Tag: Nissan

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NISSAN ARIYA -THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME

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Already long in the tooth Nissan’s second fully electric vehicle Ariya takes up where the LEAF left off in Australia. And might we just say thank goodness for that, because LEAF was never one of our favourite automobiles. The Ariya could be though. The production version of Ariya was unveiled in 2019, but its launch was delayed because of the global chip shortage caused by COVID. This delay has allowed competitors to get the drop on the car and it will be tough playing catch up, but Nissan is no… Read more

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TOFFY TRITON BACK IN WORK GEAR

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Back in the day, most utes lived up their ‘utility’ tag, being up for almosanything. Since then, the tradies’ favoured transport has morphed into a cohort of shiny, lumbering limos, with dual cabs doubling as passenger compartments with all the creature comforts. With Ford and Toyota (not to mention RAM and other American muscle marques) leading the way, Ranger and HiLux have become genuine family favourites. Not to be outdone, Mitsubishi has its two ‘pennorth’ with the Triton GSR flagship. Now this, the Triton Double Cab Pick-Up, has been augmented… Read more

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NISSAN QASHQAI TI E-POWER .. A DIFFERENT TAKE ON THE HYBRID

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Qashqai is the not so small member of the Nissan lineup, sitting between the Juke and X-Trail, and sharing a platform with X-Trail. Originally known as the Dualis in Japan and Australia when it was launched way back when, it was called Qashqai in every other country where it was sold. The second generation, launched in 2013, was not sold in Japan and lo and behold was badged as the Qashqai everywhere this time, except that is for the United States where it was known as the Rogue Sport. Confusing?… Read more

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SMART MOVES IN QASHQAI QUALITY

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Range change, facelift, tech top-up – it’s all happening for the Qashqai compact Nissan SUV . . . all, except the price which remains similar to the previous model, giving a nudge to rivals from Japan and China. Nissan has shuffled the pack, with new nomenclature in line with the company’s larger SUVs, and the range extended to six by the addition of an N-Design flagship, featuring the innovative e-Power powertrain. Upgrades, designed to make a more striking impression, stretch across the whole range from the entry-level ST, where prices… Read more

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PATHFINDER HEADS OFF TRUMP TROUBLE

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There I was doing a stint of push-mower Pilates (grass cutting) in the back yard when it struck me how clever the people at Nissan had been coming up with a cut-price large wagon at this time. With large SUV prices pushing through six figures the new ST-L Pathfinder has lopped more than $12,000 off the previous entry-level model – this trip down the road less travelled all the more prescient at a time when tariff tyrant Donald Trump is upping the ante on the cost of motoring around the… Read more

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NISSAN X-TRAIL E-POWER E-4ORCE

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Petrol/electric powered vehicles have been around for nearly a quarter of a century when Honda and Toyota launched their Insight and Prius models respectively. Over the years more hybrids have arrived to the stage where now almost every brand has a variety of them. Indeed, most Toyota passenger vehicles are only available as hybrids. Along the way batteries and electric motors have evolved while the price surcharges have made them much more affordable than the early models. Although Nissan was an early adopter of fully-electric cars, mainly the Leaf hatchback,… Read more

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NISSAN X-TRAIL N-TREK

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Meets Nissan’s latest and greatest X-Trail crossover, the N-Trek edition. Originally conceived as a limited edition of 500 vehicles, X-Trail joins the Navara and Pathfinder N-Trek editions. Based on the ST-L grade, back then it came with larger 19-inch alloys, built-in navigation, premium Bose eight-speaker audio, smoked coloured bonnet protector, slim line front and rear weather shields, front and rear kick plates and carpet mats in the five-seat version — all standard equipment. Now it rides on 18s and has six-speaker unbranded audio. Satnav remains but the other nick-nacks have… Read more

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PATROL TAKES ON REINFORCEMENTS

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It seems as though the Nissan Patrol has been ‘on the beat’ since the year dot – well, 70 years, anyway. And with the recent upgrade, the big sports utility vehicle is qualified more than most to wear the ‘icon’ tag. The Patrol comes in two well-specced grades Ti and Ti-L, while a flagship Warrior by Premcar model rounds out the range. Common to all is the carryover 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine and seven-speed automatic transmission with manual mode and Adaptive Shift Control. Leading the upgrades is an Aussie-developed infotainment… Read more

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QASHQAI E-POWER TAKES THE HIGH ROAD

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Back in the ‘noughties’ the Pulsar hatchback was not pulling its weight in Europe, so the maker Nissan decided to beef it up and give it a new name: in this case the Qashqai, and a new identity, the compact SUV. Down Under it became the Dualis, before following in Euro-fashion with the Qashqai moniker. Now it has gone hybrid … but, Jim, not as we know it. While the popular petrol/electric hybrid these days uses both power sources to drive the vehicle, Nissan’s e-Power system leaves the internal combustion… Read more

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BAD-ASS X-TRAIL ATTACKS SKI SLOPES

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Check this out. Nissan has modified an X-Trail SUV to work in the snow with the creation of the X-Trail Mountain Rescue Concept. The modifications include the replacement of the wheels with snow tracks, to give the X-Trail the traction to tackle slippery slopes. GMC did a similar thing with Sierra 2500HD All Mountain concept in 2018. As well as adding the tracks, a bespoke roof rack has been added to the X-Trail to carry an evacuation stretcher and snow shovels. A siren, flashing light bar and powerful lights have… Read more