Nissan Qashqai

NISSAN teased us with its five-door Qashqai (pronounced cashkye) for ages. On arrival, is this compact SUV-cum-hatchback all it's cracked up to be or is it just another SUV in a long line of new models designed to appeal to tough townies and village moms?

It is marketed as a family hatchback yet it is almost certainly aimed at the SUV market - particularly as it has huge doors, a high bonnet and grille and big fat alloy wheels that wouldn't look out of place on Qashqai's big brother, the Pathfinder.

Nissan is also pushing the urban lifestyle - as far away from the countryside as one can possibly get. The adverts have quite an industrial backdrop, which makes me think this car is going to spend more time in a multi-storey car park than it is sitting on the driveway of a suburban semi.

Promotional material aside, my first impression of the Qashqai itself is that it looks far more expensive than it really is. It doesn't need a double-take but it has style in spades.

The range starts at £13,499 for the two-wheel drive 1.6 Visia, which has standard features such as 16-inch alloys, electric windows and CD/radio with Bluetooth. It is available in two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. Therefore you can own the image without having the compulsory guilt-trip that seems to accompany ownership of the modern off-roader these days.

Nissan doesn't have a family saloon any more. There are Micra and mini MPV Note for the budget-conscious motorist. Or, if style is your thing, the Murano and 350Z Coupé will turn heads. But Nissan's main staple is off-road cars and pick-ups and therefore its designers could whip up' this appealing new car, with its style and practicality, without even breaking a sweat.

Whichever way you look at it, it's a beautiful car - not too big and not too small. It's not as in your face' as the labelicious Murano and it's half the price. But it has a wonderfully smooth body, just like a shiny teardrop of mercury, and the quality of the finish gives the whole car a really premium feel.

I was test driving the range-top Tekna 2.0-litre petrol automatic version with the all mode 4x4, courtesy of Westover Nissan. This latest 4x4 technology draws on Nissan's 50 years of off road experience.

The mat black interior is every bit as stylish and inviting as the exterior and it's spacious too. The model I was testing has heated (front) leather seats as standard, as well as a six-CD autochanger fitted into the centre console. It also has a wonderful panoramic sunroof (with blind). 17-inch alloys and Xenon headlamps are also standard on this version, as is the intelligent key, which allows you to unlock and start up the engine without taking the key out of your pocket.

The high driving position and large windscreen aid the illusion of this being a much pricier car. The two-litre engine gives the Qashqai a smooth, effortless and quiet drive. Light and responsive steering and throttle controls are not unlike those of a sports car.

And it is this combination of comfort, quality, space and power that makes the Qashqai such an appealing all-rounder.

NISSAN Qashqai 2.0-litre petrol

Tekna four-wheel drive six-speed manual

Top speed: 118 mph

0-60 mph: 10.6 secs

Power: 140ps @ 6,000 rpm

Torque: 144 lb ft @ 4,800 rpm

Combined ecomony: 33.6 mpg

CO2 emissions: 204 g/km: Band F.

Insurance group: 10.

Price: £19,499