Nissan has gone all-out to keep this third generation Qashqai ahead of an increasingly competitive chasing pack in the volume brand part of the mid-sized family SUV segment. So it's smarter, classier, cleverer, quieter, better equipped and more sophisticated. British designed and built, this one's going to take some knocking off the number one spot.

Today, our roads are full of Crossover models, compact family-sized SUV-style hatches that blend the practicality of a family five-door with the lifestyle looks of a 4x4. Nissan didn't invent this concept but they've done more than any other brand to perfect it, most notably with this car, the Qashqai. And in its latest third generation form, this car has been rejuvenated - as we're going to see. It's strange now to think what a gamble this model seemed to represent when the first generation version of this design was originally launched back in 2007. Nissan had to make it work because they had no alternative conventional Focus-sized hatch to sell - and they did. Sales took off - and continued strongly with a second generation model launched in 2014, then heavily updated in 2017. Today of course, the mid-sized family SUV market is crowded with rivals from just about every brand. But is the original still the best? Nissan wants us to think so and has loaded this larger, smarter, sharper-looking MK3 model with all of its latest tech to make sure.

It was time for the Qashqai to make the switch to electrified engineering and, sure enough, that's what we've got. Rather bravely, given that a huge proportion of previous Qashqai customers have tended to fuel from the black pump, diesel has been ditched entirely and instead, customers are being offered the choice of either a mild hybrid four cylinder turbo unit or the brand's latest e-POWER hybrid system. Almost all sales, to begin with anyway, will be of mild hybrid models, all of which use basically the same 1.3-litre DIG-T engine that was offered before (co-developed with Renault and Mercedes), though usefully embellished here with 12V mild hybrid tech. As usual with set-ups of this sort, a small lithium-ion battery gives a fraction more mid-range punch and takes care of engine stop/start duties. As usual with a Qashqai, there's a choice of 6-speed manual or CVT Xtronic automatic transmission. And the 1.3-litre engine comes in 140hp or 158hp forms, the latter available with a much improved 4WD system. The AWD set-up is said to be more intuitive and intelligent, features five driving modes (Standard, ECO, Sport, Snow and Off-Road) and shifts power to the rear wheels five times quicker than the previous system. Handling across the range should be improved by a stiffer CMF-C platform. We should say a little about the e-POWER hybrid engine too, a 1.5-litre unit mated to a l40kW electric motor and offering a total power output of 190hp.

This third generation Qashqai is not only a sharper looking thing, it's also a little bigger too, having needed to grow in size to keep a distance from the brand's smaller Juke SUV. It's 35mm longer, 32mm wider and 25mm taller than the previous generation model but Nissan has been careful to try and maintain the compact exterior dimensions that endeared customers to the MK2 design. There's an enlarged Nissan V-Motion grille flanked by LED matrix headlights. And that grille features the brand's latest logo. You'll notice key changes inside at the front too, where there's a new 'NissanConnect' 9.0-inch high resolution touchscreen offering wireless 'Apple CarPlay' and, according to Nissan 'just about all that's available in the market' when it comes to app-based and connectivity features. For mid-range 'N-Connecta' level upwards, the car gets a 12.3-inch instrument screen and on top models, there's a 10.8-inch head-up display that's the segment's largest. The centre console's been redesigned with extra storage. The more ergonomic seats and more adjustable. And there's a cap-less fuel filler that can be opened externally, replacing the old driver's footwell release lever. On auto models, the new space saving gear shifter for the new 'shift-by-wire' CVT auto gearbox is much smaller but replicates the physical action of a traditional lever that customers tend to prefer. Out back, the differences in the size of this MK3 model are really evident if you've traded up from the previous model, helped by a 20mm increase in wheelbase length. Knee room for rear occupants has grown by 28mm to 608mm. The boot (which can now be accessed by a gesture-controlled powered tailgate) is much bigger too, now rated at 500-litres in size (50-litres bigger than before), with a compartment beneath the floor wide and deep enough to store the parcel shelf.

Building a Crossover vehicle is easy. Building one as good as this Qashqai is a whole lot tougher, as competitors have found. Nissan has done all the expected things in order to keep this third generation design current - sharper looks, engine electrification, a bit more interior space - but at heart, this Qashqai offers much the same kind of family-orientated Crossover package. Which existing customers will very much like. But will fresh converts be attracted to this rejuvenated model? That's more difficult to say. There's an awful lot of competition from an awful lot of very talented rivals out there. And the Qashqai is no longer the bargain it once was. Still, this remains a car from a brand that clearly knows its market. It's still a benchmark. And it's still a starting point for anyone buying in this segment.