Autoblog

The Qashqai is a European-designed, Japan- and Euro-market crossover. We didn't drive the gasoline version, but the diesel is doable, if a little slow off the line, and the steering is pretty crisp for a CUV. The Qashqai +2 adds a third row... but there really isn't a lot of room back there, only suitable for new additions to the family. In a theme among all of the Nissan vehicles we drove today, the interior is quite pleasant. As ever, the Euros get mid-range vehicles with some really nice fit and finish. The leather in the diesel was especially nice, if a little puffy. The center console pleases the eye at a glance, but when you look closely at it you realize there are enough buttons and glyphs for a Sikorsky helicopter. It really takes scrutiny to decipher, and you don't want to do it while you're driving. But the panorama roof? Magnificent.

You can head over to the Nissan 360 event site for more details on the vehicles. But first, be sure to check out the gallery of hi-res photos below.



Our travel and lodging for this media event was provided by the manufacturer.

Click above to view the new Nissan Qashqai ad.

After Nissan scored creative points with its last Qashqai spot showing the 'lil CUV taking to the half pipe and performing skateboard stunts that would make Rodney Mullen's head spin, its now released a new campaign that involves – God help us – a driving dog, a Thai musical stunt team and a flaming hoop. The ad is part of Nissan's newest viral campaign that will highlight four amateur performance groups – the first from Thailand, followed by teams of Flemish, Polish and African descent – on the blog.spannerleague.com website. Look for new videos to pop up each month, but without further ado, hit the jump to watch man's best friend risk life and four limbs along with his band of (obviously fake) Thai musicians.

Click image for a high-res gallery of the Nissan Qashqai+2

Nissan's Euro-market compact crossover, the Qashqai, is growing. This week, the automaker announces the impending arrival of the Qashqai+2, a seven-seat variant. A ridiculously lengthy press release touting the car's enhanced practicality and the "independence" it bestows upon owners can be read after the jump, but you can distill it down to this: Nissan's going after families, since that demo is underrepresented on the five-seat Qashqai's sales charts.

The Qashqai+2's wheelbase is stretched five inches over the standard car, and it's eight inches longer overall. To accommodate the third row, the roofline has also been raised and reshaped a bit. There's no denying that the Qashqai is an attractive vehicle, and that adjective can also be used to describe the impressive , optional panoramic glass roof. The +2 also gets a 40/20/40 split second row bench, as opposed to the 60/40 you'll find in the five-seater. Powertrain options are identical to the regular Qashqai -- two diesels and two gasoline engines are offered along with a variety of standard, automatic, and CVT transmissions depending on which powerplant you choose.

So, what about that third row? Well, if the pictures are any indication, it looks like its suitable for young'uns, mostly -- or maybe grown-ups you're not particularly fond of. Using it also vaporizes the car's cargo space. The public gets its first look at Qashqai+2 at the London Motor Show this July, with sales to follow in October.


[Source: Nissan via Autoblog Spanish]

While the Pontiac Aztek was a sales failure, it did have the ability to quickly turn into a camping appliance with a rear end that could be converted into a tent. Nissan must love the idea since it has developed a dome-shaped tent attachment for its UK utility vehicles. The tent attaches to the back, where the rear liftgate can be left ajar to provide a more open area for additional sleepers. Four adults can sleep in the 9x9 enclosure, with a couple more campers bunking in the car. The vehicle can also be easily detached from the tent if errands need to be run.

While tent accessory is handy, it does come at a price tag well beyond most stand-alone portable living quarters. The Navara tent costs £260, and the tent for the Pathfinder, X-TRAIL, Murano or QASHQAI will run you £460. Here in the States you can get a gently-used pop-up camper for a little more than $1,000 USD. The safety of the tent may also be a question mark, as it isn't hard to imagine a Darwin candidate turning on the car to get some heat (and carbon monoxide) into the shelter. Lets hope that doesn't happen. The Nissan press release is pasted after the jump.

[Source: Nissan]

Click image for a gallery of the Nissan Dualis and its launch event

The new Japan-market Nissan Dualis (Qashqai in Europe) is a good-looking CUV that will have room for seven in a compact form factor. Nissan's marketing gurus have cooked up four viral marketing ads that feature an 11-foot-tall robot designed by anime creator/mecha designer Shoji Kawamori that's wreaking havoc all over town. The robot's name is Dualis, and it's nicknamed the "Powered Suit." We're guessing that the premise of the spots is that Nissan's new CUV is fun to drive, but when considering the robot's carefree and unpredictable behavior, maybe Nissan is warning us to keep both hands on the wheel.

Take the jump to see all four 20-30 second videos, but we must forewarn you that the recent Transformers previews featured here make what you're about to see look like something ahigh school kid did on his Mac. We don't think the exaggerated shoulder pads on the "Powered Suit" are going to bring back any 80's fashion, either.

[Source: Jalopnik]

If we told you that a seven-seat Nissan was on its way with a turbo-diesel option, inoffensive looks, and a reasonable price tag, you'd think it was too good to be true. Well, it actually is true if you live in Europe, where the Qashqai currently serves as Nissan's soft-roader. For now, however, there is only room for five, but the folks over at Car Online have shots of an extended Qashqai with an additional eight inches of length beyond the b-pillar that provides room for a third row of seats.

Judging by the lack of incognito camo, this crossover looks to be well on its way to market, and it will be powered by a 115-hp 1.6L engine, as wellas both the Qashqai's 2.0L gasoline and turbo-diesel engines. An additional £1,500 is tacked on for the added 200mm, which brings the base price up to £15,000. We can plainly see the additional length of the Qashqai vs. the standard wheelbase version, but it's still hard to believe two people can sit in the small area that makes up that third row of seats. We're guessing the aft-most bench will be akin to the benches in the Toyota RAV-4 and Mitsubishi Outlander, meaning only little people and children need apply.

[Source: Car Magazine]

Viral videos seem to be all the rage with ad agencies on retainer by the automakers. Debates are still swirling over whether or not the recently posted video showing a 14-year-old crashing his family's brand new Ford GT500 is real or a viral video from Ford itself. You'll no doubt spot this carboarding commercial for the Nissan Qashqai for the marketing tool it is, but you still get to see a small CUV tackle the half pipe with Tony Hawk-like moves. Follow the jump for the second commercial in the series.

[Source: Fresh Creation]

Today Nissan released a sneak peek at a new small crossover utility view called the Rogue that it will be debuting at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in January. Automotive News reports the Rogue will be smaller than the Murano and be powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine when it goes on sale late next year as a 2008 model. Since no other information is available on the Rogue, we can only speculate that it may be built on the same Nissan/Renault Alliance "C" platform as the recently unveiled Nissan Qashqai to be sold in Europe. We met up with the Qashqai at the Paris Motor Show and were very impressed with not only its design, but also its build quality and use of upper-end materials in the cabin. The 2.5-liter engine that will find its way into the Rogue, however, is larger than any of the four engines being offered in the Qashqai, which includes a 1.6-liter gas engine, 1.5-liter diesel and a pair of petrol and diesel 2.0-liters. Ignoring the fact that we in North America just love power, the larger engine might also indicate that this is a bigger CUV than the Qashqai. Who knows? We're just throwing out guesses here.

[Source: Automotive News]

Nissan debuted the Ford Focus-sized Qashqai (say Kash-kai) crossover in Paris on Thursday, and our man on the spot, John Neff, was as impressed with Nissan's new softroader as he was underwhelmed with Mitsubishi's new Pajero. (Although we have to admit, you're not likely to see a Qashqai dominate the Dakar rally.)

The Qashqai was designed virtually from the ground up by Nissan Europe, and it goes into production at Nissan's U.K. facility later this year. The Qashqai is the first European vehicle built on the Nissan/Renault Alliance "C" platform. Let's hope Nissan's new "Urban Nomad" makes it North America before long.

Lots of live and studio shots after the jump, plus Nissan's press release.

UPDATED: More pictures added after the jump


Since spy shots had already spoiled the surprise, Nissan decided to unveil its Qashsai compact crossover for Europe ahead of its official debut at the Paris Motor Show later this month. The car's development was a true English effort, with styling coming out of Nissan Design Europe in London, engineering from Nissan Technical Centre Europe in Cranfield and production set to begin at Nissan's factory in Sunderland.

Nissan makes no bones about the Murano's styling influence that can be seen in the Qashqai, and why should it? The compact SUV is being positioned as a bridge for European consumers tired of being stuff into C-segment cars but who aren't quite ready for a HUMMER H2. Four engines will power the Qashqai: a 1.6-liter four-cylinder gas (113 hp/118 ft-lbs.), a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas (138 hp/148 ft-lbs.), a 1.5-liter diesel (105 hp/177 ft-lbs.) and a 2.0-liter diesel (148 hp/236 ft-lbs.). Mated to those engines will be a myriad of gearbox choices, including a five- and six-speed manual, a six-speed automatic and a CVT. Finally, to imbue the Qashqai with some degree of off-road prowess, either 2.0-liter model can be equipped with Nissan's ALL-MODE 4x4 system.

The Qashqai appears to be an attractive all-around package, though it appears it won't be coming Stateside to face off with the Toyota RAV-4 and new Honda CR-V, among others. The CUV will be exported to Nissan's home market of Japan and "other overseas markets".

(More pics and press release after jump)

[Source: Nissan]