Nissan Ireland has laid out its stall of offers for the upcoming July registration period, but the bigger news by far is that the all-new Qashqai crossover is hitting Irish shores in a few weeks, just in time for the 212 plates.
Mild-hybrid Qashqai comes first
Initially for Ireland, that new Qashqai will be offered in mild-hybrid form, which uses a 12-volt system to add torque assist, extended idle stop, quick restart and coasting stop, as well as storing energy to power the vehicle's electrical equipment and to lower fuel consumption. At first, two 1.3-litre turbo petrol engines will be offered, with a choice of 138hp or 156hp, and with an optional 'Xtronic' CVT automatic transmission, and optional four-wheel drive for the 156hp version. A truly different range-extender hybrid-electric 'E-Power' version - powered by an electric motor, using a 1.5 petrol engine to keep a small battery charged - is coming, but not until the very end of the year.
Prices for the new Qashqai start from €30,500 for an entry-level XE grade model. The SV grade is priced from €33,200, the SV Premium Grade from €37,395 and the top of the range SVE Xtronic grade from €44,600.
Zero per cent APR on zero-emissions Leaf
For those looking to go fully electric, rather than mild-hybrid, Nissan Ireland is also offering Irish buyers a zero per cent interest finance package on the all-battery Nissan Leaf, an offer that also includes a free home charging wallbox (along with free installation) and a year's free servicing. According to Nissan, the Leaf remains the "number one choice of car for the growing number of Irish motorists making the switch to EV driving" - although actually the Leaf has been out-sold by the VW ID.3 and ID.4 so far this year. Maybe they mean since the model was first launched? If so then yes, the Leaf is way out in front...
The entry grade Leaf XE 40 kWh, which has a range of up to 270 kilometres, starts at €28,145, or €379 per month while the top of the range Leaf SVE 62kWh costs €39,210 or €532 per month, and has a range of 385km. The entry grade vehicle, says Nissan Ireland, is especially popular with young families.
Zero per cent on new Micra, too
Across the rest of the range, there are low-interest rate PCP deals available, including a zero per cent offer on the Micra (remember the Micra? It's still good...) as well as Nissan's Subscribe and Drive monthly subscription service, which gives you the option of a new car with new deposit, and monthly prices starting from €386.
Nissan Ireland says that it has introduced a series of safety measures to protect customers who want to visit their showrooms to buy a new 212 car. All dealerships have been redesigned to meet social distancing guidelines. Protective screens exist in reception areas and customer sanitisation stations have also been installed. All cars and car keys are fully sanitised before each test drive. Customers can continue to book appointments, although a lot of services are now also available remotely. This includes trade-in valuations, test drive at home, online finance applications, online payment transactions and contactless delivery.