SECTOR: Crossover   PRICE: €19,940–€33,450   FUEL: 3.8–5.6l l/100km   CO2: 99–129g/km 

While Nissan’s claims of inventing the crossover segment with the first Qashqai are debatable, this was certainly the model which set out the formula for every newcomer since. Even against its broadest ever competition, this is as much a crossover benchmark as the Volkswagen Golf is to the C-segment.

So it seems the gamble paid off. The Qashqai has enjoyed record sales every year since its 2007 launch, with over two million sold globally, and most of those going to Europe. This time around, there’s no gamble. All Nissan had to do was modernise a successful formula, while setting a few new benchmarks for the rest of the pack to follow.

Impressive fuel economy comes right at the top of the list. When the first generation Qashqai launched, Volkswagen was trumpeting the achievement of a 99g/km, 3.8l/100km Polo – a yardstick Nissan has just reached with a crossover. Against the segment norm of between 130-140g/km for a two-wheel drive version, it’s a very impressive place to be.

There are several reasons for this. The new Qashqai is the first car to use Renault-Nissan’s new Common Module Family, a platform which separates a car into shared modules to cut down on unique parts. Cost savings aside, it’s shed 40kg from the crossover’s kerb weight.

Styling now matches Nissan’s new SUV family, including the next X-Trail, and it’s a much sharper design, more aggressive, lower and more aerodymanic than its predecessor. Although the Qashqai+2 has been discontinued, the carmaker says most buyers were seeking its larger boot rather than the third-row seating, so load volume has increased in the five-seater.

It’s flexible, too. The rear bench folds flat with the boot floor, which is removable on most trim levels to create a compartment for the parcel shelf or extend the boot space. This can also be reversed to a stain-resistant rubber-covered side, and the rear of the two sections can be fixed upright to stop shopping rolling around.

The rest of the cabin is similarly well thought out, with firm but comfortable seating, plentiful leg and headroom and high quality plastics used throughout. Road and engine noise are impressively well suppressed and the ride quality is excellent, even on the Tekna’s 19-inch wheels.

Launch engines comprise one petrol and two diesels, with the 1.5-litre diesel offering range-best economy. More torque has allowed more economical gearing and an easier drive, while improvements to refinement are noticeable. But the 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol is impressive, too, a huge improvement on the 1.6-litre unit in the old car despite not matching the diesel’s eagerness.

Four-wheel drive and a new CVT gearbox with stepped ratios, engineered to feel more like a dual-clutch unit than the usual springiness offered from this type of unit, are optional on the 1.6-litre diesel.

Nissan reaped the rewards of a well-targeted product with the first Qashqai and, like the Mk1 Golf, it set what is now the standard for this segment. Updates in all the right places, mean it’s ready for another seven years at the top.

Verdict:

Low running costs, attractive styling and high flexibility should help the Qashqai stay at the top of an increasingly popular, and competitive, segment.

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