Nissan is doing the trick to the lucky Qashqai, the SUV that ushered in the era of cars as comfortable and spacious as a family car, but as tall as an off-road vehicle for maximum comfort.
With the N-Tec version, the Japanese house winks at the look: total black, leather interior, neat dashboard.
We traveled a few thousand kilometers around Italy with the 160 HP 1.3 version, DGT gearbox.
And it is a nice rediscovery, because - even without substantial changes compared to last year's test - Qashqai proves to be even more reliable.
The unmistakable lines stand out more thanks to the tone-on-tone bodywork, 19 "wheels, burnished headlights and privacy glass. The black is also taken up inside, with pvc and Alcantara seat finishes and inserts on the dashboard and in the goalkeeper.
The most welcome surprise, however, is the engine: a 160 HP 1.3 petrol engine.
Elastic, light, silent.
The combination with the ProPilot system, which we had already tested practically on the entire Nissan range, was particularly happy.
Driver assistance on this car is really well calibrated.
'Autonomous' acceleration and deceleration are gradual and smooth, but certainly not without grit.
And also the maintenance on track, which in other tests with the ProPilot on different models we had seemed to show some uncertainty, on Qashqai finds the optimum calibration.
Those who drive, especially on the motorway, but also on city streets that are not excessively busy, just have to supervise the trajectories drawn by the car.
The ability of the car to get to a stop and then start again (as long as within a few seconds) in case of queues or in traffic is very convenient.
After this period of time, simply press a button on the steering wheel for the car to resume driving at the selected pace.
The cameras, front and rear, are an irreplaceable aid in the event of maneuvering, especially if space is limited.
The sleek lines, in fact, would prevent from the driver's seat having such a precise perception of the dimensions.
Safety and comfort are also guaranteed by a rich array of technologies, including: intelligent braking system with pedestrian recognition, blind spot coverage, rear detection of moving obstacles, driver attention control, parking assistance.
The NissanConnect infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto technology dominates the central dashboard.
On the N-Tec version, therefore, there is everything a motorist desires, even the panoramic roof.
And not by chance: born on the N-Connecta trim level, N-Tec was modeled on the needs that emerged from a study of European customers, which sees design and technology as the points of greatest impact when choosing a car.
In addition to the 160hp 1.3 engine of our test, the Qashqai N-TEC is also available with the same engine, but with power reduced to 140hp.
Alternatively, there are the 1.5l 115hp or 1.7l 150hp diesel (both with manual or automatic transmission).
Prices starting from 31,800 euros.
