Nissan‘s new NV200 light commercial vehicle is the “global breakthrough product that will help establish Nissan as an independent LCV player”, according to the company’s fleet and LCV boss Tony Lewis.
The NV200 will go on sale in the UK in October as a rival to the Renault Kangoo and Ford Transit Connect. It’s powered by a 1.5 diesel engine with a claimed emissions figure of 139g/km.
Nissan claims, although it has the same external dimensions as its rivals, the internal packaging means it will carry two euro pallets, unique in the sector.
“It’s all in the clever packaging, 4.1 cubic metres genuinely allows customers to downsize,” Lewis told BusinessCar.
Unlike the rest of Nissan’s current van line-up, the NV200 is a unique product, and not cross-badged with Renault and, in some cases, Vauxhall.
Lewis is promising a good driving experience, load bay and running costs. “We’re trying to get the guides to recognise that this is a segment breaking product,” he said. “If you get good RVs you’re halfway there. We’ve also focussed on parts usage and servicing cost.”
Standard equipment on the NV200 includes a rear parking camera, a first for the segment.
At 4400mm, the Nissan is within 100mm of the length of the Connect, although the load bed is 300mm longer. The NV200’s loading height is also 78mm lower than the Transit.
