1.2 Dig-T Tekna Xtronic 5dr SUV

Lovely car to drive but needs more power for the open road

I bought the Qashqai because i wanted a raised seating position for ease of access and, at the time, the motoring press generally found it to be the best crossover.

I bought the 1.2 petrol as my annual mileage of 8000 miles does not justify a diesel. I chose the auto gear box for relaxed urban driving (about 80% of my mileage).

I opted for 17" wheels instead of 19" as (a) the ride is softer, (b) the VED is lower, (c) there is less likelihood of kerbing the alloys there being more tyre wall flexibility and (d) the normal profile tyres last longer than low profile tyres. I also opted for a proper spare wheel as I don't trust the provided aerosol.

The car has done 6000 miles including trips to Wales and all over Scotland. It has ample torque for suburban driving but lacks power for motorway overtaking. It does, however, cruise happily at an indicated 75mph. The engine works hard on long steep hills.

Economy: I get 35mpg around town and 45 on a run. My 2300 mile trip to Scotland returned an overall 49mpg; this with one passenger and two suitcases.

Comfort: Very spacious in the front, less so in the rear. The doors do not open to 90 degrees which makes access for elderly passengers difficult.

Boot space: Disappointing compared with hatchbacks and estate cars but this seems to be general for crossovers and SUVs. Also, the rear seats do not fold flat.

CVT: So far trouble-free although there are many horror stories of early failure. Ironically, CVT should be seamless gear changing but, for some inexplicable reason, Nissan have incorporated artificial steps in the transmission which are a good deal more lumpy than a conventional torque converter gearbox. A bad mistake which defeats the object of continuously variable transmission.

Noise: Road noise is minimal. The CVT is also quiet and i have heard none of the 'whine' that others complain of. The engine is quiet in suburban driving but is noisy when under load e.g. on steep hills or trying to do a quick overtake on the open road.

DAB: Apparently there has been a complaint about poor reception. Mine has been faultless, whether in the Scottish Highlands, Wales or the south-east where I live.

Heated front screen: Fantastic! It clears ice in less than a minute. Should be a safety feature on all cars.

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