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The small SUV that’s big on what matters - all-new Nissan Qashqai vaults to the top of its class

Nissan Australia has again raised the small SUV bar with a completely new Qashqai that is even roomier than before, and which features a new turbo-petrol engine with more power and torque, improved fuel economy and lower emissions.Penned at the studios of Nissan Design Europe in London and engineered at the Nissan Technical Centre in Bedfordshire, UK, the new Qashqai is also the first vehicle globally to use Nissan’s innovative CMF-C architecture, which boasts a 48 percent increase in structural rigidity.In terms of construction, the body-in-white makes use of more lightweight materials, as well as advanced stamping and welding techniques, not just to increase strength, but to also reduce weight. For the first time, the rear hatchback door on the Qashqai is now made of a composite material, which saves a further 2.6kg.Central to the engineering vision was to retain the current Qashqai’s proportions, which are “just right” and key to its success, meaning it comfortably navigates urban roads and fits comfortably in parking spaces, while also giving excellent interior space.The front and rear doors, front fenders and bonnet are all now made of aluminium, which offers a weight-saving, and the total net advantage for customers, thanks to all the advanced manufacturing techniques, is that the overall body-in-white is lighter by 60kg and stiffer by 41 percent compared to the outgoing model.