The refreshed Nissan Qashqai, which has received a bold new look and a host of technical upgrades, has today gone on sale priced from £30,135.

The starting price of the family crossover, which began production today, has risen £3000 over the pre-facelifted car due to the ditching of the entry-level Visia trim. The range is topped by the £38,875 Tekna+ in e-Power form.

Despite the albeit modest price rise, Nissan is confident that the updated family crossover can once again become the UK’s best-selling car – a title it held in 2022 and narrowly missed out on last year. 

One of the reasons for this confidence is the car’s new-look front end, which has been reworked with sharper lines and an aggressive new face inspired by Japanese samurai helmets.

Design chief Matt Weaver said this black and satin-silver chrome front-end design – created with the help of AI – brings the model into line with the electric Nissan Ariya, “amps up the brand ID” and sets a base for future design direction.

Key changes include new headlights and daytime-running lights that have been split into three distinct elements, with the latter representing horns above the new ‘eye’ projectors.

The rear end, meanwhile, has a new set of clear LED lights styled to match those up front. The lower bumper has also been reprofiled for a sportier appearance.

As well as a new look, the technical brief for the update was to improve efficiency and rolling refinement, said Nissan. 

The windows have been thickened, for example, the car uses more aluminium panels to make it 60kg lighter, and the reworked exterior is said to further reduce wind noise at speed.

The Qashqai remains exclusively electrified, offering a choice of 138bhp and 148bhp mild-hybrid petrols, plus the 187bhp e-Power full hybrid.

Inside, the computers underpinning the Qashqai’s digital interfaces have been significantly upgraded to boost graphic quality and processing times.

The infotainment’s computer is now said to be several times more powerful, enabling a move to Google’s Android Auto operating system on higher trim levels. That means certain apps can run natively on the system and can be displayed across the instrument panel.

The Qashqai’s security system has been boosted too. The Nissan Connect app now provides live tracking of the car’s location and can be used to alert Nissan, insurers and the authorities if the car is stolen.

Nissan also offers remote immobilisation via an optional subscription, allowing a call centre to co-ordinate with police to halt a car on the move.

The key reason for the crossover’s higher starting price is the dropping of the entry-level Visia trim.As a result, the updated Qashqai opens at £30,135 in Acentra Premium trim, rising to £32,305 for N-Connecta.

A new trim level called N-Design, adding swathes of Alcantara inside, has been launched and sits alongside Tekna: both are priced at £34,845. The line-up tops out with Tekna+ at £38,875. 

For buyers choosing e-Power, pricing at all levels is increased by £1975.