Major Oddity: Nissan Rasheen

The Nissan X-Trail has been around for the best part of a decade and as such is quite a common sight on Britain’s roads. But there’s a little known predecessor to the X-Trail and I stumbled across one in the New Forest at the weekend. The car in question is the Nissan Rasheen and I have to say that it came as a bit of a shock. Primarily because I have no recollection of ever having seen one before; but also because, well let’s face it, the Rasheen is no looker.

I like the Nissan Cube. I admire the boxiness of it and the fact that Nissan went all out to…well…think outside the box. But the Rasheen just strikes me as being a strange combination of a Lada Niva with Wartburg headlights. But they couldn’t be bothered to put the headlights on the right way. It reminds me very much of the kind of generic 4×4 favoured by the likes of Playmobil. You could equally imagine Ken turning up outside Barbie’s house to take her on a date. Ken, mate, do yourself a favour and take the Corvette next time.

Prince Rasheen

Most 4x4s even tend to look rough and tough even if they’re not. But in the case of the Rasheen, it manages to portray all the robustness of a matchbox and all the ruggedness of Paris Hilton. In pink slippers.

Quite how many of these things exist in the UK is anyone’s guess. But with Nissan Sunny underpinnings, the longevity of the thing is called into question. The car’s Wikipedia entry actually likens, somewhat optimistically, the Rasheen to the Hummer. Really? To be honest, I’d rather take my chances with the Hummer when going into battle.

Nissan Rasheen cleans umpteen things clean