RAY MASSEY: New fast car for the chart-topper Nissan Qashqai

Taylor Swift is a big fan of Nissan’s Qashqai. Two years ago, the billionaire pop star bought one of the practical British-made family SUVs so she could travel around the UK incognito.

And it’s in good company. Nissan’s Sunderland factory has produced more than four million Japanese crossovers since the original first-generation model was launched in 2007.

Now Nissan has refreshed the Qashqai to improve its styling, interior technology and equipment, bringing it closer to the all-electric Nissan Ariya SUV.

This includes samurai armor-inspired LED lighting, three new exterior colors and an N-Design trim.

Its enhanced ‘Around View Monitor’ system has a 3D function that allows the driver to see the car as if from above and view it from eight external points of view to help detect hazards.

A feature, officially known as “invisible bonnet view” but nicknamed “Harry Potter vision”, allows the driver to see the front wheels as if looking through an “invisible” bonnet, allowing for safe manoeuvring in tight spaces.

The brand’s flagship, the Qashqai, is a powerful and innovative electrified hybrid “e-Power”, a mini power station on wheels that generates electricity. The e-Power version uses its 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine to generate electricity, which in turn powers the electric motor that drives the wheels and charges the battery of the vehicle with automatic gearbox.

Nissan believes this package is “a stepping stone for customers who aren’t ready to make the switch to 100 percent electric” and offers the feel of an electric car without the need to charge it.

I drove the Qashqai Tekna e-Power, the range-topping two-wheel-drive, full-hybrid model, which costs £43,735. This spacious, practical and flexible five-seat family vehicle drives smoothly and returns an official fuel economy of 53.3mpg and reduced CO2 emissions of 119g/km.

Prices for the facelifted Qashqai range start at £30,135.

Subaru named best manufacturer

Japanese carmaker Subaru has been named best manufacturer in a satisfaction survey conducted by consumer magazine Auto Express.

Its current range, which includes the Crosstrek, Outback, Forester e-Boxer and all-electric Solterra (pictured), scored 90.66 per cent, ahead of Tesla (90.55 per cent), Kia (89.34 per cent), Porsche (89.16 per cent) and Citroën (88.22 per cent).

Auto Express editor Paul Barker said: “Subaru may not be the standout brand, but owners are delighted with the practicality, safety, reliability and quality of their car.”

• The best-selling new models in July were the Kia Sportage, Nissan Qashqai, Ford Puma, Volvo XC40 and Volkswagen Golf as new car sales rose 2.5 per cent to 147,517, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. It was the best July performance since 2020, when dealerships reopened after lockdown.