- Facelifted third-gen Qashqai now looks more like its Ariya brother
- Tech upgrades include Google Maps and voice assistant
- Same choice of mild- and full hybrid engines as before, but still no PHEV
Nissan’s Qashqai was one of pioneers of the modern crossover boom and its third-generation SUV has just been given a style and tech makeover to help it stay relevant, and to cement the family connection to the Ariya EV.
The most obvious change is to the front end, which loses the v-shaped chrome grille and weird tuning-fork-shaped headlight and DRL combination. In its place comes a bigger and better looking mesh grille inspired by the chainmail armor worn by ancient Japanese soldiers, hidden headlights and ultra-slim DRLs.
Related: Nissan To Build New Electric Qashqai And Juke SUVs In The UK
Tweaks to the rear are milder, but include a new set of rear LED lights and a modified bumper whose more aggressive lower section is designed to give the Qashqai a sportier presence. That’s amplified if you order yours in the new N-Design grade, which brings color-coded body trim and 20-inch wheels in place of the usual 18s and 19s.
It’s all a show, though, because the all-electrified engine lineup is the same as before. Buyers get to choose between two 1.3-liter mild-hybrid engines making 138 hp (140 PS) and 158 hp (160 PS), and a 187 hp (190 PS) 1.5-liter E-Power full hybrid in which the combustion motor is only used to charge the battery, and doesn’t ever drive the wheels directly. But Nissan still doesn’t offer the Qashqai with an EV powertrain or a plug-in hybrid option.
What the refreshed SUV does bring to the table is an updated Android-based infotainment system with built-in Google maps and Google personal assistant. And there are more tech advances bundled in with the Around View Monitor camera system, which now features a 3D function that lets drivers see their Qashqai from every exterior angle, including overhead.
AVW also comes with an “invisible hood view” as well as “Parking Spot Location Memory” that can save frequently used parking spots and slot itself into them automatically. The same tech can be used to save the locations of intersections with restricted views so that an extra-wide angle feed of the road is automatically projected onto the media screen without the driver needing to activate it.
The updated Qashqai is currently in production at Nissan’s Sunderland plant in the UK, and arrives in European dealers soon. But the automaker has no plans to bring it to the U.S. to plug the gap between the all-new Kicks and Rogue (sold as the X-Trail in Europe).
