The new Nissan Qashqai has proved it has the pulling power to match its good looks as it was named as the overall winner at the British Tow Car Awards 2014. The Qashqai also won the 1,400kg-1,549kg (kerbweight) category, making it the new car of choice for the caravanning community and those who tow regularly.

The Land Rover Discovery 3.0 SDV6 XS once again proved itself the class of the field in the 1900kg+ category, continuing to perform better than all its rivals. This is Discovery’s fifth consecutive win and its seventh award in eight years, a record unmatched by any other vehicle.

Judges from the British Camping and Caravanning Club and influential magazines Practical Caravan and What Car? praised the Qashqai for its stability at speed, impressive performance, abundance of torque, smooth braking, exceptional 100kg nose weight and effortless hill-start ability. They were also impressed by the Qashqai’s practicality and large 430-litre boot.

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This winning combination, plus the model’s 1,800kg maximum braked towing weight, a massive 400kg improvement on the original Qashqai won it the top award.

The judges were impressed with the Qashqai’s stability at speed. They felt that its unflustered approach to towing puts the driver at ease. Long journeys towing with the Nissan should prove hassle-free, they reported.