Die Hard Mommies Taxi

Vehicle tested: Nissan Qashqai 1.6 petrol Acenta 4x2

I have earned a lot of respect for working mothers who run around after children, maintain a career and still manage to have dinner on the table by seven. I occasionally do run around after children myself, and it throws me off completely. By the end of the day I haven’t managed to complete half of the tasks I set out for myself.
McManus Nissan decided to make this task a little easier for me by handing over the keys to their more than capable Qashqai for a day. I know the Qashqai has been around for a while now, but that doesn’t mean it’s got old.
The test vehicle was powered by a 1.6 liter petrol motor that produces 81 kW of power and 154 Nm of torque. Now, that isn’t a huge amount of power, but then again, if you are going to race the Qashqai between the robots, you’re missing the point. This is my idea of a perfect ‘Mommy Mobile’, and driving it around town is a dream. The 1.6 liter engine is coupled with a 5 speed manual gearbox, and it has to be mentioned, that this gearbox/clutch combination is very smooth. I am renowned for jerking into second when driving a car for the first time, but I didn’t in the not-so-little Nissan. Full marks there then.
The ride quality on this vehicle is pretty amazing. The Qashqai feels solid on the road, and I was amazed by how well it absorbed all the bumps and potholes that our dear little town is becoming known for. On the open road, I managed a fuel consumption of 6.8 l/100km, which is quite something considering my teenage racing stripes are still busy pealing off. Safety features on the vehicle include ABS, EBD and six airbags.
These are all fantastic traits, but children sit inside the car, so what’s that like?
Well, the test car that I used is actually used as a mommy run-around everyday, and even though there were traces of child ‘dirt’ such as biscuit crumbs, bits of paper, stickers, one or two buttons and a toy car, the interior showed no signs of ‘child wear and tear’. This is positive because nothing can age a car’s interior faster than children.
Highlights for the person driving are comfortable seats, which at the same time are very supportive. There is an array of instrumentation which is all within easy reach. A Bluetooth system is integrated into the car’s audio system, and comes standard across the whole range. This is a useful system, but programming it will require either the instruction manual or a teenager. Having said that, once set up, it is a relatively easy system to use.
As for my school run, the Qashqai managed to swallow my mom (she came for the drive), three children and all their baggage. I also discovered afterwards that there had been a pram in the boot the whole time. So the boot holds quite a bit.
As for the dirty bit, driving off road, the 2x4 Qashqai is fine on moderate dirt roads, but if you plan on doing anything more serious, possibly consider the 4x4 option. This is the same system found in the X-Trail and allows for power to be sent to the wheels with the most traction.
The Qashqai is also available in a 2.0 liter petrol and a 2.0 liter diesel in a 6 speed manual, and comes with a 100 000km/3 year warranty and 90 000km/ 3year maintenance plan.

The Qashqai is a very good all round vehicle. It offers a good combination of build quality, packing space, fuel economy and practicality. All these traits made my running around for the day a more pleasant experience.