Nissan expands Qashqai range with ST+ grade
BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 1st May 2019
NISSAN has expanded its volume-selling Qashqai small SUV range to four in Australia, adding a new mid-spec ST+ variant priced from $30,790 plus on-road costs.
Sitting above the base-level ST and below the penultimate ST-L grade, the ST+ gives the Qashqai range a more balanced model walk.
The ST+ builds on the ST by adding adding a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with DAB+ digital radio and satellite navigation with traffic alert, a surround-view monitor with moving object detection, folding and heated door mirrors, 17-inch alloys, halogen headlights, LED daytime running lights and privacy glass.
This is in conjunction with other standard kit found on the ST such as an electric parking brake, push button start, cruise control and a leather-accented steering wheel.
Safety-wise, the ST+ mirrors the specification of the ST, with six airbags, front and rear parking sensors, autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning and lane departure warning.
The introduction of the ST+ has also seen an incremental price rise on all other variants bar the top-spec Ti, with prices increasing between $500 and $1000 on ST and ST-L grades.
Like the rest of the range, the ST+ is powered by a 2.0-litre normally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine producing 106kW/200Nm, driving the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
As one of the larger entrants in the small SUV class, the Qashqai boasts a roomy 430-litre boot that can be expanded to 1598L with the rear seats folded.
The addition of the ST+ grade to the Qashqai range mirrors that of the Pathfinder seven-seat large SUV that gained an ST+ variant last month.
Nissan Australia director Stephen Lester said the ST+ would appeal to prospective buyers wanting additional specification over the ST but who are not looking to fork out extra for one of its higher-specified models.
“The Nissan Qashqai is one of the top choices for small SUV buyers. Expanding the range will ensure it remains on the new car shopping list,” he said.
“Reducing the gap between the Qashqai ST and ST-L will please many of our buyers who wanted more than what we offered on the entry grade, but weren’t in the market for a higher spec vehicle.
“It’s a competitive market, so it is important that we react to this to ensure buyers remain with the Nissan brand.”
The Qashqai was a strong seller for Nissan in the small SUV segment last, with 13,950 sales, placing it third in the segment behind the Mitsubishi ASX (19,034) and Mazda CX-3 (16,293).
Through the first quarter of 2019 sales have slipped 11.0 per cent to 2980 units, placing it fourth behind the ASX, CX-3 and Honda HR-V.
2019 Nissan Qashqai pricing*
| ST | $27,490 |
| ST (a) | $29,490 |
| ST+ (a) | $30,790 |
| ST-L (a) | $33,290 |
| Ti (a) | $37,990 |
*Excludes on-road costs
