Nissan extends ProPilot offerings across Qashqai range

Nissan has added availability of its ‘Autonomous’ ProPilot technology across the Qashqai range, but only on versions with an auto ‘box.

It’s more than a year since the Nissan Qashqai arrived with ProPilot, although availability was really limited to the poshest versions of Nissan’s most popular car in the UK.

But now Nissan has decided it’s time buyers of cheaper Qashqai’s should be able to benefit from the ProPilot tech, so ProPilot is now being rolled out to models below the Tekna grade, although it’ll cost you £595 if you want to indulge.

It’s also only available on Qashqais with an auto ‘box (DCT or CVT), but you can get the closely related Drive Assist Pack on manual cars which does most of what ProPilot does.

But why would you want a Qashqai with ProPilot?

Well, if you only ever poodle around town, you probably don’t need it. But if you’re likely to make journeys on dual carriageways, then it’s a real boon.

Until you’ve tried it, you’ll be sceptical; Is it safe, you may well ask, and why would I let my Qashqai ‘drive’ itself?

In fact, a prod of a button lets you set your speed (70mph, of course) and your car will happily drive along, nicely positioned in the lane, slowing as traffic does and accelerating again as it speeds up, and even coming to a stop and pulling away again if traffic baulks. 

You might be hovering over the brake to take control at first, but you’ll soon get used to how much stress it takes out of a boring drive. Yes, you need your hands on the wheel, and yes you need to stay awake. But it just works.

And although you can’t have Pro-Pilot on manual Qashqais, you can still have Drive Assist which will do everything apart from coming to a stop and taking off again.