Photo: Nissan
Sunderland in the United Kingdom represents one of Nissan’s most important production hubs in the world. Here you’ll find the assembly lines for the Infiniti Q30 and QX30, Nissan Juke, current and next-generation Leaf, as well as the Qashqai, including the facelifted model.
The mid-cycle refresh couldn’t come at a better time, for the J11-generation Qashqai has been in production since November 2013. The new kid on the block doesn’t step away too much from the tried-and-tested formula of Europe’s best-selling crossover, though every little upgrade taken as a whole makes for an extensive overhaul over the pre-facelift.
“In the decade since Qashqai launched we have built more than 2.8 million in Sunderland, taking plant output to record levels,” declared Colin Lawther, Nissan’s senior vice president for Manufacturing, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management in Europe. “Offering new premium design features and Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies, this new model marks a new chapter for Qashqai and for our manufacturing operations.”
Arguably the most significant of enhancements is ProPilot autonomous driving. Well, make that semi-autonomous for the system is currently capable of steering, accelerating, and braking in a single lane on the highway in two scenarios: heavy traffic and high-speed cruising. Nissan, for its part, has taken to itself to improve ProPilot in the coming years until the system gets to Level 5 (or full automation in layman’s terms).
Known as the Rogue Sport in the United States, the Qashqai further prides itself on a redesigned V-Motion grille, revised headlights and taillights, as well as sharper-looking bumpers and new designs for the alloy wheels. The interior has been updated in its own right, the biggest improvement coming in the form of the Tekna+ trim level’s quilted Nappa leather seats.
Engine options remain, as ever, predictable, with Europe getting a selection of four-cylinder turbocharged units displacing anything from 1.2 to 1.6 liters. Optional all-wheel-drive is go for the range-topping 1.6-liter turbo diesel, whereas comfort-oriented customers are offered with a continuously variable transmission instead of a conventional automatic or a DCT.
“In the decade since Qashqai launched we have built more than 2.8 million in Sunderland, taking plant output to record levels,” declared Colin Lawther, Nissan’s senior vice president for Manufacturing, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management in Europe. “Offering new premium design features and Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies, this new model marks a new chapter for Qashqai and for our manufacturing operations.”
Arguably the most significant of enhancements is ProPilot autonomous driving. Well, make that semi-autonomous for the system is currently capable of steering, accelerating, and braking in a single lane on the highway in two scenarios: heavy traffic and high-speed cruising. Nissan, for its part, has taken to itself to improve ProPilot in the coming years until the system gets to Level 5 (or full automation in layman’s terms).
Known as the Rogue Sport in the United States, the Qashqai further prides itself on a redesigned V-Motion grille, revised headlights and taillights, as well as sharper-looking bumpers and new designs for the alloy wheels. The interior has been updated in its own right, the biggest improvement coming in the form of the Tekna+ trim level’s quilted Nappa leather seats.
Engine options remain, as ever, predictable, with Europe getting a selection of four-cylinder turbocharged units displacing anything from 1.2 to 1.6 liters. Optional all-wheel-drive is go for the range-topping 1.6-liter turbo diesel, whereas comfort-oriented customers are offered with a continuously variable transmission instead of a conventional automatic or a DCT.
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