The exterior of the Qashqai, to be honest, is not unattractive and grows on you the more you regard it. There is something quite reptilian about the distinctive bonnet creases which flow up the bonnet as continuations of the chrome surround to the Nissan badge on the grille, while the elongated eye-shape of the side windows with their black-out frames and the gradually rising crease along the shoulderline of the doors present a pleasing dynamism when you see the car in profile.

The smooth curvature of the nose and large wrap-around headlamp clusters also give the Qashqai a sense of sophistication combined with strength, while the rear-end comprising the high-lift tailgate is more functionally aerodynamic. All these positive exterior elements are the result of pooling the design talents from Nissan’s Design Europe team, making the Qashqai appear to be a dynamic sports car-influenced rugged compact SUV in a fuel efficient package.

And much of that is true. The 142bhp lightweight aluminium 2.0-litre engine and 6-speed CVT gearbox are well mated. The constantly variable transmission (CVT) does produce a slightly whiny tone to the engine under acceleration which can take a little getting used to, but the performance is still impressive and ideal for both the nippiness required for inner city manoeuvrability and monotonous high-speed highway journeys. With a 2 or 4 wheel drive or automatic select engage knob you have that little extra versatility if you want to venture off-road, although the beach would be as far as we would feel comfortable taking it. The CVT also produces seamless gear changes if you prefer to use the manual shift option to the gearbox.

The drive is quite pleasant as SUVs go. The driving position is both very comfortable and of course you have the advantage of sitting slightly higher up than other saloon cars for improved visibility which is also aided by the impressive coverage offered by the side mirrors. Wind noise is minimal up to around 100kph but then starts to become noticeable, however vibration from the road is kept to a minimum. Body roll and handling is well-controlled thanks to the independent suspension so the Qashqai feels pretty nimble when cornering, and the steering is – from a male perspective – nicely weighted, although it might feel a big heavy for the fairer sex, especially if you are being demanding of the car through tighter turns.

Economy figures are good, if not outstanding, returning around 6.8lt/100km. A standard hatchback would be better, but you wouldn’t then get the extra ground clearance and front and rear approach and departure angles so useful for avoiding high kerbs in car parks and blown out tyres on highways, because let’s face it, the Qashqai is not going to be your first choice if you want a ‘proper’ off-roader. But for a functional town car with ample interior space for five occupants – as long as the rear three are children – and enough trunk space for a sizeable weekly shop, the Qashqai serves well.

But now the peculiarities start: if you are looking for a stylish interior, then you might be disappointed. While the designers have attempted to place emphasis on the driving position by colour-coding the dash, steering wheel and centre console differently to the rest of the interior facings, this has resulted in quite a mishmash of tones – in our test vehicle there were a total of 5 different tones of brown, even though we were pretty certain that at least two of the tones were meant to be the same. This is unfortunately indicative of the compromised finish throughout the Qashqai’s interior.

Even though our test vehicle had pretty good quality leather seats throughout, that’s where the feel of quality ended. The materials used in the instrument cluster, while it was clear and well illuminated at night, look to be manufactured to the lowest acceptable quality requirements, as are the indicator and light stalks, and the bulbous gearshift lever. The plastics used for the centre console and lower doors appear in the same category and in our test vehicle looked worn after a little over 10,000km on the clock. Storage is also limited in the cabin considering this is likely to be a car for whom at least part of the buying demographic will be busy families with plenty of clutter. The air conditioning is competent in the front of the cabin but is limited for the rear seat passengers, which doesn’t bode well on long journeys.

Admittedly, there are a range of options available for the Qashqai and while we can list them (ESP, foglamps, dimming review mirror, 17” alloy wheels, audio with Bluetooth compatibility, 6 x CD radio with 6 speakers, satnav, cruise control, ultrasonic rear parking sensors, intelligent key) we can’t tell you how good they are: we had a radio cassette player in ours – that was it.

But to be realistic, with the Qashqai’s starting price of around AED70,000 and topping out at around AED84,000, there are certain limitations you expect from the car you buy. Its competitors? : the Hyundai Tucson/Kia Sportage feels of equal quality in terms of drive and interior finish, and comes with a larger 2.7-litre V6 which will eat into your economy figures but will give you the ‘ooomph’ you’d expect from a four wheel drive; and (surprisingly, you might think) the Ford Focus – if interior space and price are your buying criteria. Obviously, it doesn’t have the all-round clearance or a 4WD but it is a better drive with better handling with similar fuel economy, and smaller pricetag.

Ultimately, the Qashqai is inventive in its design and has very good intentions in terms of what it wants to offer. Unfortunately, the execution is lacking, and while the car may look impressive from the outside, anyone driving past and looking in will see the driver barely able to hide an expression of mild disappointment.

2008 Nissan Qashqai Technical Specifications

Engine - 2.0-litre
Power - 142bhp
Torque - 196Nm
Transmission - 6-speed CVT
0-100 kph - 10.9 seconds
Top speed - 190 kph
Economy - 6.8lt/100km
Price Range - AED70,000 – 84,000

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