Our cars: Used Nissan Qashqai - June

2008 Nissan Qashqai 1.6 Visia

Week ending June 29
Mileage 26,700
Driven this week: 600 miles

Used Nissan Qashqai review

On the wettest weekend of June, with flooding forecast and a nation clothed in wellies and anoraks, my partner and our seven-month-old baby took the Qashqai on a 500-mile round trip to Beddgelert, Snowdonia.

Travelling with a baby can fill a boot in seconds. The Qashqai took every bit of kit with ease – pram, child seat and wedding outfits. The driving was easy and smooth.

We also found the Qashqai to be an uncomplicated car with a comfortable quiet interior and raised off-road view that made the twisty roads of Snowdonia pleasant and exciting to navigate.

However, once back on our city roads the car seemed a little heavy and fidgety, but for a weekend break we couldn’t have asked for a better ride.

Max.Pantelis@haymarket.com

Rory's Nissan Qashai on video



Week ending June 22
Mileage 26,100
Driven this week: 350 miles

We've had a couple of bikes gathering dust in our shed since November. The bikes had got to the point where it would cost more to get them roadworthy again than buying replacements. So we needed to get them to the tip to be recycled.

So, after popping off the front wheels (and putting a tarpaulin cover in the back to protect the seatbacks), the bikes fitted in the boot without any problems. There was so much room with the rear seats down, there was probably room for a third bike if we needed it.

Rosie.McMahon@whatcar.com

Week ending June 15
Mileage 25,750
Driven this week: 150 miles

The Qashqai’s interior space was called upon once again this week. With an offer of a free barbeque taken up, and filled with British optimism for a scorching summer, I grabbed the keys to the Qashqai to transport the charcoal-burner home.

You know the story. It fitted in with room to spare and the low boot lip made it a piece of cake to lift in, too. Unfortunately, I have to concur with colleague Iain Reid’s complaints about how difficult the Qashqai is to drive smoothly. The low clutch biting point and snatching brakes meant some serious rattling on the way home.

Rory.white@whatcar.com


Week ending June 8
Mileage 25,600
Driven this week: 155 miles

When I picked up our long-term Qashqai late last year, I thought it looked great considering it's a 2008 model fitted with the smallest engine and sporting the lowest possible trim.

The 16-inch alloy wheels that came as standard back then still look great, even with such chunky tyres wrapped around them and the exterior styling is just as fresh.

I'm afraid I've recently had a bit of colour envy, though. The exotic-sounding 'Cayman blue' paint that our car wears has looked much better in all the sunny weather we (were) having. Trouble is, I saw one in 'Blade silver' on the way in to the office yesterday and it looked even better. However, I can't say I'd be so happy with the metallic brown 'Caffe latte' car I saw this morning!

Rory.white@whatcar.com

Week ending June 1
Mileage 25,445
Driven this week: 300 miles

Our Nissan Qashqai had a lucky escape at the weekend. I took my family to the coast for a day out on Sunday, and no sooner had I pulled my eldest daughter (Annabel, 5) out of the car on reaching home, she was sick – all over our driveway. A few seconds longer and the vomit would have been all over the Qashqai's cloth seats.

I don't think it was the Qashqai that made her sick (the massive ice cream and the high temperatures were bigger contributory factors) but it made me focus on how the car drives – or how I was able to drive it.

The biting point of the clutch is quite low and around town I just couldn't drive the Qashqai smoothly at low speeds. I didn’t find the brakes progressive either – they seemed to simply snap on and off, which made slowing down uncomfortable.

Lastly, I found the 1.6-litre petrol a bit underpowered. The car did have four occupants and a full boot, but getting up to motorway speeds was definitely a leisurely experience.

Iain.Reid@whatcar.com