NISSAN calls it the ultimate Qashqai.

Europe’s favourite urban crossover is now available in a new grade called Tekna+ that showcases all that is good about Nissan technology and design.

Across the Qashqai range, there are significant enhancements which further develop its premium character – a contemporary new exterior design, higher levels of interior quality, improved driving performance and the addition of new technologies.

The wide-ranging changes are designed to reinforce the Qashqai’s position as the undisputed leader in the segment. Grade structure has also evolved with the introduction of this Tekna+ grade, setting a benchmark in luxury within the C-SUV crossover segment.

With a starting price of under £20,000, rising to around £30,000 for the Tekna+ version. the Sunderland-built Qashqai is now not only the nation’s top-selling crossover, but also a regular in the top ten car sales chart.

It has won more than 80 awards, including 19 ‘Car of the Year’ titles for its blend of practicality and desirability and the driving dynamics and running costs of a hatchback

Tekna+ sits as the flagship of the line-up above Visia, Acenta, N-Connecta and Tekna and comes with new premium features as standard.

In the cabin, the seats are trimmed in soft nappa leather, with luxurious 3D quilting on the centre panels, and the eight-speaker audio system is top notch.

The driver’s seat features electrically controlled four-way pneumatic lumbar support, while the premium audio set-up comes with eight speakers.

Externally, Tekna+ comes with premium gloss silver door mirror caps and roof rails.

Many other areas of the cabin have been upgraded. The air vents and interior door handles are finished in higher-quality, more tactile materials, while smart new stitching has been added to the centre console armrest between the two front seats.

Across the range, one-touch power window switches are now featured on all four doors. Additionally, all windows can be opened and closed together remotely via the key fob.

But the most dramatic enhancements to the Qashqai are to its exterior.

The front end has an integrated new bumper fitted as standard.

At the heart of redesigned front face of the Qashqai is the latest incarnation of Nissan’s iconic ‘V-motion’ grille, which frames the new Nissan badge.

Barely noticeable, the grille’s chrome surround now houses the front camera that provides part of the image for the car’s Intelligent Around View Monitor, Nissan’s innovative 360-degree parking camera system.

Framing the grille are new headlamp clusters, with much clearer design differentiation between the halogen units on Visia, Acenta and N-Connecta grades and full LEDs on Tekna and Tekna+ (optional on N-Connecta).

The clam-shell bonnet has been redesigned with a straight-line leading edge rather than a single curve from side to side, while at the back there are new bumpers. Even the alloy wheels come with new designs.

A key reason why customers opting for the Qashqai is undoubtedly the quality of the ride. Nissan’s primary focus with the 2018 Qashqai has been to produce better ride comfort, and this has been achieved by re-tuning the dampers, reducing the single wheel spring rate, and modifying rubber components.

It’s quieter, steers better and has better safety features in its slightly bigger frame.

Invariably, there’s something I will discover on a car that is not to my liking. But the Tekna+ ticks every box and avoids any niggles. Yes, it costs a lot of money, straying into the price bracket of the premium brands, but you would have to pay an awful lot more with a premium brand to get all the features on offer here.

That’s one of the reasons why the Tekna+ deserves every one of the five stars in my overall rating.