boot space is practically the same of the boot space of a Nissan Pulsar.
5 - High costs: Comparing prices in Portugal between a Nissan Pulsar and a Nissan Qahsqai with similar equipment the Qashqai will cost you more 6000€! That is a lot of money. And you will spend more on Diesel and when you need to change tires of those 18 wheel rims, it will cost you a lot too.
Many years ago, people would say that those who bought a sports car, weren't making a rational choice. Curiously, I don't see people making the same statement when it comes to SUV's. Maybe because it is a car that pleases everybody? Women like SUV's, because they are tall, safe and comfortable. Men like SUV's because they have a lot of technology, and space, and they are cars capable of doing some off-roading. But the truth is, when you do the math with the costs of owning an SUV you will see that this is not a rational choice, at all! Owning an SUV is like owning a sports car, it is a symbol of power, a symbol of ostentation.
The thing is that I really thought I wouldn't like this car that much, in fact I'm really in love with it. It is a car that will attract by it's design and technology, and almost makes you forget all the negative aspects. This is a car that I like very much, and sometimes the better thing to do is to follow your heart instead of your mind.
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