A COUPLE of decades ago Japanese giant Nissan decided to boldly go where other car makers feared to tread.

It designed as a family car with the upright stance of an SUV but the driving characteristics of a hatchback. It measured little more in length than a small saloon but had much more carrying ability.

The result was a near instant hit and the Qashqai became the template for other brands to follow.

Now we're on the third generation version which has just been heavily facelifted and prettied up. And guess what? It's better than ever and still a market leader, particularly so in 1.5 E-Power form.

One of the great virtues of E-Power is that allows us to sample an electric car without total commitment.

So, no range anxiety, no queueing at a charging point and no messing with cables because the battery charges on the move.

The petrol engine generates power for the battery and the electric motor drives the front wheels.

Acceleration is immediate and, with 187bhp to call on, it gets off the mark sharply with 62mph coming up in less than eight seconds.

All this is achieved with an almost uncanny silence, unless the three-cylinder engine is worked hard, when a certain gruffness creeps into its vocabulary.

Best of all is the mid-range pick-up which has the immediacy of a full electric model, making overtaking swift and safe. An automatic gearbox matches the relaxed and unflustered character of the car nicely.

While the Qashqai concentrates on its family role with ample space, luxuries such as heated steering wheel and the like, it also manages to be a satisfying drive. Though compliant and able to soak up bumps, the ride is firm enough to encourage press-on driving and enthusiastic cornering.

Styling tweaks to the nose with a new grille and sharper rear treatment have freshened the Qashqai's appearance.

The changes don't end there, as the cabin also benefits from a rethink with a large 12.3in touchscreen, super new graphics and a nod to more traditional drivers thanks to proper knobs to operate heating and ventilations systems.

Driving position is near perfect offering good visibility and a distinctly car-like feel, partly due to the positioning of the front seats and also the car's fundamentally sound dynamics. The Tekna + version, driven here, has electric seat controls and a massage facility for the driver's one.

There are loads of spaces to absorb the odds-and-ends that every family carts around with them, from bottle-holders to central bin and pockets in the backs of the front seats.

The hatchback rear boot, opened via an electric tailgate, holds about 500litres of luggage and has a reversible platform which can be scrubbed - ideal for muddy wellies on those winter walks.

The marriage of petrol and battery power is a happy one and results in frugal economy as well as ample shunt. Our average was 46mpg over some eager driving and town trundling. Fifty-plus is easily within reach with a sensitive right foot.

There was little to criticise about the pre-facelift Qashqai, but the new version is better in just about every respect. So, the pathfinding SUV is restored to its rightful place in the hierarchy.

£42,050

1.5-litre, 4 cyl, 186bhp petrol hybrid engine driving fromt wheels via automatic gearbox

105mph

7.9sec

53.3

26

119g/km

28%

3yrs/60,000 miles

4.8