Nissan Navara South African Review
The South African double cab bakkie market is easily one of the most tightly contested vehicle segments in SA, with South Africans being one of the largest fans of the utilitarian aspects of being able to lug around nearing one tonne of payload and three times that via a tow hitch. This has allowed the top contenders, in the form of the Ford Ranger and Toyota’s iconic Hilux to constantly shift in the realm of 3 000 units each month, both over 3 times that of the third and fourth-placed Nissan Hardbody and Isuzu KB.
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This is overall contrasted with tough economic times, that has resulted in the underlying fact that the utilitarian aspects come with the typical bakkie bouncy ride, noisy diesel motors and cramped rear seats that are not ideal traits for the every day, especially since the second daily small car is fast becoming a dream. The packages are improving in line with this shift to more of an everyday usage focused vehicle, but still hindered by the use of load-friendly leaf spring set up, in all but one – enter the new Nissan Navara. Understanding this fluid use of the vehicle that mainly encompasses traffic jams rather than the extreme off-road expedition, Nissan engineers have ditched the traditional bakkie setup for that of a more driver-friendly multi-link coil-over set-up.
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This has set bakkie aficionado’s up in arms, with the general consensus being Nissan ruined the Navara. Admittedly after getting very well acquainted with the bakkie, I must share, that they have indeed ruined the Navara, ruined the choppy ride, ruined the rough engine and ruined the ‘old school’ feel of the bakkie, all gone and replaced with a modern cabin, and a versatile package. The Nissan Navara is incredibly good at the everyday ‘leisurely’ activity that is traffic, driving to and from work and even gravel roads. The ride is easily the best in class, better than even the exceedingly German VW Amarok.
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CABIN
The interior of the Navara is incredibly well-appointed with standard features on SE models including a touch screen Sat Nav system with CD player, AM/FM Radio, AUX, USB and Bluetooth connectivity with steering mounted audio controls. Top-spec LE models get leather interior, electric & heated seats, keyless entry and start, reverse camera, rear PDC and LED daytime running lights.
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The interior is upmarket and comfortable. It feels comparable to a premium SUV rather than a bakkie and offers very good space front and rear, the level of the standard spec is really impressive and does a good job of helping you forget about the bakkie roots. It’s incredibly refined and cancels out wind noise, vibrations and harshness – easily class-leading in this aspect.
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DRIVETRAIN
Powered by a twin-turbo 2.3-litre engine that has 140 kW and 450 N.m, it’s happiest when cruising along at freeway speeds. Overtaking power is good and the low down torque from 1 500-2 500 RPM offers incredible tractability and in town, builds speed very quickly with little effort. The only complaint is the noise when overtaking as the engine does get a little loud when pressing on, but this is a very small gripe. The claimed fuel consumption figure of 6.5 l/100km is rather optimistic with a best of 9.1 l/100km in the combined cycle being more realistic. The 7-speed Automatic is also smooth and feels like a good match to the engine, although some adjustment must be made when cruising as the gearbox will often gear down when accelerating with anything other than ¾ throttle, even when you don’t intend on such, likely more orientated to accommodate 3.5-ton towing capacity.
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4X4 TOYS
The new Navara at Group 1 Nissan is again class-leading in the approach and departure angles offering 33 degrees, on the former and 27.9 degrees the latter. Ground clearance sits at 226 mm, which is impressive but may be hampered by the standard side steps. Low range, diff-lock, and selectable 4WD are standard fair and the electrical goodies like hill ascent and descent control come with the territory.
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The new Nissan Navara is an incredibly good bakkie and with a starting price of R498 900 for the Double Cab 2.3 SE, offers very good value for money for those not overly focused on the bakkie aspects of the vehicle. The range will expand later to include other offerings but at this point, the pick of the bunch is the top-spec 2.3 LE 4×4 Auto.
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Article from: http://nissanforever.emyspot.com/blog/nissan/nissan-navara-south-african-review.html
Posted on December 8th, 2020
The Nissan Micra For Sale: Good-Looking & Affordable
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Is this a ride or die?
Ride. On the whole, the Nissan Micra for sale offers a comfortable, smooth ride that is good on the open road and efficient for basic zooming around. The technological specs include features usually associated with higher-end cars, such as four cameras for parking assistance, a seven-inch infotainment screen, and cruise control.
As part of the stability control, there is hill-start assist, which spares a lot of blushes, especially if you’re trying to balance a car you are still getting used to on an incline. Blindspot alert is also a highlight: an orange warning light flashes when a sneaky car creeps up on you.
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What's the inside story?
After stepping inside one of these babies, you’d be excused for momentarily thinking you’re in a sports car. The interior has funky "energy orange" interior detailing, with a leather-trimmed steering wheel.
The infotainment system makes for a pretty cool central focus on the dash. But if you don’t want to use that while driving, steering wheel control allows you to control almost all the car’s settings, including being able to turn the blindspot indicator on or off, should it prove annoying during rush-hour traffic.
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Pretty or ugly?
Pretty. This hatchback is a far cry from the original, frog-looking Debbie Dowdy of five generations ago.
The design is slick, with attractive colour options including energy orange if you want to stand out in the crowd.
The angular upgrade means it not only has a sleeker and sportier vibe, but it also fits in better with the rest of the cool kids on the road.
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Verdict
It is definitely worth considering if you are looking in the upper B-segment. The technology that comes standard is impressive, and the car’s aesthetic will have you wanting to show off your ride.
Additionally, if you manage to snatch up a used Nissan Micra for sale - you’ll be getting all these great features for an even better price at Group 1 Nissan.
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Points we appreciate
Hill-start assist. Price point. Stylish interior. 360°cameras. Six-year/150 000km warranty. Three-year/90 000km service plan.
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Article sourced from: https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/
Posted on November 18th, 2020
Nissan NP200: Why It’s The Bakkie You Should Purchase
If you're in the market for a bakkie to help mobilize your new or current business in this time where delivery has become a crucial type of service, making the right decision can mean the difference between a worthy investment and failure. Look no further than the Nissan NP200 bakkie.
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Nissan NP200 Size
The NP200 seems like a toy next to its larger opponents, but don't underestimate this little utility vehicle's capabilities or uses.
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Nissan NP200 Price
It should come as no surprise that the Nissan NP200 price is significantly cheaper than bigger opponents. Second-hand models from the past two or three years range in the region of R130 000.
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Nissan NP200 Fuel Consumption
Again, smaller beats bigger when it comes to how much you'll have to fork out for petrol. The NP200 will get you an average of 10.31km per litre at 8.1 litres per 100km, while the average for a petrol Hilux, for example, is 11 litres per 100km and diesel models come in around 7.7 to 8.2 litres per 100km.
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Nissan NP200 Resale Value
The Nissan NP200 is one of the bakkies at Group 1 Nissan that ranks at the top for best resale value in it’s category bracket. NP200 models are always in demand with consumers looking for a practical, low-cost transport vehicle
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Nissan NP200 Uses
Out of all the factors when deciding between bakkies, what you intend to use it for should be the biggest deciding factor. If you're running a small delivery business or just need a vehicle to get rid of garden refuse and do occasional moving, the NP200 will serve you perfectly and you won't need anything bigger. As a small business delivery vehicle, there is ample room for storage of goods and, with the addition of a canopy, you'll need nothing more.
Article sourced from: http://nissanforever.emyspot.com/blog/nissan-np200-why-it-s-the-bakkie-you-should-purchase.html
Posted on November 18th, 2020
Nissan Qashqai mid-range model
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Nissan has introduced a new member to the Nissan Qashqai for sale family of small SUVs, with the arrival this month of the Qashqai ST+.
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Slotting in between the base ST and the mid-ranking ST-L, the addition of the ST+ boosts the number of variants in the Nissan Qashqai lineup to four, while also bridging gap between the auto-equipped ST and ST-L.
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Offering a more well-rounded equipment fit-out than the entry-model, Nissan expects the Qashqai ST+ to sit in the sweet spot for prospective buyers.
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"Reducing the gap between the Qashqai ST and ST-L will please many of our buyers who wanted more than what we offered on the entry grade, but weren’t in the market for a higher spec vehicle," said Nissan Australia's managing director, Stephen Lester.
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"It’s a competitive market, so it is important that we react to this to ensure buyers remain with the Nissan brand."
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Small SUVs are certainly big business. The segment continues to swell in terms of sales figures at a time where most other categories are shrinking, and the Qashqai has been a consistently strong performer.
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In March 2020, it outsold the Mazda CX-3, Hyundai Kona and Honda HR-V, taking second place in segment sales behind the Mitsubishi ASX.
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In fact, it’s one of Nissan’s core models, alongside the top-selling Nissan X-Trail and Navara ute.
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For the ST+, Nissan has added a seven-inch colour touchscreen, 360-degree camera view, satellite navigation, power-folding and heated wing mirrors, privacy glass and a digital radio tuner on top of the regular ST’s equipment list.
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A CVT automatic is also standard-issue for the ST+, making it a reasonable gain for the extra cost over the Qashqai ST automatic's retail.
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Equipment highlights shared with the ST include push-button ignition, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel, 17-inch alloys and an electronic park brake, along with AEB and lane departure warning.
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What do you miss out on from the ST-L? Namely a power-adjustable driver’s seat, 18-inch alloys, fog lamps, roof rails, partial 'pleather' upholstery and heated front seats.
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All available Nissan Qashqai variants at Group 1 Nissan remain powered by a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated petrol four-cylinder, producing 106kW and 200Nm. Power goes to the front wheels exclusively – AWD isn’t offered on the Qashqai – and a CVT automatic is the default transmission for all models bar the base Qashqai ST, which has a six-speed manual as standard but can be optioned with the CVT.
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Article source: https://www.whichcar.com.au/car-news/2019-nissan-qashqai-price-and-features
Posted on July 6th, 2020
Navara spearheaded Nissan's African expansion
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In April 2019, Nissan announced that it would start building its Nissan Navara 1-ton pick-up from its Rosslyn plant in Pretoria, a significant moment for Nissan’s industrial expansion in Africa.
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Rosslyn has been producing different models for 60 years, operating exclusively as a Nissan plant since the 1980s. Most recently, it has become a light commercial vehicle hub for the production of the Japanese automaker’s NP300 Hardbody and NP200 pick-ups, which are exported to 45 African markets by Nissan Cape Town and other branches.
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In 2020, when the first of the Nissan Navara models started rolling off the production lines, we got a major contender in the continental market. The vehicle is not only designed for Africa but made in Africa by Africans. In the process they will have increased the competitiveness of the Rosslyn factory and created almost 1200 new jobs at the plant as well as across the supply chain for investment by Nissan and its partners of almost $207 million (R3bn), but also further transformed the firm’s South African supply chain network by developing 13 new black-owned suppliers and setting localised content targets of 60 percent in the locally-built Navara.
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The decision was the result of a very long and very deep relationship with the South African government on the need for a sustainable and competitive automotive industry. This has been demonstrated through a series of progressive automotive industrial development plans culminating in the ambitious South African Automotive Masterplan 2035. This not only sets targets but provides investment security and planning certainty for the next 16 years. To secure this investment, Nissan had to ensure that the plant meets world-class standards by upskilling the employees.
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If you’re looking for a new or use Nissan for sale in Cape Town - simply check out Group 1 Nissan’s online showroom here.
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Posted on May 29th, 2020
Nissan develops lightweight acoustic meta-material to reduce road noise
Road noise has long been a problem in cars in Cape Town, particularly when traveling at speed on the highway, but it's even more obvious in electric cars, which don't produce engine noise that can help mask it. Nissan has now developed an acoustic meta-material that is as effective as the sound insulation materials currently used, but at a quarter of the weight.
Carmakers have long used rubber boards to reduce road noise inside vehicle cabins, but these are heavy, reducing energy efficiency. This has lead a number of companies, including Hyundai and Bose, to tackle the problem by adapting active noise cancelling technology like that used in headphones in an attempt to cancel out the sound waves. Nissan's approach, however, is passive, so it doesn't require any power or complicated (or expensive) microphone and speaker setup.
The company also claims it is comparable in cost to mass-produce to rubber boards – if not cheaper. This is due to the acoustic meta-material's simple design, which is a lattice structure covered by a thin plastic film. This arrangement, which looks a bit like bubble wrap with one side removed, helps reflect wide frequency band noise in the 500 to 1,200-hertz range hitting the material, reducing the amount that passes through.
In addition to improving the energy efficiency of existing vehicles that currently rely on heavy rubber boards, Nissan says its acoustic meta-material could bring a quieter ride to vehicles whose use of conventional sound insulation materials due to weight and cost constraints.
There's no word on if or when Nissan Cape Town plans to integrate the acoustic meta-material into its vehicles, but you can stay up to date with any new developments by following Group 1 Nissan’s blog.
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Original article from https://newatlas.com/automotive/nissan-acoustic-meta-material-road-noise/
Posted on March 31st, 2020
Nissan NV350 & NV200 Panel Vans
The already comprehensive Nissan Light Commercial Vehicle lineup was joined by the Nissan NV Panel Vans, the NV200 and the NV350. The Nissan NV200 Panel Van range is also be complemented by the Combi variants, and so is the Nissan NV350 Panel Van variants.
NV200 Panel Van
The Nissan NV200 sits in the LCV line-up as a small van offering outstanding cargo space, compact body and low cost of ownership.
The NV200 1.6i Visia is powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine which produces 81kW at 6000rpm and 153Nm at 4400rpm and is mated to a five-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive. The 1.6i Visia returns an average fuel economy figure of 7.2 litres per 100km while producing 166g/km of CO2.
Featuring the same transmission, the turbocharged diesel NV200 1.5 dCi Visia develops 66kW of power at 4000 rpm and 200Nm of torque at 1750. Fuel consumption is rated at 4.9- litres/100km with CO2 emissions of 129g/km.
Features
The spacious NV200 Panel Van features a total cargo volume of 4.2 cubic metres, with a low floor sill measuring 520mm and a wide distance between the wheel arches (1220mm). Its unique front design brings out a spirited look while maintaining functionality and class. Easy access to the load area is ensured by sliding doors on either side of the vehicle and the clean and solid construction is enhanced by the NV200 Panel Van’s wide range of colours, including white, silver, grey, black and red.
Additional standard equipment includes 14-inch wheel covers, remote central locking with immobiliser, air conditioning, full metal mesh partition, French-style rear doors, tilt-adjustable steering, two speakers and a roof-mounted antenna in a radio-ready setup, as well as a full-size spare wheel. The passenger seat can be folded forward to enable the loading of longer items like ladders.
The NV200 Panel Van also features driver and passenger airbags, ABS with EBD and VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) as well as a driver's seatbelt warning buzzer.
Nissan NV350 Panel Van
The Nissan NV350 Panel Van picks up where the old Nissan E20 left off back in 1995 and is available in two body styles and the choice of petrol or diesel engines.
The Nissan NV350 2.5-litre Narrow Body with a low roof and Wide Body with high roof petrol models produce 108kW of power at 5600rpm and 213Nm of torque at 4400rpm, and feature a five-speed manual gearbox. Fuel economy on the Narrow Body's average combined cycle is 11.8-litres/100km with CO2 emissions of 282g/km, and 12.5-litres/100km with CO2 emissions of 300g/km on the wide body.
The NV350 2.5-litre Wide Body and high roof turbocharged diesel model develops 95kW of power at 3200rpm and 356Nm of torque at 1400-2000 rpm and is also mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. Average fuel economy is rated at 8.3-litres/100km.
Features
The Wide Body features a high roof, offering 9.2 cubic metres of load volume, with 3 250 mm of length and 1 645 mm of height allowing for long and tall objects to be loaded with absolute ease.
The appearance of the NV350 expresses the car’s modern and rich surface designs. The front end imparts a strong, bold and individualistic design with a rounded waistline that forms at the base of the windscreen and progresses down the flanks, while the squared-off rear alludes to its load-carrying capacity. The crystal design tail lights further accentuate the NV350’s character lines. The NV350 is available at Group 1 Nissan in five standard colours – white, silver, black, gunmetal grey and dark brown.
The spacious interior features a two-tone robust dashboard, a large 10.6-litre glove box, a capacious upper cubby hole, two pull-out cup holders, and a large tray mounted on top of the dashboard. The instrument binnacle houses an array of analogue dials, as well as a classy 3.5-inch LCD display screen where the fuel and temperature gauges flank the full multi-functional information display.
Additional standard features across the NV350 Panel Van range include remote central locking with a panic alarm function, an immobiliser and alarm, electric windows, air conditioning, tilt adjustment for the steering wheel, headlamp battery savers, two speakers and a pillar antenna in a radio-ready setup as well as 15-inch steel wheels with wheel covers. The Narrow Body and low roof model features two sliding doors on its flanks, while the Wide Body models feature one sliding door and an extra pull handle on the tailgate.
Safety equipment includes ABS with Brake Assist, a driver’s airbag, pre-tensioned seat belts and a driver’s seatbelt warning buzzer.
All Nissan NV350 Panel Van models come standard with a 3-year/ 100 000 km warranty, a 5-year/ 90 000 km service plan as well as a three-year anti-corrosion warranty. Service intervals for both petrol and diesel variants are 15 000 km.
Posted on March 31st, 2020
Nissan Qashqai 2019 review
Just in case you haven’t been keeping track, the Qashqai is the latest incarnation of the SUV that Aussies used to call the Dualis.
To be fair, neither name makes much sense. Qashqai is the name of a relatively obscure Iranian mountain tribe, and Dualis was a purely made-up word by Nissan, meant to refer to the SUV’s dual-purpose abilities.
Nissan says the Qashqai was named as such to reflect that its owners would be "nomadic in nature", and, in a way, it is fitting, given the Qashqai’s dimensions put it in an SUV tribe of its own. See, it’s not quite small enough to be a small SUV, and not quite large enough to be a mid-size one.
Is it a good middle-ground, though? Can the Nissan Qashqai for sale make an obscure tribesperson out of me? I spent a week in a top-spec Ti to find out.
Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with?
Our Ti is the, erm, chief of the Qashqai line-up. Pricey for a small(ish) SUV, but not outrageous at the top-end.
For the cash, you get a leather interior trim, a panoramic glass sunroof, six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, a 7.0-inch multimedia screen with built-in sat-nav, keyless entry and push-button start, dual-zone climate control, Nissan’s 360-degree reversing camera (which the brand calls an ‘around view monitor’), which is normally reserved for vastly more expensive European marques. You also get a standard reversing camera as well as front and rear parking sensors and an automatic anti-glare rearview mirror.
The leather seats and soft-touch points are genuinely plush and comfortable, and the panoramic glass roof adds a nice premium air to the cabin on sunny days. It is a fixed roof, however, and does not open.
There is also the welcome addition of LED headlights, fog lights and DRLs, which are automatic and come with high-beam assist as part of an ‘adaptive front lighting system’. The wing mirrors have LED indicators, and are both heated and auto-folding.
Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10
I think it’s fair to call the exterior visage of the Qashqai derivative. Unlike other Japanese segment rivals, the Toyota C-HR, Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3, the Qashqai for sale maintain a much more traditional SUV shape, so much so that it is easy to confuse it with its bigger brother, the X-Trail.
Our top-spec Ti looked quite stunning in its Vivid Blue colour (optional, by the way), which helps because aside from some much sharper and cleaner lines around the front and side - not to mention a much more modern V-shaped grille – the Qashqai’s design really hasn’t advanced too far from its Dualis origins in the mid-2000s.
Around the back is a better angle, with the chunky taillights meeting the car’s rear-wheel haunches, and a hot hatch-like rear spoiler jutting out from the roof.
Helping set the Ti apart from the rest of the range is the gigantic 19-inch alloy wheels with a two-tone milled finish, which really fill those raised SUV arches.
Inside, things look luxurious thanks to a solid helping of leather on the doors, seats, centre console and steering wheel. It also feels a bit more spacious than some competitors, but the modern illusion is quickly broken by the old-fashioned centre stack.
It’s blatantly obvious that the multimedia screen is vulnerable to glare, using an old-style touch surface, and the design of the interface is old, slow and clumsy. And aside from some useful shortcut buttons down the sides, the gloss-plastic insert in which it lives looks a little ill-fitting considering the rest of the matte surfaces in the cabin.
The instrument binnacle consists of a colour screen and two traditional dial clusters. While hardly moving design forward in this area, it has huge and legible fonts and presents all the important information well.
The 2018 Qashqai is separated from the previous iteration by a much more modern-looking steering wheel (in the Ti’s case, it's D-shaped with leather trim), seat design and a slightly re-worked centre console area.
How practical is the space inside?
While the interior feels all plush, light and airy, it’s not quite what it appears to be. The very first thing I noticed when stepping into the Qashqai’s helm was the super-high seating position.
Normally, this is a boon for SUV buyers, as it helps with visibility. However, the huge sunroof in the Ti lowers the roof level, making it problematically close to my head. I’m 182cm tall, and anyone even a few centimetres taller than me would be able to rest their forehead on the sun-visor.
That being said, I found the leg and arm room in the cabin to be fantastic, and there was always a nice and soft surface to rest your elbows on - which can hardly be said for something like the Hyundai Kona.
There is also a heap of handy, rugged storage spaces around the cabin, including deep, useful cupholders in the doors and transmission tunnel. There is also a rather large two-tiered storage area with USB ports, aux input and cable-management in the centre console, and a deep trench under the air conditioning controls which hosts a 12-volt power source, and so is very suitable for phones and wallets.
I found the backseat to have great leg and headroom despite the sunroof, and the seats back there are as plush as they are up the front.
Rear passengers benefit from two cupholders (but no trenches) in the doors, there's a weird little storage nook on the back of the console box and leather-bound pockets on the back of both front seats. Like many other small-SUVs, there are no vents back here. Sorry.
The lack of a coupe-style roofline like many competitors means the boot, at 430L, is one of the biggest in the class, and it comes with a couple of tricks.
The boot floor is variable, for example, courtesy of some removable floor panels, and can provide an impressive and almost completely level 1598L with them in and the rear seats down.
What are the key stats for the engine and transmission?
Our Qashqai Ti from Group 1 Nissan has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which is now your only powertrain option.
There was once a diesel, but it’s dead now, and surprisingly there’s still a manual, but only for the base-model ST. All Qashqais are front-wheel-drive only. If it’s AWD you’re after, you’ll have to step down to the much smaller Juke or up to the larger X-Trail.
The 2.0-litre produces an average-sounding 106kW and 200Nm of torque, and considering most competitors produce similar, or worse, figures, the Qashqai is on-par.
More interesting competitors come in the form of the Hyundai Kona’s 1.6-litre 130kW/256Nm engine option, and the fun-to-drive Suzuki Vitara S-Turbo which has 103kW/220Nm.
How much fuel does it consume? 7/10
Over my week of reasonably mixed urban and freeway driving, I returned a figure of 8.2L/100km against Nissan’s combined figure of 6.9L/100km. A miss, but not by much, and I have found that roughly 8.0L/100km is what you can expect from most of its turbocharged competition.
The Qashqai happily drinks base-grade 91RON unleaded petrol and has a 65-litre tank. There's no stop-start technology to help you out with the economy, though.
What's it like to drive? 7/10
The Qashqai is hardly the last word in driving dynamics, but it is easy to helm and has decent handling for the segment.
The 2.0-litre is a tad thrashy, although doesn’t really leave you desperate for more power, and the CVT gives the accelerator pedal a lethargic, rubbery response. That being said, the steering provides a nice blend of lightness for low-speed manoeuvrability, while being solid and responsive at higher speeds.
The suspension is tuned more for comfort than sportiness, which suits the character of the car’s plush interior well, and despite a 1429kg kerb weight, it felt surprisingly light and agile in the corners for an SUV. This is helped by the Qashqai’s multilink rear suspension rather than the torsion beam which appears in many small-SUV competitors.
You do have to be overly conscious of the gigantic alloy wheels on the Ti when parking on the street, as gutter rash would look tragic, and the amount of road noise that was produced by the slim tyres was less than impressive.
Overall, the Qashqai provides a confident and comfortable drive.
What safety equipment is fitted? What safety rating? 9/10
The Ti, being the top-spec Qashqai, comes with the most comprehensive active safety suite available on this model.
Included is intelligent emergency braking – Nissan’s AEB system - forward collision warning, lane departure warning (LDW), lane keep assist (LKAS - branded as intelligent lane intervention) blind-spot monitoring (BSM), rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA), active cruise control, and a wholly unnecessary auto-parking function.
That’s an impressive suite, and it as at the forefront of what is being offered elsewhere in the small SUV segment.
On the passive safety side, it has six airbags and the standard suite of braking and stability controls. A space-saver spare lives under the boot floor and the rear seats host two ISOFIX child seat mounting points.
What does it cost to own? What warranty is offered?
Nissan lets this car down with a genuinely old-fashioned three-year, 100,000km warranty. Most of its main competitors, apart from Toyota and Suzuki, have moved on with at least a five-year, unlimited-kilometre offering.
You are, however, permitted to purchase an extended warranty for up to three extra years, but the maximum number of kilometres you can add is 50,000. A total of 150,000km from new is not really sufficient cover for six years.
The Qashqai requires servicing once a year or every 10,000km and is covered by a fixed-price servicing program for the first 12 years.
Verdict
The top-spec Qashqai Ti is not cheap but helps to justify its price through its impressive safety equipment, luxurious features and - most importantly - its segment-bending dimensions.
It will suit a buyer looking for something not as big or capable as an X-Trail, but still with the ample boot space and interior dimensions to match its traditional SUV visage.
Article source: https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-reviews/nissan-qashqai-ti-72436
Posted on January 21st, 2020
Tested: Nissan Navara Stealth is an attractive package
Nissan Navara 2.3D Stealth 4x4 auto
Vehicles that don’t match their names often end up taking flak from buyers, reviewers and internet trolls alike. This is usually because it says sporty on the box but the actual toy isn’t much fun to play with.
But Nissan’s new Navara Stealth edition is something we’ll happily forgive for its mismatched name. Stealth is a word you’d usually associated with going undercover, but this Nissan instead attracts attention on the street with its orange trim on the front bumper, side steps and wing mirrors as well as its large stickers and black wheels and grille. The latter in my opinion works better than the chrome trim that adorns other Navara models at Group 1 Nissan, and it makes for a sportier look.
The Stealth package is a purely aesthetic one, however, meaning that in essence this is a rival to the Ranger Wildtrak rather than the Raptor. The Stealth is available in 4x2 manual and auto as well as 4x4 auto configurations, commanding a very reasonable price premium over the Navara LE variants.
While it can’t match the 157kW/500Nm Ford for outright grunt, the 2.3-litre twin-turbo that comes standard in all Navaras is still more powerful than most rivals, producing 140kW at 3750rpm and 450Nm from 1500 revs.
The engine provides relatively effortless performance and it’s impressively smooth, quiet and refined too, and the seven-speed automatic gearbox is reasonably responsive.
On the subject of refinement, the Nissan Navara is the only vehicle in its class to feature a coil-sprung rear suspension rather than leaf springs, and while the unladen ride is comfortable enough on most surfaces, it doesn’t seem notably better than its rivals in that regard, and you’ll also feel an uncomfortable firmness over larger speed bumps - as you would in other bakkies. The Navara does handle corners quite neatly though.
For those that want to venture deep into the wilds, the Navara has all the typical ingredients you’d expect at this level, including a transfer case with low-range gearing, diff lock and a ground clearance of 129mm. While on the subject of utility, the Navara is rated to tow 3500kg (braked) and the payload is just short of a tonne, at 961kg.
It will make a decent family vehicle too, with relatively generous rear legroom, although really tall teens will probably want more headroom.
The features count is as generous as you could expect, with standard fare including partial leather seats (heated upfront and with electric adjustment for the driver), dual zone climate control, keyless push-button start, cruise control, auto headlights, a touchscreen infotainment system with satnav and a 360-degree Around View Monitor.
The Stealth also gets a unique seat upholstery that pairs black leather side bolsters with orange material inserts and stitching. It works well to lift the mood inside, without being too OTT.
VERDICT
The Navara operates in a cut-throat segment that has no shortage of talent, and although it doesn’t stand apart from its rivals in any particular area, it is a decent all-rounder that offers impressive all-round refinement. This could be a very attractive package for someone wanting to avoid the Hilux-Ranger herd, and stand out a little on the road (and trail).
Posted on January 21st, 2020
Your Nissan Leaf May Soon Charge Your House
You might think an electric car is a car, but you’d be wrong. It is a giant battery that, for some reason, spends most of its existence powering a thing that’s not moving at all. That’s why Nissan sees a future for the Leaf as a battery that can power your house.
The concept, called "Vehicle-to-Home" electric supply or bi-directional charging, has been available in Japan but will soon be rolling out to Australia, according to the EV website The Driven, after regulatory testing.
The idea of a home battery is not especially new. Energy usage is uneven, which strains service providers during peak periods. Plus, the times when a green energy grid produces lots of energy is not necessarily the same time as people use lots of energy, meaning a lot of that green energy goes to waste. Without a way to store that energy for later, solar and wind can only get us so far.
As battery costs have steadily fallen, large home batteries are an increasingly tenable solution. But they’re still expensive, costing thousands of dollars or more to buy and install. Tesla’s Powerwall, for example, costs as much as a car.
That’s where the Leaf comes in.
As Tim Washington, CEO of charging solutions provider Jetcharge put it when speaking at the event, "Cars will be an energy asset first, and a mobility asset second."
"What I mean by that is you are going to use your cars probably more as batteries than as vehicles.
"As we know vehicles are parked 90% of the time – that is one of the criticism levelled at cars. But what if they are the most efficient asset that you have because it’s doing work even when it is parked?"
Nissan’s global head of electric vehicles, Nic Thomas, went on to offer some not-so-subtle shade at Tesla for the Powerwall, calling them "a complete waste of resources," because most of those customers will also have an electric car, which as we have discussed is not a car but a battery spending most of its existence parked in the driveway.
And it’s not just a battery, but a big, carefully engineered battery. Here in the U.S., the average home uses 867 kWh per month or a little under 30 kWh per day.
The Leaf comes in two battery sizes: 40 kWh that provides approximately 150 miles of range and a 62 kWh battery with 226 miles of range. So even a partially-charged smaller Leaf battery could power many American homes for several hours. And in the event of a power outage, a fully-charged Leaf could power the average American home for more than two days.
Of course, most people wouldn’t want to use their Leaf to power their house for days. In the rare event people will want to use their electric car as something other than a battery, it will require a charge. On Nissan’s website explaining the way the technology works in Japan, the company says it charges the Leaf during the night when energy demand is lower, so the car is fully charged in the morning. But, using the Leaf as an energy source will mean it might not be fully charged when you go to use it in the middle of the afternoon.
And you know what? That’s fine! Nearly all car trips are under 30 miles, and most are under six miles. Even if your house drains your Leaf battery by 50 per cent (which would be extreme) you will still have 75 miles of range, enough to run a bunch of errands and pick the kids up from school.
With the constant consternation over vehicle ownership patterns and whether or not millennials buy cars, it’s nice to see at least one automaker thinking about how to put cars to good use when they’re not being driven, especially an environmentally friendly one. It’s also a solid business proposition for the environmentally conscious since you won’t have to spring for a home battery.
There are currently pilot tests underway for bi-directional charging for Leaf fleets, but it’s not clear when this feature will be available to households outside of Japan and Australia. A spokesman for Nissan said, "We’re currently looking at ways to bring this technology to market in the US [, and even Group 1 Nissan,] but have nothing to announce at this time."
Article source: https://jalopnik.com/your-nissan-leaf-may-soon-charge-your-house-1836311220
Posted on January 21st, 2020