A cash cow is technically a business term for a venture that generates a steady return of profits. The quirky name Qashqai actually sounds like one and is exactly what it has been for Nissan - garnering over a million sales in its first generation.
With the launch of the second generation last year, the Qashqai achieved another milestone of two million production units.
So while the car only arrived here in a Cat B COE configuration of 2.0-litre previously, local distributor Tan Chong Motors has decided to bring in another popular variant - a 1.2-litre turbocharged version that puts the Qashqai back into the Cat A COE territory.
Up close and Personal
The Qashqai's bold, bulbous nose with angular head lights (LED on the Qashqai 2.0) and distinctive LED daytime running lights impart extra assertiveness, while sculpted lines give the car a crisp, up-to-the-minute look. The car is also 50mm longer, 23mm wider and 16mm lower than its predecessor, thus it portrays a sleek, poised stance while maintaining a rugged crossover style.
With the launch of the second generation last year, the Qashqai achieved another milestone of two million production units.
So while the car only arrived here in a Cat B COE configuration of 2.0-litre previously, local distributor Tan Chong Motors has decided to bring in another popular variant - a 1.2-litre turbocharged version that puts the Qashqai back into the Cat A COE territory.
Up close and Personal
The Qashqai's bold, bulbous nose with angular head lights (LED on the Qashqai 2.0) and distinctive LED daytime running lights impart extra assertiveness, while sculpted lines give the car a crisp, up-to-the-minute look. The car is also 50mm longer, 23mm wider and 16mm lower than its predecessor, thus it portrays a sleek, poised stance while maintaining a rugged crossover style.
However, as an entry-level model, the 1.2-litre variant does without the roof rails seen on its bigger 2.0-litre sibling. Similarly, there is no glass moonroof and the car here wears 17-inch shoes as compared to larger 19-inchers on the Qashqai 2.0. As a result of these differences, the Qashqai weighs 94kg lighter than its twin sibling.
The Qashqai left us with a strong first impression when we saw the car last year and it's this very feeling that is the most compelling inside the car, with more up-to-date design cues and higher quality materials.
Zero-gravity inspired seats are standard and offer great comfort for occupants in the roomy cabin, while the spacious 430-litre cargo area can be expandable up to a whopping 1,585 litres with the rear seats folded.
The Qashqai left us with a strong first impression when we saw the car last year and it's this very feeling that is the most compelling inside the car, with more up-to-date design cues and higher quality materials.
Zero-gravity inspired seats are standard and offer great comfort for occupants in the roomy cabin, while the spacious 430-litre cargo area can be expandable up to a whopping 1,585 litres with the rear seats folded.
The Drive
Powering the Qashqai here is a new 1.2-litre DIG-T (Direct Injection Gasoline - Turbocharged) engine paired with Nissan's Xtronic CVT transmission, which features stepped changes that makes it feel more like a traditional multi-ratio gearbox.
Surprisingly, this engine also prefers to be coaxed to speed just like the 2.0-litre powerplant, although it takes 2.8 seconds longer to haul the car to the century mark. Nonetheless, it does a nippy job around town - a place where the Qashqai will likely spend most of its time in.
The challenge, then, is to perform overtaking manoeuvres on the highway, which require advance planning and a little hard work from the engine to complete them safely. That said, once the car has built up speed, it'll cruise very happily with much refinement.
Although you may not always see its claimed fuel economy of 17.9km/L in day-to-day driving, you can still expect the Qashqai to be fairly light on fuel. We managed a reasonable 12km/L during our time with the car.
Powering the Qashqai here is a new 1.2-litre DIG-T (Direct Injection Gasoline - Turbocharged) engine paired with Nissan's Xtronic CVT transmission, which features stepped changes that makes it feel more like a traditional multi-ratio gearbox.
Surprisingly, this engine also prefers to be coaxed to speed just like the 2.0-litre powerplant, although it takes 2.8 seconds longer to haul the car to the century mark. Nonetheless, it does a nippy job around town - a place where the Qashqai will likely spend most of its time in.
The challenge, then, is to perform overtaking manoeuvres on the highway, which require advance planning and a little hard work from the engine to complete them safely. That said, once the car has built up speed, it'll cruise very happily with much refinement.
Although you may not always see its claimed fuel economy of 17.9km/L in day-to-day driving, you can still expect the Qashqai to be fairly light on fuel. We managed a reasonable 12km/L during our time with the car.
Thanks to Nissan's Active Chassis Control, the Qashqai really excels in the way it tackles corners, bumps and ruts. It steers accurately while grip is strong, keeping the driver safe and reassured, and it does an excellent job of filtering out undulations on the road.
Conclusion
The 1.2-litre model could be the most popular in the Qashqai lineup and it's not hard to see why - strong fuel economy combined with an impressively quiet and refined driving experience make it arguably the pick of the range for urban driving.
With its price of $127,800 (as of 23rd January 2015), this 'cash cow' should have no qualms milking it for Nissan in its segment.
Conclusion
The 1.2-litre model could be the most popular in the Qashqai lineup and it's not hard to see why - strong fuel economy combined with an impressively quiet and refined driving experience make it arguably the pick of the range for urban driving.
With its price of $127,800 (as of 23rd January 2015), this 'cash cow' should have no qualms milking it for Nissan in its segment.
