Published:
7 June 2024Our N-Design test car felt well screwed together inside, and the Alcantara-upholstered dashboard, door cappings, centre console storage lid and seat bolsters deliver a more upmarket feel.
Sure, some materials feel less premium, such as the synthetic leather on the seats; the new patterned trim between the dashboard and glovebox feels pretty cheap; and there's some scratchy plastics low down, too. Still, overall refinement is good.
While Nissan has tweaked the materials inside, a major focus for the updated Qashqai has been on technology, with the software that underpins the car’s digital interfaces gaining significant upgrades to improve graphics and response times.
Nissan’s new infotainment system comes with Google built in, which means the updated Qashqai comes as standard with Google Maps and Google Assistant, a voice-controlled hands-free system activated when drivers say “Hey Google”.
The infotainment screen is impressively responsive, with no latency issues – adjusting the view by zooming in and out on Google Maps was quick and easy. The screen is also well laid out so finding certain functions is straightforward.
Pleasingly, Nissan has retained conventional buttons and rotary dials for the climate controls, which means adjusting the temperature or fan speed is a seamless process.
