1.6 DCI for 30k/yr company car?

[Duncs04]

Hi guys,

I would like your advice. I am looking for my next company car, I drive 30-40k (miles) per year with allot of continental driving and my company have asked if i would like to look at the Qashqai 1.6 DCI Acenta Premium as well as others.

My company cars previously have been Skoda, BMWs, VW, all of which were 2.0 deisels and 150bhp+ and have coped very well with the type of driving I do. But I woukd like somthing slightly different for a change and somthing which has a slightly elevated driving position compared to the average cars.

My main concern with the Qashqai is the engine size and power available, I have not test driven it yet (i will before I make my final choice) and wondered if anyone on the forum uses theres as a company car that have similer millages over the year to me. How have you found the power available at motorway speeds? Is there plenty available or is the 1.6 strained at around 80mph?
How have you found the reliability and build quality?

I love the equipment spec available compared to other cars in this price range - Sat Nav, Cameras, Bluetooth etc.

I would be very interested in what the users on this forum have to say!

Thanks,
Tom

[ferris]

While waiting for my Qashqai 1.6dCi Tekna, I had a nice BMW 320d on hire, which had plenty of horses to spare at 80mph!By comparison, the Qashqai isn't quite as much fun, but it's certainly no slouch at joining a motorway and getting up to speed. However, once you're in 6th and cruising along, it doesn't respond to a heavy right foot with the same urgency as the BMW would have done. But you wouldn't really expect it to. If you really *had* to give it some beans, you'd just have to drop a gear.It's certainly not strained though, and I've really enjoyed driving mine on long motorway trips. A very smooth ride!As for build quality, no grumbles from me. The only oddity so far is fuel filler flap - it's a bit clunky and a jarring reminder that some cost savings were made here and there! Thankfully, I've found the car sips its diesel so frugally I don't have to fill it that often!Give it a test drive, you'll love it I'm sure.

[montimar]

The QQ is the most comfortable car I have ever owned and ideal for long trips. I find the 1.6 mated to the CVT has plenty of power around motorway speeds and goes like a stuck rat above 50 mph when passing slower cars. My last 2 cars were a MB and BMW and I prefer the QQ over both of them.

[AlleyCat]

If you spend a lot/most of your driving life on motorways i, personally, wouldn't pick it as the car to have.It's a great car and very comfortable but it isn't, in my mind, designed to be a consistantly long distance cruiser.My passat was a much better motorway car than the QQ but the QQ is a better car all around.Having said that i don't think you'll find the engine "under powered".Even the 1.2 petrol, which i own, is perfectly comfortable on the M'way for making progress.The fact i no longer do 20K miles a year is why i changed to a QQ.I don't think the QQ would let you down nor do think it would "struggle" as such but if you want to make "progress" the shape will compromise fuel economy when pushing on much more so than a more conventional saloon/hatch.I suppose it really depends on what else is on offer and how much you like the "toys" that the QQ will have over some more expensive marques.I suppose you also need to consider CO2 and Tax in the equation?

[Wheelie Bealie]

Had the car (1.5d Tekna) for three months (all bar 3 days) and it's now showing 9,500 miles, a lot of that is motorway miles and almost a thousand of them in France last week, four up and a fully loaded boot and it was happy cruising at 70-80 on the Autoroutes. No issues with being underpowered then, also use it (quite a lot) two up with back seat and boot full of motorcycle kit whilst towing a trailer with two motorbikes on it, again no underpowered issues. I do around 35-30K miles per year and overall it's a very nice place to be sat Oh and the economy rocks!

[Gel]

and the 1.5dci will be very kind re company car tax liability thanks to its low emissions.
Gel2014-06-05 16:30:17

[Duncs04]

Hi guys thanks for all of the replies it is really appreciated.

I had a problem logging into the site so some wierd reason so could not reply.

The company car tax and the P11D value are not what will clinch it for me. I spend a minimum of 4 hours a day in the car generally and when on business trips around the UK and abroad even longer.
So im looking for comfort, responsivness (I have not had a car in the past 4-5 years where i had to drop from 6th to 5th or 4th at motorway speeds to speed up and overtake), toys and safety. Cruise control is a must.

I guess i need to go for a good drive in one and see what i think.

[Rundmc]

I have the 1.5dci AP and really like its comfort and the toys.

I do about 17k per year but mostly motorway but its daily commute stuff so lot of stop/start or not at max motorway speed. However when I have not been restricted on speed I have sometimes found once in 6th gear I don't notice that I am suddenly doing 80+ as its not struggling.

I don't tend to have the need to suddenly increase acceleration so not sure how it reacts. Only used the cruise control briefly as my normal commute doesn't really warrant it but it is useful to have.