Photo: Nissan
As far as the Old Continent is concerned, crossovers weren’t exactly popular when the Qashqai was launched in 2006. But as fate would have it, Nissan has singlehandedly opened up Europe’s appetite for SUVs.
The trend won’t go away in the near or mid-term future, but the Qashqai will have to change nevertheless. In addition to a ground-up redesign for the 2021 model year on the CMF-C platform, Nissan is embracing electrification in the guise of the HR13 DiG-T mild-hybrid turbo and the MR15 e-Power. As you may have already noticed, four-cylinder turbo diesels aren’t coming back.
HR13 is how the Japanese automaker calls the 1.3-liter engine, available in two states of tune and with two different transmissions. All-wheel drive is exclusive to the high-output tune of the DiG-T and the continuously variable transmission, a combo that promises 158 PS and up to 270 Nm of torque.
That’s 156 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque in U.S. money, which is more than adequate for a compact crossover. As for the entry-level version of the 1.3-liter engine, make that 140 PS (138 horsepower) and 240 Nm (177 pound-feet) with the six-speed manual and front-wheel drive.
Moving over to MR15, the 1.5-liter engine is used solely to generate electricity whilst the wheels are completely driven by the electric motor. According to Nissan, this setup allows customers to enjoy the benefits of EV driving without worrying about range or access to charging stations.
“Customers rightly demand more efficient vehicles, but they also want an enjoyable driving experience,” said Marco Fioravanti, vice president of product planning at the automaker’s European division. “Electric vehicles have the highest satisfaction for driving sensations and customers love the instant torque and continuous acceleration they deliver.”
Scheduled to go on sale in 2022, the preliminary specifications of the e-Power are pretty darn good. Exclusively offered with 2WD for the sake of maximum efficiency, the EV-like hybrid system is rated at 190 PS (187 horsepower) and 330 Nm (243 pound-feet) of near-instant torque.
HR13 is how the Japanese automaker calls the 1.3-liter engine, available in two states of tune and with two different transmissions. All-wheel drive is exclusive to the high-output tune of the DiG-T and the continuously variable transmission, a combo that promises 158 PS and up to 270 Nm of torque.
That’s 156 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque in U.S. money, which is more than adequate for a compact crossover. As for the entry-level version of the 1.3-liter engine, make that 140 PS (138 horsepower) and 240 Nm (177 pound-feet) with the six-speed manual and front-wheel drive.
Moving over to MR15, the 1.5-liter engine is used solely to generate electricity whilst the wheels are completely driven by the electric motor. According to Nissan, this setup allows customers to enjoy the benefits of EV driving without worrying about range or access to charging stations.
“Customers rightly demand more efficient vehicles, but they also want an enjoyable driving experience,” said Marco Fioravanti, vice president of product planning at the automaker’s European division. “Electric vehicles have the highest satisfaction for driving sensations and customers love the instant torque and continuous acceleration they deliver.”
Scheduled to go on sale in 2022, the preliminary specifications of the e-Power are pretty darn good. Exclusively offered with 2WD for the sake of maximum efficiency, the EV-like hybrid system is rated at 190 PS (187 horsepower) and 330 Nm (243 pound-feet) of near-instant torque.
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