Nissan Qashqai 1.3 DIG-T 160 Tekna 2018 UK first drive

A year on from its mid-life facelift, the second-generation Nissan Qashqai is comfortably still the country’s most popular crossover - but this is a rapidly growing corner of the market, and competition is fierce.

Rivals were beginning to eclipse the class-defining Qashqai with more dynamic handling and more up-to-date infotainment - although not, it must be said, with higher sales. So, to maintain its position at the top, Nissan has fired back with a focus on technology and a brace of new engines.

There’s now a single petrol, a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-pot, which replaces the 1.2-litre and 1.6-litre units. It's available in two states of tune, and both versions are more efficient than the engines they replace, with improved fuel economy and lower emissions courtesy of a petrol particulate filter. Plus, they are tuned to deliver more torque at the lower end of the rev range - something lacking in the old 1.2.

The more potent 158bhp engine can now be mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, a first for any mainstream Nissan and following in the tyre treads of the flagship Nissan GT-R supercar. It is the model tested here, in top-end Tekna trim.

The petrol is joined by a 1.5-litre diesel at launch and will be followed by a 1.7-litre oil-burner in early 2019. The latter will reintroduce a CVT transmission to the range, along with four-wheel drive. All petrol models are front-wheel-drive only.

Quiet, composed and a world away from the droney CVT of the outgoing car, the dual-clutch gearbox shifts smoothly and makes for a more pleasant drive all round. It’s a full second slower to 62mph than the manual, at 9.9sec, but downshifts are fast enough that overtakes are never a concern. There’s also no real emissions or fuel consumption penalty for opting for the auto over the manual.

The more powerful engine is sprightly, with a fairly linear power delivery, but unless you’re carrying a full contingent of passengers and luggage, performance isn’t that much greater than that from the 138bhp unit to make it worth the £1100 premium (£2550 with the auto ‘box).

The Qashqai feels less composed on British B-roads than it did on Barcelona’s smoother Tarmac at the car's European launch, fidgeting and riding firmly over bumps that are clearly felt inside. A short drive in a model running on 17in wheels, rather than Tekna's 19in set, revealed a much-improved experience, absorbing undulations better and making for a more pleasant drive for all passengers.