| First Drive | Verbier, Switzerland | 2010 Nissan Qashqai |

There was no way Nissan could have predicted how well its Qashqai crossover would be received when it was launched in February 2007. Three years on it's time to give it a mid-life facelift and this time around Nissan is more bullish. So it should be with increasing sales every year since the Qashqai's inception and a massive 80 percent of buyers new to the Nissan badge.

In the Metal

The most obvious change to the Qashqai is its new nose. Nissan has replaced the bonnet, bumper, wings, grille and headlights and it's a highly effective update. Gone is the previous car's slightly awkward looks and instead the Qashqai has found some assertion. It could even be referred to as attractive. The back end is only mildly tweaked, though the rear light restyle is a success. The panoramic sunroof and larger alloy wheels add further to that depending on which model you opt for, while there are a couple of new colour choices.

Inside, Nissan has enhanced practicality a touch with new storage areas, but the single most significant update is to the instrumentation. The dials are new, but more importantly, the trip computer features a large, clear display and its operation is simple to master by way of buttons on the steering wheel. New colours and different leather top off the list of changes.

What you get for your Money

There's a lot to digest in the price list. Along with five- and seven-seat variants there is front- or all-wheel drive, four engines and a total of four transmissions. The cheapest Qashqai is the Visia model, which comes with 16-inch alloys, Bluetooth and MP3 connectivity, air conditioning, electric windows, ESP and six airbags. That costs from £15,395 for the regular car or £16,695 for the seven-seat Qashqai+2.

Next up is the Acenta, which features 17-inch alloys, a better sound system, dual-zone climate control, auto lights and wipers, cruise control, front fog lights, rear parking sensors, a leather steering wheel and gear knob and body coloured paint for the exterior door handles and mirrors. Prices start at £16,995 or £18,695 depending on how many seats you need.

The n-tec model is described as a 'special edition' and it adds Nissan Connect including a colour screen for the reversing camera, a panoramic glass roof and a few styling niceties. The top-of-the range Tekna is fully loaded with all of the above plus 18-inch alloys, a leather interior, heated seats, Xenon lights, keyless entry and a BOSE stereo. You'll pay from £19,995 for the privilege.

Driving it

There's no need to dwell on this area for too long, as the updates to the Qashqai's chassis are minor. They extend to altered damping and bushing, which was in the pursuit of refinement and additional body control. It's no sportscar, but it handles more like a conventional hatchback than an SUV and ride comfort is good without causing any floating.

The engine line-up is unchanged, so buyers can choose between 1.6- or 2.0-litre petrol and 1.5- or 2.0-litre turbodiesel power. The former are (only a little) quieter, though they feel distinctly underwhelming in terms of performance, especially once you've experienced the torquey diesels. We also noticed that the six-speed manual gearbox fitted to the 2.0-litre diesel model is much nicer than that in the 2.0-litre petrol car - Nissan confirmed that it's a different unit. Automatic transmissions include a conventional six-speed on the 2.0-litre diesel or a CVT (continuously variable transmission) on the 2.0-litre petrol model. Buyers also have the option of four-wheel drive, though this is set-up more for on-road surefootedness than it is for serious off-roading.

Worth Noting

It seems that no new car is launched these days without the addition of a special 'eco'-model. Nissan's Qashqai Pure Drive is powered by the 1.5-litre dCi turbodiesel engine. The wheel covers are flush and the fog light sockets are blanked for less drag, weight has been reduced, the final drive ratio lengthened and low rolling resistance tyres are standard. The result is a drop in CO₂ emissions from 137- to 129g/km.

Summary

While the Qashqai was verging on daring when it was launched in 2007, Nissan now realises that it struck gold and intends to build on that success rather than radically alter the formula. That's a wise move. The new Qashqai is simply more of the same in a better-looking, better-equipped package. No need for a crystal ball to predict that it'll do well.