Nissan NV350 Urvan

Overview

The Nissan NV350, also known as the Nissan Caravan in Japan, is a light commercial van designed for use as fleet vehicle or cargo van. Making its local debut back in 2014, the 14-seater people mover is now in its sixth generation. A facelifted model was subsequently introduced in 2018 which brings along revised exterior and updated interior. In order to disrupt the dominance of Toyota Hiace, Nissan recently introduced the MPV Nissan NV350 Urvan in the Philippines. Inside the cabin, passengers get individual reclining seats wrapped in gray suede, in harmony with the black and gray dashboard. To ensure comfort, the Nissan NV350 Urvan is equipped with 14 AC vents attached to the roof. The safety factor is not left behind with the presence of SRS Airbags, seat belts for each passenger, child lock on sliding doors, brake assist with ABS.

History

A Nissan Caravan is a van used as a fleet or cargo vehicle since 1973. Outside of Japan, Caravans are sold under the names Nissan Urvan, Nissan King Van, or Nissan Homy. Since its release in June 2012, the NV350 Caravan has received high customer ratings for its superior fuel economy, design features, cargo space and advanced equipment offerings, achieving cumulative registrations of approx. 12,000 units at the end of November in just five months after its launch. As the latest edition of the NV350 model family, the wide version features a dynamic and wider body design and more cabin space. The vehicle is available in microbus or van models, providing even more options for the NV350 lineup. The 5th generation Urvan was launched on October 27, 2017 in Philipines, with an all-new design for the front of the vehicle.

Price

The Nissan NV350 Urvan price in the Philippines starts at P1,162,000.00. The lowest price is the Nissan NV350 Urvan Cargo, ranging all the way up to the Nissan NV350 Urvan 2.5 Premium AT priced at P1,866,000.00.

Exterior

Little has changed in terms of the exterior design since the first generation back in 1965. Like most commercial van on the road today, the Nissan NV350 is characterized by its unapologetically boxy design with a flat front bonnet. The facelifted sixth-generation model brings along reworked exterior which now include Nissan’s V-motion signature front grille, restyled body -coloured front bumper as well as redesigned headlights.

Dimension

The Nissan NV350 fits right in between the smaller 10-seater Toyota Hiace Window Van and the massive 15-seater Maxus V80 in terms of its size. Despite the Maxus’s significant advantage in its wheelbase (a whopping 910 mm longer), the Nissan manages to squeeze in 14 seats, only 1 short compared to the Chinese made behemoth of a van.

Interior

Inside, the Urvan gets a new steering wheel design, which Nissan claims to add a modern touch to the rather mundane cabin. Like the Toyota Hiace, the interior construction is simple and robust. Two high seating fabric seats are fitted up front, along with black, dual-tone plastic dashboard, centre console with three-dial control air conditioning and a dashboard mounted gearshift lever.

At the back, the Nissan feels spacious, and the incredibly long wheelbase also means that fitting 12 passengers at the rear is a less arduous task than one would imagine. Stowable ‘aisle seats’ allows easy access at the rear while the roof-mounted rear aircon vents with temperature control ensure all passengers are cool and refreshed throughout the journey.

Dashboard

Some parts of the caravan's interior feel a little outdated, especially on the dashboard. The dashboard of the Nissan NV350 Urvan is black and gray.

Space&practicality

The front of the Nissan NV350 Urvan gets a chrome grille, accompanying an extra wide sliding door that welcomes passengers into the interior. Inside the cabin, passengers get individual reclining seats wrapped in gray suede, in harmony with the black and gray dashboard. To ensure comfort, the Nissan NV350 Urvan is equipped with 14 AC vents attached to the roof. The safety factor is not left behind with the presence of SRS Airbags, seat belts for each passenger, child lock on sliding doors, brake assist with ABS.

Boot

In addition, this large car has a spacious cabin and trunk space as well as a number of sophisticated equipment

Features

Infotainment features

Standard feature includes a two-speaker single DIN entertainment system that supports AM/FM Radio and CD. The two-dial analog instrument cluster features a central multi-info display which shows crucial drivers’ information like real-time fuel efficiency information, shift timing indicator, as well as odometer and trip meter data.

Safety features

The revised Nissan NV350 also comes equipped with manual levelling for the headlights, an ECE R89-compliant speed limiter (regulation in Philipines limits top speed of 100 km/h for passenger vehicles with more than 12 seats) and a fuel cap with lock. Standard safety feature includes front airbags, two-point seatbelts for the rear passengers, ABS with Brake Assist (BA), rear fog lamp and reverse sensor.

Comfort features

The NV350 which is equipped with a keyless system is quite suitable as a travel fleet. Because this car has been equipped with double wishbone suspension at the front and rear leaf springs, the suspension configuration is ideal with heavy loads. Then there is a double blower AC with a temperature setting in the middle. While in the 14-passenger type, it is equipped with multi-ventilation air conditioning to the seat in the back row.

Powertrain Performance

Engine

The facelifted Nissan NV350 continues to be powered by the tried and tested YD25DDTi 2.5 litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine with variable turbocharger (VGS) and intercooler. It develops a healthy 129 PS at 3,200 RPM and 356 Nm of torque from as low as 1,400 RPM. The low-end torque offers effortless acceleration.

Transmission

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission. The available shift-up indicator provides guidance to achieve the most fuel-efficient driving.

Ride Comfort

With the engine placement right below the front occupants, engine heat and vibration inevitably penetrate the cabin. That said, the improved NVH levels in the latest generation models is much improved compared to its predecessor. A front torsion bar with stabilizer suspension system paired to the rigid rear axle with leaf spring delivers decent ride comfort for the occupants even at full load.

Fuel consumption

Fuel consumption is rated at 8.7L/100km on the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle).

Conclusion