Nissan Qashqai +2 SUV review, test drive

Nissan is looking at bringing a larger version of its original crossover, the Qashqai +2, to the SUV-mad Indian market. We take a closer look.

Published on Dec 03, 2013 05:13:00 PM

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Nissan Qashqai +2 SUV review, test drive

This larger version of the Qashqai, or the +2, is 211mm longer than a standard Qashqai, so Nissan has, crucially, been able to squeeze in a third row of seats. This is something that has tremendous appeal in India. The extra length of the car and the fact that the seats fold flat into the floor also mean that there’s plenty of luggage space when you need it.

Open the big front doors and there’s plenty of space in the cabin. You’re sat high with a good view of the road from the driver’s seat. There’s plenty of legroom, and getting comfortable behind the wheel is easy. The steering wheel, with the buttons arranged neatly around the boss, is beautifully crafted and a delight to use. The clear, white-on-black dials are easy to read as well. The rest of the dash, however, looks a bit too plain and featureless. The air-con vents look like they are from an inexpensive hatch, the centre console is too straight-laced, and quality levels aren’t great either. It would’ve helped if the insides weren’t all black too.

Space and comfort on row two are surprisingly good. The seat is set high and offers decent legroom and back support. The rear seats, however, are oddly contoured, and that makes sitting in the middle difficult. The third row seats look quite substantial as well, but this is deceiving. These are suitable only for really short journeys, because headroom is tight and you sit with your knees around your ears. To make matters worse, it’s almost as difficult to get to the rear seats as it is to get comfortable in them.