The Qashqai is the car that started it all. The founding father of the crossover segment.

It arrived as a replacement for the underwhelming Almera but, rather than simply building another family hatchback, Nissan took the bold decision to create a faux off-roader. It would have the looks of a rugged, high-riding SUV, but with the practicality, driving dynamics and running costs of that same family hatchback.

We’re onto the second generation now and the Qashqai is as popular as it’s ever been. Despite appearances, and the availability of 4x4 versions, it’s natural habit has always been of the manmade variety and that remains true.

The Qashqai is strictly family transport for the road and, for the most part, it’s very good at what it does.

The second generation has a far more upmarket look than the model it replaces. The nose is sharper, better defined, with angular headlights and distinctive LED daytime running lights framing a grille with a large badge at its centre surrounded by a thick u-shaped chrome strip.

At the back the lights mirror those at the front with an angular design that wraps around the flanks. It also wears the required amount of plastic cladding, as well as roof bars, to give it the necessary air of ruggedness that this class demands.

Inside build quality impresses and there’s plenty of nice detailing – such as chrome surrounds on the air vents and gear stick gaitor, gloss black trim and ambient lighting on the centre console – to add a little visual interest.

The high seating position gives you an excellent view of the road and, if you opt for the panoramic glass roof which runs almost the full length of the car, a great view of the sky too, though you should save that until you're stationary. You’ll also get a cabin that’s flooded with light, creating an even greater sense of space.

Not that space is something that you’ll be short of. Passengers in the front and back are well catered for – although there’s no seven-seat version this time around – even if you’ve got a couple of taller people riding up front and, while a fifth passenger might feel the squeeze from their companions either side, they’ll enjoy some compensation thanks to a transmission tunnel that won’t impact too much on legroom.

Remember, this is a car with the same footprint as a family hatchback but, because of the additional height – it’s 1,590mm tall compared to a Golf, which stands at 1,452mm – it offers considerably more room.

The boot is impressive, offering 430 litres of luggage space. It has a false floor – with storage below where you can stow the parcel shelf – that also doubles as a load divider. Folding the rear seats flat liberates 1,585 litres.

There’s plenty of storage space in the cabin too with a good-sized glovebox and plenty of cubby holes for your odds and ends.

Now you’re familiar with the layout let’s get behind the wheel.

From here you’ll learn that all the instrumentation is logically laid out and all the switchgear has a nice solid feel to it.

The infotainment system is excellent. The touchscreen is responsive, the display crisp and the menu system easy to navigate. The physical buttons that flank the screen are a little on the small side, particularly if you’ve got savoiardi for fingers.

Equipment levels are generous and on Acenta models you get climate control, Bluetooth handsfree and audio streaming (pairing a phone was a piece of cake), automatic lights and wipers.

Sat nav comes as standard on N-Connecta models and above.

The diesel engine under the bonnet of my test car provides decent performance and feels lively and willing on the road. It’s aided by the slick gear box with well-spaced ratios.

The cabin is well insulated too, with tyre, wind and engine noise at a minimum, even at high speed.

The Qashqai maintains its composure in corners, with direct, nicely-weighted steering offering decent levels of feedback so you can exploit what is a reasonable amount of grip.

Nissan’s torque vectoring system – which brakes individual wheels to reduce understeer and produce a more positive turn-in – gives the Qashqai a more pliable, agile feel.

Other driver’s aids include Active Engine Brake, which helps reduce lurching when you lift of the throttle, and Motion Body Control which gently applies the brakes to smooth out body movement over bumps. It’s effective at low speeds except when you encounter high-frequency imperfections and the ride can get fidgety as the system struggles to cope.

It isn’t hard to see why the Qashqai is top of the sales tree. It might not be exceptional at anything, but it is very, very good at everything. Nissan certainly haven’t rested on their laurels and the second generation Qashqai builds on the strengths of the first and then adds some more of its own.

Nissan Qashqai range

From: £18,545

Engines: Four-cylinder diesel or petrol

Transmission: 6-speed manual or CVT auto

Combined: Up to 74.3mpg (1.5-litre dCi)Emissions: From 99g/km (1.5-litre dCi)

For more information visit www.nissan.co.uk