Nissan NV200 van review

The Nissan NV200 looks compact on the outside, but it boasts impressive cargo volume behind its standard twin sliding side doors. With two Euro 6 diesel engines sourced from corporate partner Renault, the van is economical too.

There’s a choice of three specifications – Visia, Acenta and Tekna – but whichever you go for, and whether you buy the panel van, the crew van or the NV200 Combi with five or seven seats, the Nissan is nimble and manoeuvrable. In terms of size, the NV200 rivals the Renault Kangoo, Peugeot Partner, Citroen Berlingo and Ford Transit Connect, but thanks to proportions that are similar to larger vans from the class above, the NV200 offers more room inside.

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Users can specify a folding passenger seat – as in many LCVs – as well as a folding mesh bulkhead, allowing longer loads to be safely carried alongside the driver’s seat.

• Nissan e-NV200 review

Nissan also produces an eco-friendly full-electric version called the Nissan e-NV200. Plus, the van forms the basis of a new taxi for the streets of New York, and there were plansto rival the LTI black cab in London, although this has been put on hold.

The NV200 sits beneath the NV300 and larger NV400 model in the Nissan commercial vehicle line-up, and while Nissan vans won't be the first port of call for many fleet operators, they're certainly worth consideration.

The Renault-sourced 1.5 dCi diesel in the Nissan NV200 gives buyers a choice of 90bhp and 110bhp outputs. Power is sent to the front wheels through five-speed and six-speed manual gearboxes respectively - there's no auto option. The engines are capable of meeting Euro 6 emissions standards without having to resort to using SCR or AdBlue.

Nissan claims that both engines are capable of up to 57.7mpg with CO2 emissions of 128g/km for the lower powered unit and 130g/km for the 110hp.

Stop-start isn’t available on the NV200 yet, even though it features on the Renault Kangoo van, which uses a similar engine. Still, Tekna versions offer Nissan’s combined cruise control and speed limiter, while every NV200 has a gearshift indicator on the dashboard to help drivers minimise their fuel consumption. Service intervals stand at 18,000 miles or two years, whichever model you go for. NV200 also benefits from Nissan’s new 5 year/100,000 mile warranty on all of its LCVs.

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You won't need to pay extra for basic security, as all versions of the NV200 come with an immobiliser, remote central locking and superlocking. You also get shielded door locks. In basic Visia spec, the Nissan comes with a tubular bulkhead behind the driver, while Acenta and Tekna grades have a full-steel bulkhead. A bulkhead with a window is available as an option.

Load capacity is a real strength of the NV200 – it offers a very generous space considering its compact dimensions, with 4.2 cubic metres of volume in the rear and a 739kg payload. There is a single body length and wheelbase offered, and no high roof option.

Still, there’s enough room for two Europallets, while bulky loads up to 1.36 metres in height can be carried, thanks to the tall roof. However, Fiat’s Doblo Cargo, now available in long body with a high roof has the edge over the NV200 with a 1,000kg payload option and up to 5.0 cubic metres in XL high-roof trim, while the long-wheelbase version of the Ford Transit Connect has a maximum payload of 905kg.

All NV200 vans feature six load lashing points in the floor, while it’s easy to get to the load from either side, thanks to the standard twin sliding side doors.

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Nissan offers a host of accessories for the load bay, including body side mouldings for £115, plus wheelarch protection, at £129. A roof rack will set you back £508; a flanged tow bar with electrics is a £425 dealer fit option.

There’s a five-seat Crew Cab model with a bulkhead behind the second row of seats, while NV200 Combi models seat five or seven people, and the rear rows of seats in both versions can be folded forwards. This gives up to 2.3 cubic metres of load volume in the five-seater and 2.1 cubic metres in the seven-seat Combi. However, the rear seats don’t unclip, so can’t be removed in either version to free up the full load area.

Nissan equips all NV200 models with Vehicle Dynamic Control and Tekna vans have a passenger airbag as part of the specification. The vans also come with ABS with EBD and Brake Assist. A Nissan Anti-theft Immobiliser is also standard across the range.

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An optional Versatility Pack includes the opening mesh bulkhead and a folding passenger seat. There are also rear door glazing packs available, for both twin doors and a tailgate. Both include a fixed window in the standard full steel bulkhead.

Reliability is generally good, with NV200 owners not reporting any major problems, and the van is now backed by Nissan’s five-year/100,000-mile manufacturer warranty.

The NV200 is a very slim, compact van that runs on relatively small wheels for maximum manoeuvrability around town. However, this does mean the ride is a bit bouncy on the open road, while the van isn’t really suited to long motorway journeys.

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The 90bhp engine comes with a five-speed manual gearbox, while the 110bhp engine is hooked up to a six-speed, which means slightly more relaxed cruising. Nissan doesn’t offer an automatic transmission option in NV200. Both engines have enough grunt to keep pace with traffic – they deliver 200Nm and 240Nm of torque respectively – but the Nissan is at its best on urban roads, and isn’t as good to drive as the Fiat Doblo Cargo or Ford Transit Connect.

The NV200 has a more spacious interior than its compact dimensions suggest, and even taller drivers should find they have enough head room. But the interior is all built from hard, shiny black plastics, and the van isn’t all that comfortable for longer drives. It also boasts a very sit up and beg driving position and the large window switch pod on the driver’s door can dig into the driver’s right leg. The NV200 is a two-seater, with no three-seat option.

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A tiny information screen in the centre of the dashboard relays images from the reversing camera on vans fitted with this neat feature, although the display can be difficult to read at all other times. All vans come with an MP3-compatible stereo and steering wheel controls, plus USB/aux inputs, while the standard Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity will appeal to users running a business from their van.

NissanConnect Touch Screen sat-nav and entertainment system is optional on Acenta and standard on the Tekna models. Options include air conditioning for £450, though this is standard on Tekna trim.

Van dimensions

(Widths are body width without mirrors. With mirrors: 2,011mm)

Load area dimensions

(Widths are maximum. Width between wheelarches is 1,220mm)