Nissan created the Qashqai as a bold alternative to conventional European family cars. In the early 2000s, buyers largely chose between a hatchback, saloon, estate, MPV or high-riding SUV. But Nissan's European teams knew that to reach new customers, they had to dare to be different. So instead of updating the Almera hatchback – and despite having a fresh design almost ready to go – they took the bold decision to develop a new style of vehicle that combined the best attributes of several categories.
It was something not seen for many years: a new type of car that blended the compact footprint, practicality, affordability, simplicity and efficiency of a family hatchback with the robust styling and raised seating position of an SUV. Suddenly, customers could enjoy a more confident view down the road without the compromise and complexity of an off-roader, and they could do so in a car that took up no more space on the street and cost no more to buy or run than a regular hatchback.
Qashqai's unique style proved an instant hit with consumers and sales exploded, selling 100,000 units across Europe in just nine months, with Nissan's famous Sunderland plant laying on extra manufacturing shifts to cope with demand. The momentum continued, with Qashqai hitting a million global sales by January 2011 (with more than 750,000 of those in Europe), making Nissan the first UK manufacturer to achieve this milestone with a single model.
Now, nearly every mainstream manufacturer offers a compact crossover, with more than 50 models on sale, and the category pioneered by Nissan has since grown to become Europe's largest and most competitive – but it all began in autumn 2006, when Qashqai first broke cover at the Paris Motor Show.
