If you are lucky enough to work in the city but have a place to get away to in the country or mountains, then you’re living the good life. You can access all of the opportunities, entertainment, and excitement offered by an urban environment and escape from it into nature when you need peace and quiet. But perhaps you used up most of your budget on that vacation home in that cute mountain town, and buying a second car for the environment isn’t in the books. If you spend time on the paved, controlled streets of the city as well as the untamed roads of the country, then you need a car that can handle both. That is when you might consider looking into a used Nissan Qashqai for sale.
This compact crossover boasts unique systems and features that make it ready for a variety of roads and conditions. It’s rugged enough to get you safely through winding country roads and remote streets where the snow plow doesn’t go but stylish and tech-forward enough to meet the needs of city drivers. With an attractive stance to boot, it really can be the right car for the two sides of your life. Recent models can be found at a great price when shopping for used cars since many drivers already have their eyes on the 2023 Qashqai. Here are six features that make the 2021 Nissan Qashqai ideal for a hybrid city/country life.
#1 – It Has Intelligent All-Wheel Drive
Some people will do fine with a sedan or front-wheel drive SUV. When city streets are all you see, you don’t need the advanced features of the Nissan Qashqai. But if you venture out of the city, you might traverse all sorts of roads and need a car that can handle the challenge. The Nissan Qashqai has intelligent all-wheel drive, which continuously monitors the road, adjusting the torque sent between the rear and front axles depending on available traction. This makes it an excellent all-weather car. If you drive over clean, city roads and not-so-tidy snowy roads, this system will ensure your vehicle adapts to both and continues to deliver a smooth, safe experience.
#2 – It Adjusts to Bumps in the Road
Both city and country roads can be littered with potholes, cracks and bumps. Going over even a small one can send your car off course, causing you to lose control of the steering. That can be a scary moment for a driver. When you’re driving fast or facing low visibility, sometimes those bumps come up quicker than you can react to them, leaving many drivers just hoping that pothole doesn’t send them colliding into another vehicle.
The good news is that the Nissan Qashqai boasts Active Ride Control. This system detects when you’ve gone over a bump, and there’s been a sudden shift in the vehicle’s trajectory. It then responds by controlling the engine and brakes to smooth out the aftermath. If you’ve been calling the local authorities for months to do something about the bumps and potholes with no response, it’s time to at least get behind the wheel of a car that responds to them safely.
#3 – It Has Intelligent Trace Control
This is a feature that can prevent an accident and potentially save a life. If you regularly travel wet, muddy roads, consider it essential. Intelligent Trace Control, put simply, understands your desired trajectory when taking corners, senses when you’ve veered from it, and makes adjustments to put you back on that path. It does this through a variety of features, including a steering angle sensor to understand your intentions and subtle braking adjustments to keep you on track.
When you take a corner that turns out to be a little more slippery than expected, it’s easy to suddenly lose traction and feel your car spinning out of your desired path. It’s a terrifying moment, especially on windy country roads. Intelligent Trace Control can be a life-saving feature at those times.
#4 – It Won’t Let You Forget the Speed Limit
When you move throughout the city, you’re constantly transitioning from one area to another, like between residential and school zones. The speed limits change, and sometimes, you miss the memo (i.e. the traffic sign). City driving isn’t like highway or freeway driving, where there aren’t many changes. But missing that sign can mean a costly ticket.
The Traffic Sign Recognition feature in the Nissan Qashqai detects signs denoting a change in speed limit or other important instruction and notifies you of that change. This lets you be as safe a driver as possible and reduces the chances of traffic violations.
This system can come in handy out of the city, too. On country roads or in severe weather, your eyes might not catch what your vehicle’s camera does. This system can be a second set of eyes in low light, foggy or snowy conditions.
#5 – It Has Intuitive and Clever Navigation
You can sync your smartphone to the infotainment screen of the Nissan Qashqai to get directions from Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. However, you can also take advantage of the available Nissan Door to Door Navigation. This feature will show you turn-by-turn directions and other useful data points like traffic jams and how fast you’re going. You can even zoom in and out on the screen for a better look at where you’re headed. However, the best feature is that Door to Door Navigation pairs with a smartphone app to give you walking directions after you leave your Qashqai. This feature is naturally useful in and out of the city––but especially out of it where there might not be as many people to ask for directions.
#6 – It Has Eco Mode to Reduce Gas Station Stops
If you are fortunate enough to break free from the city regularly, you probably do a good amount of highway driving to reach your getaway spot. Luckily, the Eco mode on your Nissan Qashqai adjusts the engine and transmission response to help you maximize your fuel economy, so you can get to your peaceful destination with as few gas station stops as possible. Speaking of fuel economy, the 2021 Nissan Qashqai can get an estimated 8.8 L/100km in the city and 7.3 L/100km on the highway with its standard 2.0L engine.
Enjoy the Best of Both Worlds With the Nissan Qashqai
Most people dream of a life where they can get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, escape to a quiet country town, and immerse themselves in nature when they want and return to the city when they crave it. Some people are lucky enough to live that dream. It only poses one dilemma: you need a car that’s right for the city and the country. Not everyone can afford separate vehicles for both environments, so they need a car that is equally ready to handle paved city streets and not-so-paved country roads. The Nissan Qashqai is that vehicle.
Don’t let its sophisticated styling fool you. Throughout this SUV are remarkably intelligent features that help it adapt to a variety of road conditions. From Intelligent Trace Control, which lets you turn corners smoothly, to Traffic Sign Recognition, so you never miss a posted speed limit, this model was designed to let you be the best driver you can be in multiple settings. It’s upscale but rugged, stylish but smart, and delivers great value when purchased new or used. Ask your local dealer if they have a Nissan Qashqai when you’re ready for your hybrid city/country car.
