SINCE its debut in September 2022, more than 100,000 drivers have taken delivery of Nissan's e-POWER vehicles.

The charge has been led by the Qashqai which made up 65,367 of those sold in Europe.

More than one in five of those sales have been in the UK, where 21,026 e-POWER models have found homes with customers, 18,591 of which were the Qashqai.

What sets e-POWER apart is that the wheels are solely driven by an electric motor. This means the drive is smooth and quiet - much like a full electric vehicle.

The advanced and efficient petrol engine within the e-POWER system is used only to generate electricity, which charges the on-board battery and powers the wheels through the electric motor.

When low power is required to drive the vehicles and when the battery has enough power, the electric motor driving the wheels is only using electricity from the battery. If more power is needed, the engine generates electricity to power the electric motor and charge the battery.

When maximum power is required, the electric motor takes electricity from both the engine and from the battery. Any time power regeneration is possible, energy from vehicle motion is sent back to the battery.

Electrical energy generation is also controlled according to road conditions. When road noise increases due to surface conditions and vehicle speed, the engine switches on to otherwise quieter conditions.

It's powered by a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder petrol-electric engine which produces 188bhp and a plentiful 330Nm of torque. It's matched to a six-speed automatic gearbox.

The Tekna comes with 19-inch alloys, front heated seats, heated steering wheel, wireless charging, adaptive LED headlights, a 10-speaker Bose sound system and a powered tailgate.

It also comes with a high resolution 12.3-inch infotainment and satnav screen which is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It also offers in-car WiFi for up to seven devices.

Behind the steering wheel is a high-definition, 12.3-inch digital multi-information screen offering a choice of configurable layouts to display navigation, entertainment, traffic or vehicle information, all controlled from a new tactile dial switch on the steering wheel.

Home-to-Car features are compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa devices. The system supports a wide range of commands, including the ability for drivers to send destinations to the car's navigation by talking to their smart device, minimising the time required to input the destination.

Through the NissanConnect Services smartphone app, vehicle control functions are available such as remote horn and lights, as well as remote door lock and unlock. Smart alerts can also be set including speed, time and zone with app notifications should the vehicle exceed the set parameters.

Connectivity extends to all occupants with the console box now offering front and rear USB charging connections with both USB-A and USB-C ports.

As has always been the case, the elevated driving position in the Qashqaiis superb and there's good visibility out the front and side windows, though the over-the-shoulder view is a little restricted by thick rear pillars.

That said, reversing isn't too much of a challenge because this model comes with front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera.

The Qashqai's interior looks smart and feels well put together, especially the chunky, tactile knobs which control the aircon. There's plenty of space for adults in the front and the rear is a revelation too.

Getting in and out of the Qashqai's back seats is easy thanks to rear doors that open wider than any other car in the class. That's also a blessing if you're putting kids in child seats. Drop the kiddie seat and the rear is roomy enough for two outer adult passengers who will be blessed with plenty of head and knee room.

The Qashqai's rear seatbacks fold down in a traditional 60/40 split.

Even with the extra weight generated by the e-POWER powertrain, the third-generation Qashqaiis still a simple pleasure to drive with excellent steering and handling.

It handles well over bumps and potholes and feels planted with plenty of grip when heading through corners. It's certainly not wallowy and is hushed at low revs.

Family drivers will be comforted by the fact the e-POWER comes with latest edition of Nissan's excellent ProPilot driver assistance system. It's a real boon, especially on busy motorways and dual carriageways. Intelligent Forward Emergency Braking also reads the road ahead to detect if a vehicle suddenly brakes. The system will apply the brakes to reduce the likelihood of a collision.

It's also worth remembering that, despite its name, the Qashqaiis as British as roast beef. It was designed at the brand's design centre in Paddington, engineered at the company's technical centre in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, and built at Nissan's Sunderland factory.

£39,210

188bhp, 1,497cc, three-cylinder petrol-electric engine driving the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission

105mph

7.9 seconds

54.3mpg

26

117g/km

28%

3yrs/60,000miles

4.3