New Nissan Qashqai 360 to Tide the UK Over Until 2014

Today marks the first day in the final year of an excellent era for the Nissan Qashqai. The Qashqai, which is an blockbuster hit crossover in the UK, is in its last year of production before it gets rebooted next year. While the next generation Qashqai is certainly something for UK buyers to look forward to, those living in the now will be perfectly happy turning their attention to the just-released Nissan Qashqai 360.

The new Nissan Qashqai 360 will push out the previously best selling trim level, the n-tec+, which has accounted for a whopping 60% of sales for the Japanese-made crossover. Best of all, it will do so without affecting the price by even a single Pound…. The Qashqai 360 is available at the same starting price (19,945 GBP) as the old n-tec+. Since Nissan is now offering UK buyers better specifications and more features for the same price, it’s safe to assume that the new 360 trim level will fully fill the shoes left empty by the n-tec+.

A Full Circle View of the Nissan Qashqai 360

So, the question that you are undoubtedly asking now is, “what juicy new specs will we get with the Qashqai 360?”

Well, firstly and fore-mostly, the namesake feature is the 360° Around View Monitor system, which is integrated into the same Nissan Connect system we saw in the n-tec+. Easily accessible via the crossover’s satellite navigation screen, Nissan’s Connect will now offer you Bluetooth and smart phone connectivity, along with a helpful “helicopter view” to make parking easier.

However, the new Qashqai 360’s namesake tech. is only the tip of the iceberg for new features. The new trim level will also include several stylistic improvements for both the interior and the exterior. Here are just a few new additions to whet your appetite:

• 18 inch ‘Onyx’ alloy wheels
• Partial leather seats with high contrast white stitching
• Sleek aluminum pedals
• Tinted rear privacy glass
• Gloss black accents, including the roof rails, mirror caps, door handles and gear shift
• Panoramic glass roof

As you can see, the Nissan Qashqai 360 has a lot going on for being nothing more than a new trim package.

Also note that the engine and the transmission options are unaffected by the new model; it is available across all configurations for both the 5-seater Qashqai and the 7-seater Qashqai+2. You will still enjoy the same functionality and flexibility that drivers have come to expect from the Nissan Qashqai. It’s just that now you’ll look better and be safer while you’re doing it. In fact, on top of all the other features, you can now get the Nissan Qashqai in a very attractive Storm White – a new pearlescent paint-job Nissan is offering for the same 500 GBP as any other metallic paint job.

All in all, things are looking very good for Nissan in the UK. The outgoing n-tec+ helped the Qashqai to define its sector in the UK, outselling the Ford Mondeo, and having more sales than the Kia Sportage and Hyundai ix35 combined. The new Qashqai 360 should have no trouble holding down the fort until Nissan releases a completely new generation in 2014.