Nissan Qashqai 1.3 Turbo Prestige Facelift Review

Unfamiliar electric names have started to supersede combustion-powered ones so much in quantity recently that the Nissan Qashqai - once the poster child of the compact crossover revolution - has quietly become the senior kid among the freshmen.

Though no longer the most hyped-up machine on the block, the Qashqai has made steady (and arguably successful) steps to inch itself further up from the more entry-level identity it debuted with. Now getting a midlife update after three years on sale, Nissan's third-generation bestseller is putting on even thicker armour to further reinforce its premium-skewing disposition. 

Knight in shining new armour

And quite literally, too - with its more aggressive face.

The Qashqai's front has gotten quite a significant overhaul, thanks to a new grille now inspired by ancient Japanese armour scales that's laden with more chrome than the original car. The result is menacing yet cool, quite over-the-top, and suitably fresh.

When the updated tail lights are not illuminated, their clear casings seem to wash the rear of the car over in an intriguing black-and-white filter 

The car's redesigned tail lights - which now get clear casings - are yet another highlight, almost seeming to wash the Qashqai over with a retro black-and-white filter when not illuminated. New rear bumpers and rims round off the suite of updates.

Otherwise, the Qashqai's body hasn't been tweaked much, and against the grain of more svelte crossovers, its original formula (sharp creases all over; protruding shoulder lines; chunky wheel arches) gives it striking presence still.

The upgrades to the interior, on the hand, are where the Qashqai's loftier ambitions for luxury are made manifest.

A new 12.3-inch infotainment screen with both wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto arrives on the facelifted Qashqai, reinforcing the level of quality digitalisation in the cabin (including a crisp 10.8-inch head-up display)

One of the headlining acts on the inside is a larger 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, which now handily offers wireless phone mirroring regardless of whether you're an Apple or Android fan. Paired to a crisp driver's display of the same size, as well as a high-def 10.8-inch head-up display, there's no lack of quality digitalisation onboard.

On one of your first evening outings with the car, you should also notice the cabin bathed in a slightly heavier dose of ambient lighting. And all over, it is the presence of standard Nappa leather upholstery with a refreshed look that gives the cabin its cushy and upmarket ambience.

The Qashqai's cabin blends sensibility and quality well, with its new Nappa leather upholstery and extra bits of ambient lighting

Those who aren't fans of black interiors can drop another $1,000 for the lovely amber-coloured colourway on this test unit, which gets just the amount of contrasting black for extra visual texture.

Against these changes, the untouched ergonomic excellence of the Qashqai's cabin continues to shine. A single afternoon is unfortunately all we get out with the car, but the brevity only brings into clearer focus its 'old-school' charm. And by that, we mean its love for physical switches.

The presence of well-damped physical controls is a welcome step away from the touchscreen-heavy cars of the modern automotive landscape

There's no second-guessing how to toggle between the different screens on the driver's display; no head-scratching over which buttons should be used to bump the volume up on that crisp BOSE 10-speaker system. Even adjusting the temperature is done via rotary knobs with the most lovely damping, rather than light taps on a cold hard screen.

The Qashqai should continue to satisfy those in the second row too.

Practicality aplenty: The Qashqai continues to be a great family car with its wide-opening rear doors, spacious rear bench, and well-sized boot

Despite its compact and manoeuvrable size, a flat roofline gives all here a good amount of headroom, while the transmission tunnel doesn't protrude too far out to the extent that you'll hear your middle passenger complaining about their knees cramping up even with longer trips. Getting in and out of the rear is also a cinch, since the Qashqai boasts some of the widest opening rear doors found on the market.

Meanwhile, the car's 504-litre boot is a decent size for this segment, and boasts good practicality with its squarish shape. 

Unaltered, refined excellence

Where the Qashqai hasn't gotten any update at all is under the hood, where a mild hybrid 1.3-litre turbocharged engine lies in wait.

The current COE climate has seen everyone from the Chinese to the Germans engage in tuning and tweaking to position their cars more favourably, but the Qashqai’s powerplant remains resolutely unaltered. Output still stands at the same healthy 156bhp and 270Nm of torque as before.

The car's powertrain - a mild hybrid 1.3-litre turbocharged engine - has remained untouched, putting out a healthy 156bhp and 270Nm of torque

While the immediately glaring downside to this stolidness is that the Qashqai still doesn't benefit from vaunted Category A-eligibility, the undeniable upshot too is that it doesn’t feel like a Category A car from behind the wheel either.

Progress is smooth and hasty by compact crossover-standards, to the effect of giving the car a sense of lightness and pep. The Qashqai doesn’t need to be hustled hard to pick up the pace - especially with peak torque already arriving from 1,800rpm - and the result is a good dollop of consistent effortlessness, even when you're trying to execute overtakes at considerable speed. A light and decently quick steering rack accentuates the sensation of ease at the helm, while it's also worth noting that the entry-level Premium trim (this is the Prestige) now gets handy safety assistance features as standard, including Blind Spot Monitoring and Lane Keep Assistance.

The cabin's level of polish and sophistication is well mirrored by the Qashqai's refined character when on the move

The fact that the Qashqai's engine is mated to a CVT may raise eyebrows first about its ability to deliver on refinement, but it doesn't take long for those concerns to dissipate.

Above all, the car impresses with just how hushed it can be when on the move, and this, coupled with its composed ride over road undulations, gives it the sort of polish that mirrors the sophistication of its cabin.

From wide-eyed freshman to seasoned senior kid 

Again, that's perhaps where the lustre of the current Qashqai is the sharpest. While no longer as capable of taking on both heavyweights and newer names in the high-riding space purely in terms of price, its goal of finding a position further up in the market has also become clearer and more convincing. All that holds all the more now with its mid-generation refresh. 

Maturity has its own magnetism, and as the Qashqai widens its embrace of a more grown-up identity (now with a welcome re-skin), it continues to be an excellent family crossover - at least for those willing to shell out the premium it commands. 

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