Having created one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK car market, Nissan’s Qashqai is ready to move even further ahead of the competition.

The next evolution for the top selling crossover comes in the form of an all-new diesel engine that lets drivers enjoy the best of both worlds – greatly reduced emissions with improved in-gear performance. With fuel prices pressing ever higher and the motorist not only looking to save on running costs but also reduce their environmental impact, Qashqai’s new 1.6-litre dCi engine arrives at the perfect moment. Replacing the 2.0dCi manual, the new four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine delivers dramatically enhanced economy and emissions in the Qashqai and Qashqai+2.

Like every Nissan producing less than 130g/km, the 1.6 dCi wears Nissan’s Pure Drive badge. The first Qashqai models to benefit from the new engine are available to order now for delivery in October, and offer CO₂ emissions of only 129g/km. Early next year Nissan will add its latest Stop/Start system, automatically turning off the engine when stationary to bring the Qashqai’s emissions down to an even more impressive 119g/km.

The savings for Qashqai drivers will be immediately felt. A 31 per cent improvement in fuel economy results in 62.8mpg (+14.9mpg) on the combined cycle while the first year’s VED is free of charge. Company car drivers will also enjoy significant savings with a benefit in kind tax banding of just 13 per cent, for stop start versions, further broadening the appeal of Qashqai to the important fleet sector. What’s more, the 1.6 dCi without stop and start costs £250 less to buy than the equivalent 2.0 dCi.

Nissan Motor GB Managing Director Jim Wright said “Current financial pressures for both the individual and company car buyers mean costs are constantly being analysed so it is good to see how Nissan’s technical innovations, introduced on this engine, help to minimise overall running costs.”

Unlike some eco-friendly diesel models, the new 1.6dCi doesn’t forget the importance of performance, either. Engineers have not only been able to make the 130PS engine quieter and more refined than its 2.0-litre predecessor, but they have also reduced the number of engine revs required to reach peak 320Nm torque from 2,000rpm to only 1,750rpm. What this means to the driver is that despite all of the savings offered by the 1.6 dCi, acceleration in the crucial 30-50mph bracket is also quicker, taking only 6.29 seconds.

And remember, there’s more to Qashqai than just a pretty face. Coping with harsh winter weather and slippery campsites is no problem for the all-wheel drive version, which becomes one of the lowest CO₂ emitting crossovers on sale in the UK, while the Qashqai+2 offers the lowest CO₂ emissions of any seven seat crossover on the UK market.

“This is a remarkable engine, best in class in so many respects. It provides the dynamic driving performance which matches that of the outgoing 2.0-litre dCi yet produces fuel consumption and emission figures equal to or better than our existing 1.5-litre dCi unit,” said Paul Willcox, Senior Vice President, Nissan Europe.

In addition to its efficient new engine, Qashqai has also benefited from a number of innovative items of equipment including for the first time in its class, Around View Monitor. Up until now this type of advanced visual parking aid is more usually found in the luxury car class, but Nissan’s commitment  to delivering the latest technology to its customers means Around View Monitor will be fitted as standard to all Qashqai and Qashqai+2 Tekna variants.

Using a set of discrete external cameras, Around View Monitor makes manoeuvring and parking as safe and easy as possible by giving the driver a real-time bird’s eye view of the surrounding environment. Working seamlessly with the popular Nissan Connect touch screen navigation system, Around View Monitor adds three additional cameras to the Qashqai’s existing rear view system to create the ultimate 360° overview. What’s more, the driver can choose to focus on the image feed from any particular camera when looking out for a particular obstacle in front, behind or to either side of the Qashqai. These enhancements are set to underline Qashqai’s dominance in the crossover class. More than one million Qashqai and Qashqai+2 models have now been built at Nissan’s Sunderland factory, where on average 1,200 roll off the production line every day.