It’s going to get ugly in the fiercely competitive family hatchback market soon, as Nissan has decided to rejoin the fray with its newly launched Pulsar model.

Clearly aiming at the likes of Volkswagen’s Golf and Ford’s Focus, Nissan bosses are already talking up their new challenger ahead of the car’s autumn debut.

Styled to complement the popular Qashqai, the Pulsar promises to major on quality, refinement and cabin space plus boast a raft of hi-tech kit to make the ownership experience safer and more enjoyable.

There’s no word yet on pricing or detailed specifications, but Nissan is aiming to dip below a 95g/km CO2 baseline with its engine offerings while the likes of automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and web-connected infotainment will be available.