In the spring of 2019, the production of the updated Nissan Qashqai started in Russia, and at the end of 2019, a restyled version of the Nissan X-Trail appeared on our market. Both models are among the best-selling models in our country. This year, there was a minor update to the popular crossovers. “Yuzhny Avtomobil” went to Ingushetia and Chechnya to test the updated models.
New multimedia
If you look at the Nissan Qashqai and Nissan X-Trail, there were no visual updates. The appearance remained unchanged. The main feature of the new models was the new multimedia systems, which are now offered to Nissan customers when purchasing a car. Now, depending on the selected configuration, the Qashqai/X-Trail has four different head units.
In the basic versions of the XE and XE+, the crossovers received the simplest head unit. Only now the cabin has not four speakers, but six. The basic “head” also has an AUX output, a USB port for listening to music from a flash drive and a Bluetooth module. There is also a CD player. In general, it is not entirely clear who listens to CDs today, but the Japanese still left support for this music format.
In the X-Trail SE, LE and Qashqai SE+ configurations, the multimedia is already more modern. Here, the proprietary Nissan Connect head unit with a seven-inch screen, one USB slot, as well as support for Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Yandex.Auto interfaces. This configuration also includes a rear view camera. Support for the Yandex interface allows you to display navigation on the multimedia system screen. However, for everything to work correctly, you need to install the Yandex.Auto and Yandex.Navigator applications on your smartphone.
In the top versions, Qashqai/X-Trail will receive multimedia with an 8-inch display and with support for Yandex.Auto and all-round cameras. After the update, the cameras began to work correctly with Yandex.Auto, a year earlier you could order a car with support for Yandex.Auto, but without cameras. There was not even a rear view camera. Dealers installed the camera for an additional fee, but now everything works straight from the factory.
It is important that the car is in direct line of sight. Many will prefer crossovers with Yandex support, but the standard navigation uses good TomTom maps with the ability to update. In addition to the Yandex navigator, other features from the main Russian IT company are also available. There is a voice assistant “Alice”. With its help, you can select the desired route or turn on your favorite melody from the Yandex.Music service. In expensive versions, Qashqai and X-Trail received a remote engine start system with a key. The Russian representative office of the brand claims that you can start the car even from the top floor of an apartment building.
Combined salon
If we talk about visual changes to the salon, then here it is only worth noting the new version of the seat upholstery. Instead of fabric trim or black leather, you can now order a crossover with a combined seat trim made of leather and brown Alcantara. The cost of such seats is 30,000 rubles. The combined interior can only be ordered in this color scheme, no other options are provided, although black leather with black Alcantara would look good. The black leather armrest is a little dissonant against the background of brown seats.
That’s all the changes in the Qashqai / X-Trail couple. There are no changes in the technical component either. For Nissan Qashqai, there is a choice of two gasoline engines. The younger turbo engine with a working volume of 1.2 liters produces 115 horsepower. The older naturally aspirated engine with a volume of 2.0 liters develops 144 horsepower. A six-speed manual or a CVT works in tandem with the engines. There are three engine options available for the X-Trail. The first is a two-liter, 144 horsepower engine, the same as the top-of-the-line Qashqai. The second is a 2.5-liter, 171 horsepower engine. The X-Trail also has a 1.6-liter, 130-horsepower diesel engine. The Qashqai and X-Trail have similar gearboxes — a six-speed manual or an X-tronic CVT.
Today, with good equipment, both models have received a very affordable price tag. The cost of the Qashqai ranges from 1,377,000 to 1,960,000 rubles. The price range for the X-Trail starts from 1,779,000 to 2,404,000 rubles. In the current market prices for new cars, Nissan offers a decent combination in terms of price and vehicle equipment.
A brief overview of the route
The borders closed due to the pandemic dictate new rules for tourism from travel. In the current conditions, the North Caucasus has become the most popular destination for domestic tourism, where we went behind the wheel of the updated Qashqai and X-Trail. As a test drive route, the organizers prepared mountain routes of Ingushetia and Chechnya for journalists, where it was possible not only to try cars on asphalt serpentines, but also off-road. Since the cars have not changed technically, their behavior on the road has remained the same. We will not talk about the habits of the cars for long. You can read the corresponding test drives on our portal “Southern Automobile”. We have already tested the Nissan Qashqai crossover in Greece, and drove a Nissan X-Trail around Crimea. Therefore, a few words about what you can see in Ingushetia and Chechnya.
Ingushetia
A small but proud republic has been trying to develop tourism for several years. The most beautiful places in Ingushetia are located in the Dzheyrakh and Sunzhensky districts. The Erzi Nature Reserve is located here. Its name is translated from Ingush as an eagle. The reserve is located on the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus. About a third of the territory is occupied by forests and meadows. These places are as beautiful as the Alps.
These mountain landscapes are also home to the most famous landmark of the Republic of Ingushetia — the medieval complex of defensive towers, Vovnushki. There are many legends associated with Vovnushki, but one of them seems like a true story: once, during a siege of the towers, a Vainakh woman saved many babies.
When one of the towers was set on fire, she dragged cradles with babies, miraculously managing to run several times along the rope left over from the suspension bridge between the two Vovnushki towers destroyed by enemies. Several years ago, Vovnushki reached the finals of the Seven Wonders of Russia competition. Everything is close by, so you can see everything in one day, especially if you come here in an SUV or a crossover like our Qashqai and X-Trail.
Chechnya
In general, every person living in Russia should visit the North Caucasus. Chechnya is worth visiting separately. For many, this republic remains frightening. Of course, it has its own customs and traditions of religion, culture and behavior, which are not given to everyone to understand. Tourism in Chechnya has not yet become widespread, but you can go here, but it is better as part of an excursion group. You can do it yourself in your own car, but you also need to take into account the local mentality.
The main natural attraction can rightfully be considered the high-mountain lake Kezenoy-Am. It is located on the border of the Vedensky district of Chechnya and the Botlikh district of Dagestan. In bright sunlight, the water in the lake seems turquoise, but depending on the lighting, Kezenoy-Am changes color four times a day. In the 1970-1980s, the lake was home to the USSR Olympic rowing team base, which was destroyed during the first war in Chechnya. Five years ago, a sports and tourist complex with a hotel, cottages, a boat station and other facilities appeared on the shore of the lake.
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