We normally avoid playing the ‘teaser game’ and wasting your time with manufacturer’s wilfully whimsical images that are aimed at drumming up pre-publicity before a motor show or product unveiling. But in the case of the 2014 Nissan Qashqai we’ve made an exception for two reasons. One, we’ve always rather liked the Nissan crossover/SUV for its trend-setting nature in a busy market segment. And two, we’ve taken the one teaser image and lightened it up a bit to give you more than a cursory view of the 2014 Nissan Qashqai’s front end.
The styling of the Nissan Qashqai’s front end is a substantial departure front the two models that have gone before it and it shares much of its inspiration from what you’re likely to find on the 2014 Nissan X-Trail (or Roque, as it is known in other markets). Details aren’t known as yet, but the Nissan Qashqai will make its global debut later this month at the Tokyo Motor Show and will most likely be on sale in South Africa by the middle of next year. Nissan is clearly exploring a V-shaped grille with much gusto these days and angular headlights follow suit with integrated boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights flanking the chrome grille and following the shapely bonnet lines. The Nissan Qashqai’s lower bumper has deliberately-round front fogs that are almost Nissan Juke-like in their overt nature.
Nissan did say the all-new Nissan Qashqai would be the brand’s “most significant car in its modern history”. But with little else to report on now, it’s believed the new Nissan Qashqai will do away with its seven-seat +2 version and the Renault/Nissan alliance 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine will almost certainly be a mainstay in the crossover’s engine line-up. Expect a new 1.2-litre TCE petrol engine from Renault to do some propulsion as well.
