Nissan has introduced a new low-emission diesel engine for its popular crossover, the Qashqai.
The 1.6-litre turbodiesel brings CO2 emissions down to 119g/km for the Qashqai and Qashqai+2, and replaces the current 2.0-litre dCi unit.
Nissan's rival to the Peugeot 3008 and the Hyundai ix35 was lagging some way behind the competition when it comes to the green issue.
Wearing the firm's Pure Drive eco badge, the car will initially be available in a specification emitting 129g/km. A stop/start system will come early next year and bring emissions down to 119g/km, meaning significant tax breaks for company car drivers who will have to pay company car tax at 13%.
VED will be payable at just £30 per year once the stop/start system is installed, and it'll be totally free for the first year. Fuel economy will increase too, with a 14.9mpg hike to 62.8mpg.
Reducing the engine size also means a drop in power from 147bhp and to 128bhp. However, the company claims that this means the new engine is quieter and more refined than the one it replaces and that the point from 30-50mph is quicker too.
Nissan Motor GB Managing Director Jim Wright said "Current financial pressures for both the individual and company car buyers mean costs are constantly being analysed so it is good to see how Nissan's technical innovations, introduced on this engine, help to minimise overall running costs."
The Qashqai and Qashqai+2 Tekna models also get a new Around View Monitor parking camera system as standard. This adds three more cameras to the existing rear view system to give the driver a bird's-eye view 360 degrees around the car. The driver can also choose to focus on any particular camera for a full view of the front, rear or side of the car.
The 1.6dCi without stop/start will cost £250 less than the equivalent 2.0-litre model. This means the entry spec Visia model will start from £19,445.
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