Let me put things into perspective: I’m a single 20-something with no commitments other than my career and a bond. I like small cars and hot hatches and these fit in well with my lifestyle. But then I spent a weekend with the Nissan NV200 and you know what? I really like it. So much so that I now want one.
Firstly, for a van-cum-MPV, it’s not an offensive looking vehicle. It has a short stumpy nose and features Nissan’s family face. It’s very much box-like in shape, so it looks the part of a delivery van, but I don’t mind this.
I made good use of this 7-seater van’s people-carrying skills by transporting a group of ladies to and from a bridal shower as well as a family with a baby, car seat and everything that comes with it. Not once were we left wanting. It swallowed everything that comes with hosting a hen night and proved to also be spacious and comfortable enough to use as a changing room between the various bridal shower events. With the third row of seats in place or folded away, there was always ample space for everything that I needed.
It’s such an easy vehicle to drive. I didn’t expect it to be this way because it’s so large. But the tried and trusted 81 kW 1,6-litre petrol unit with its 153 N.m of torque available at 4 400 r/min made it a breeze (a 66 kW 1,5 dCi unit with 200 N.m is also available). The low weight of 1 408 kg (as weighed for the January 2014 CAR test) and light steering also helped with the easy manoeuvrability of this vehicle. The five-speed gearbox is slick, although a sixth gear would come in handy at higher speeds. The lever is comfortably placed fairly high up near the front facia, which by the way, may look dated and old, but I love the hassle free nature of it. I found all the controls that I needed to use and it was easy to get the vehicle and my phone to speak to one another via Bluetooth and listen to music. The only complaint I have is that this very hot Cape Town weekend highlighted that the air-con wasn’t strong enough. The passengers at the back don’t have windows that open or air vents and the air-con couldn’t adequately reach that far back.
All occupants, including a two-year-old toddler, of the NV200 were well taken care of thanks to ABS with EBD, vehicle dynamic control, driver, passenger and front side airbags, and Isofix child seat anchor points.
Overall, the NV200 was a great little combi to drive around and I always looked forward to climbing in behind the wheel of it. At R246 400 it offers great value-for-money. It’s not a boring people mover at all. The peppy engine give ample driver enjoyment for a van and there’s plenty of space for people or goods. It’s a very adequate do-everything type of vehicle. And should I one day find myself in need of a bigger vehicle, I’ll definitely be considering this one.
Specifications
Model: NV200 1,6 Combi
Engine: 1,6-litre, 4-cylinder, petrol
Transmission: five-speed manual
Power: 81 kW @ 6 000 r/min
Torque: 153 N.m @ 4 400 r/min
0-100 km/h: 12,54 seconds (as tested by CAR)
CAR fuel index: 8,64 litres/100 km
CO2: 169 g/km
Luggage capacity: 360-736/1 792 dm3 (as measured by CAR)
Price: R246 400
Service plan: Optional
Service intervals: 15 000 km