Review of the new Nissan Qashqai e-Power 2022

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After a first test drive in the UK, the Qashqai e-Power remains our favorite in Nissan’s best-selling crossover, delivering an impressive driving experience that, like EVs, make up the systems transmission is fainter in range. However, the cabin and its tech are a bit different from the best in the class, and this highly rated Tekna-adorned car is pricey.

The Nissan qashqai e-Power does things differently from other ways of fully charging or self-charging hybrid vehicles. 2.1kWh (a .) larger than standard battery Toyota C-HR has a 1.3kWh unit, for comparison), and it is powered by a 1.5 liter inline 3-burner that never powers the wheels directly.

It’s also an unusual engine. Nissan call it ‘VC Turbo’, with the first two letters standing for Variable Compression. Instead of using conventional connecting rods, the pistons are connected to the crankshaft via engine-controlled multi-link devices that change the top and bottom dead center positions of the pistons. The idea is that the engine can then apply high compression for more efficiency or low compression for improved fuel economy.

With that clever inline trio itself with battery charging, the engine is handled via a single front-mounted motor and a pretty powerful one at that, churning out 187bhp and 300Nm. That’s enough for a respectable 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds.

Sure, the Qashqai e-Power builds up speed at a decent rate, feeling reasonably fast in the process. But most importantly, it goes to highway and dual-highway speeds smoothly, and it is this smoothness that often characterizes the way this powertrain behaves.

The benefit of just giving the engine a job in an electric vehicle while eliminating the transmission is that you avoid the sometimes slick transitions you can get in other hybrids when the electrics launched. Instead, the burning aspect of the equation here just turns on and off as required, and does so seamlessly – on the go, even when the sound system is crisp on lows, you’re usually not noticed.

In stop/start traffic it’s much more obvious, especially since it seems that the engine runs at a higher RPM than average idling when you’re sitting still or moving slowly. However, it’s not as bad at transmitting vibrations into the cabin as many other inline three-wheelers, and the tricycle is tweaked as more demand grows for it.

It helps the Qashqai e-Power have something called ‘Linear Tune’, which ties engine speed to road speed. And so, despite having a similar quality to CVT for the engine’s response to harder acceleration, its revs do not rise and fall erratically as we sometimes encounter in cars with boxes. such number.

Nissan is touting the car as a stepping stone for people who aren’t quite ready to go electric, and sure enough, it often feels like a car. full EV rather than a hybrid. Helping in this is the ‘I-Pedal’ feature, which increases energy regeneration when the driver stops. It’s not a real ‘one-pedal’ mode like you see in the brand fully electric Ariya and Leaf, as it will only slow down the vehicle at crawling speed. To drop the last few mph, you’ll need to use the brake pedal. However, it is easier to get used to than a lot of similar systems.

There’s also an EV mode that prioritizes electric power, though it’s only used at lower speeds with minimal throttle input – it doesn’t take long for the car to automatically switch back to hybrid and at full throttle. higher altitude, the vehicle will refuse to select the mode.

The E-Power spends more than half of its WLTP emissions cycle with the engine off, giving the official healthy figures of 53.3mpg and 119g/km CO2. Oddly enough, the best we were able to manage in a heavily congested urban environment – where this setup, in theory, shines the most – was 44mpg, and that wasn’t until we were out of the city. , this figure has only increased to about 47mpg.

Along with engine noise, the Qashqai helps occupants avoid wind and road noise. Driving is mostly smooth on UK roads, with a sophisticated damping feel, but travel can be a bit crunchy at low speeds, especially through speed bumps. The 19-inch wheels of our Tekna trim model probably don’t help – it’s probably worth swapping out the top-of-the-line Tekna + Qashqai e-Power just to avoid the 20-inch rims fitted to that version. .

On more congested roads, the Qashqai performed competently, but was not noticeable when driving. The steering wheel has a good weight to it but offers nothing in the way of feedback. Difficult cornering reveals ample body roll and some underbody service, though smooth engine delivery at least means the front end isn’t wobbly for traction during hard acceleration. There’s a ‘Sport’ mode, but it doesn’t make a noticeable difference to the driving experience, save for adding some weight to the power steering. Better Keener drivers with alternatives included Chair Ateca.

Nissan has done a solid job in enhancing the premium feel inside the Qashqai, and this version of the Tekna comes with plenty of equipment including a full-screen display, touchscreen infotainment system and more. larger 12.3-inch ‘Nissan Connect’, power-assisted tailgate and a host of driver assistance features.

Quality was ok, but we had a weird problem with water getting into the passenger’s legroom. At the time of writing, the car was on its way back to Nissan’s press garage in the UK for investigation.

We wanted more responsiveness from the infotainment system, which isn’t as smooth as the setup found in Kia Sportage, has an overall more modern cabin. In contrast, the Qashqai’s interior design looks dated and the Nissan Ariya’s much more radical cabin fails to do this, although admittedly the designers had plenty of blank canvas there thanks to the background. the vehicle’s dedicated EV platform.

Practicality hasn’t changed compared to other models in the Qashqai range, which means you get 505 liters of boot space – not too terrible, but plenty of other models in the class including the aforementioned one. Kia Sportage provide more. It has a trick on its sleeve in the form of a rear door that opens 85 degrees, making it easier to load smaller kids.

E-Power doesn’t come cheap in Tekna form at £38,140. Unsurprisingly, the £35,120 N-Connecta – which houses key Tekna tech items including larger infotainment – is expected to be the most popular version.

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