Another prestigious accolade arrives for the latest version of the Nissan Qashqai, which gets the coveted Euro NCAP Best in Class 2021 in the category Small Off Road. The award comes only a month after Euro NCAP awarded the 5 stars to the new Japanese SUV.
Each year, Euro NCAP publishes the list of the best performing cars in their respective categories, showing which models have performed better than their competitors. This prize is awarded on the overall basis of four specific categories: Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Pedestrian and Safety Assist. The weighted sum of the scores in those categories determines the Best in Class winner.
Euro NCAP awarded the new Qashqai a score of 91% for the protection of both adult and child occupants, placing it among the best of its reference group on the market. The result is primarily due to the advanced reinforced structure of the Qashqai’s new CMF-C platform, constructed with ultra-high-strength steel in key areas to improve stiffness, while allowing the force of an impact to be absorbed and reduced before reaching the passenger safety cell. The addition of a central airbag, the first for Nissan in Europe, to prevent a collision of the head between the driver and front seat passenger in the event of a side impact, helped Qashqai to get a maximum of 16 points in the side impact test.
An almost maximum score of 23.8 out of 24 possible for the protection of children and a maximum of 12 points for checking the installation of the child seat.
Nissan Qashqai, according to Euro NCAP, also safe for pedestrians and cyclists
The new Nissan Qashqai got it a score of 70% in cycling and pedestrian protection tests. The car is in fact equipped with various active safety systems, including Intelligent Emergency Braking, which warns the driver and activates the brakes if the car foresees an impact with a vehicle, but also a pedestrian or a cyclist. This system is standard on the entire new Qashqai range, not just on the higher grade versions.
However, Euro NCAP recognizes that it is always preferable to prevent accidents and awards points for technology that helps drivers avoid collisions. Again the Qashqai scored very highly with a rating of 95%, thanks to Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies.
A first for Nissan in Europe is adding a head-up display, which allows the driver to monitor speed, navigation directions and the prevailing speed limit without taking their eyes off the road.
The introduction of smart headlights, that adjust the shape of the beam to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers, is another example of new technology implemented on the Qashqai that improves safety.
The model also features Blind Spot Intervention, a system that detects when another vehicle has not been seen by the driver in a nearby lane and autonomously returns the car to the safest lane and therefore away from danger. Finally, the Rear Cross Traffic Alert which is able to prevent collisions when reversing out of a parking space.