Long-term report: Checking out Nissan’s new Qashqai

After almost 12 months as one of our long-term loan cars, our compact and capable Juke has left us to be replaced by one of the newest cars in Nissan’s stable.

This time, we have been allocated an example of the car that got the crossover party started way back in 2007 – the Juke’s bigger brother, Qashqai – with the current version having gone on sale just last year.

Needless to say, OE21NXC takes the game on enormously compared to the inaugural model launched in the year Tony Blair’s tenure as prime minister came to an end and Rihanna spent ten weeks at number one with Umbrella.

But it does share some characteristics with its predecessors, of course, boasting many of the traits that led the first iteration becoming such a success and proving the inspiration for a plethora of rival models to be introduced by other manufacturers.

Delivering a blend of hatchback compactness, SUV practicality, and that elevated driving position that attracts so many motorists, the Qashqai’s appearance has been sharpened up considerably over time. Nissan has upgraded how it looks, too, with a more noticeable stance, sharp LED lighting and optional 20-inch alloy wheels.

There’s plenty of space inside for all the family and their belongings, yet its roomy interior is cleverly contained within an aerodynamic and compact body.

As it’s such a recent addition to the fleet, we’ve yet to truly test it in all conditions, but it’s fair to say the car has already established itself as a worthy successor to our long-term Juke.

Our trip to swap them over involved a jaunt around the M25 on a pretty dismal day and a photoshoot in a busy part of West London.

The Qashqai’s ride was as comfortable as you’d expect as we skirted Heathrow Airport on the way to our destination – thanks in no small part to the wonderful heated seats that were a real boon on a chilly February day.

The car’s 1.3-litre petrol engine features ‘mild hybrid’ technology which enhances efficiency and reduces CO2 emissions whilst driving. It feels ready and responsive and the six-speed manual gearbox is more than up to the job.

(A new e-Power powertrain that’s coming soon will combine electric vehicle technology with the convenience of a petrol engine to give a more EV-type feel.)

There is so much I’ve yet to mention about the car in terms of its interior and exterior styling; security and safety features and audio and navigation functionality and I’ll be able to explore those elements fully in future reports.

But if I can mention one tiny thing to begin with, one characteristic I’ve noticed, both on the journey to collect the car and on shorter hops since, is a little ‘double beep’ sound in the cabin – and I can’t work out what it is!

Sometimes I hear it fairly frequently; but often not at all, and it’s not seemingly linked to any visible alerts in front of the driver. Anyway, it’s a very minor inconvenience which I’m sure can be eradicated easily enough.

So all in all, it’s early days, but life with OE21NXC has been good so far. The car has already attracted one or two complimentary comments from my neighbours, thanks to its eye-catching magnetic blue paint job (a £745 optional extra) and pearl black roof (£400).

With spring just around the corner and the diary filling up for March and April, many adventures await, I’m sure.