Nissan Qashqai scores 7 out of 10 in Green NCAP test. What it means

Nissan Qashqai SUV, which was recently introduced as one of the Japanese carmaker's upcoming models in India, could well be one of the cleanest cars on Indian roads too. The SUV recently underwent test at Green NCAP, an agency which certifies a vehicle's environmental performance ranging from energy efficiency and pollution. Qahsqai returned with an average 2.5-star ratings at the test recently. It also scored seven out of 10 points in clean air index, which means it will pollute less despite being a petrol car.

The Qashqai SUV tested by Green NCAP had a 1.3-litre turbocharged DIG-T petrol engine under its hood, which comes mated to a CVT gearbox and is capable of generating 158 hp of maximum power. After the test, Green NCAP concluded, “The car demonstrates a well-functioning pollutant control system with potential to improve especially for the currently unregulated NH3 emissions. The good laboratory result can also be easily reproduced on the street, significantly lowering the impact of combustion engine vehicles on air quality."

According to the Green NCAP, the Nissan Qashqai SUV tends to struggle with increased fuel consumption during dynamic highway driving and higher speeds. The test resulted in a fuel efficiency of around 6.7 litres for every 100 kms in the real world scenario. However, the on-road test concluded that the Qashqai's fuel efficiency is relatively better as a petrol SUV, returning with a score of nearly 4 points out of 10.

As far as greenhouse gas emissions is concerned, the Qashqai scored just 2.1 points out of 10. It performed poorly during highway test conducted by Green NCAP.

Nissan Qashqai, which was introduced in India earlier this month, comes with a hybrid version called e-POWER. It has a 12v light hybrid system, which uses the engine to generate electricity, while the front wheels are driven by the electric motor, offering a more linear and lossless power delivery. The engine is capable of generating 158 hp of power and 270 Nm of torque and comes mated to a manual gearbox (2WD) or a Xtronic automatic gearbox.