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The What Van? Road Test: Nissan NV300
Date: Monday, November 20, 2017 | Author: Steve Banner
Engine and gearbox
The four-cylinder 16-valve twin-turbo diesel generates max power at 3,500rpm. Top torque of 320Nm kicks in at 1,500rpm. The sequential turbocharging plus intercooler arrangement the engine relies on is designed to make it more responsive and more frugal at the same time.
Euro6 is achieved through the use of AdBlue – the reservoir holds 20 litres – and a diesel particulate filter is installed.
Driving
While the NV300’s handling may not be quite as competent as the Ford Transit Custom’s, there is no denying that it comes close. The steering tightens up nicely as you punch the van through bends while offering plenty of assistance when you need to wriggle into a tight parking space.
A trek up the M6 left us impressed with its abilities as a high-speed motorway cruiser, with a slick gear change allowing us to nip briskly from one set of cogs to the next as the level of traffic ebbed and flowed. Acceleration from rest and up through the gears is strong, noise levels are kept well under control, and the ride copes well with the varying quality of road surfaces.
Our NV300 came complete with a blind spot mirror mounted in the passenger sun visor, which should help you see cyclists creeping up on your nearside in busy urban traffic and avoid knocking them over. If you have a passenger with you, however, then they are unlikely to be happy about staring into it mile after mile and are likely to flip the visor up unless the sunshine happens to be really bright.
Vivaro’s suspension employs independent MacPherson struts at the front while a five-link set-up helps deliver support at the back.
Our Nissan’s 16-inch steel wheels were shod with 205/65 R16C Goodyear Marathon tyres – a full-size spare is provided – and decorated with plastic trims. Power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering offers a 11.8m kerb-to-kerb turning circle expanding to 12.4m wall-to-wall.
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