Nissan Qashqai +2 n-tec 1.5dCi

However, in the case of the Qashqai that's all just a little implausible for it is an entry-level crossover SUV, in this case a front-wheel-drive entry-level crossover SUV that, if you'll pardon the tired cliché, is ‘more at home on the school/supermarket run' than it is barrelling over the Zagros Mountains near where the Qashqais live. This, frankly, is a good thing. Most of us don't need an all-wheel-drive, mountain-climbing, semi-amphibious, over-engineered beast of an off-roader. Or even a soft-roader, often encumbered as they are by dual-range transmissions and auto diff locks. Instead we need simple, comfortable, safe, affordable, reliable and convenient transport. And, judging by the huge number of Qashqais I see on the road these days, a great many others are also seeing things my way... That said, we need our little pleasures too, and to satisfy those demands Nissan recently launched the n-tec model. Featuring many 4x4 styling cues, the n-tec boasts fancy 18in alloys, satin-finish roof-rails, a panoramic glass roof, smoked rear glass, climate control, cruise control, a trip computer and, importantly, Nissan's Connect system as standard. Nissan Connect encompasses a CD player, FM/AM radio, a USB port and a mini-jack socket, as well as sat-nav with touch-screen, traffic info, a reversing camera plus Bluetooth phone connectivity and audio streaming.