Island Life Magazine Ltd June/July 2011 | Page 74

MOTORING NV200 ticks the boxes Choosing a van that is practical, efficient and has all the attributes you need, isn’t easy. The Nissan NV200 van ticks all the right boxes and has been making waves in the UK and even as far as the US. The NV200 MPV was recently chosen as New York’s exclusive taxi and will hit the streets of the Big Apple in late 2013. The van I drove, courtesy of Staddlestones Nissan, had an eco-friendly 1.5Dci engine, with a combined cycle of 54.3mpg and emissions of 137 g/km. The tall panel van shape of the NV200 gives rise to an upright seating position helping drivers who are forever clambering in and out of their vehicle during the working day. And the five-speed gearstick is conveniently TEST DRIVEN ON THE ISLAND By Peter White 74 www.visitislandlife.com raised towards the dash for an easier gear change. With a well placed driving position, visibility is good and puts you in a firm position to see all around. The NV200 comes with a sliding door on each side as standard along with the usual side-hinged doors at the rear adding to the practicality of loading and unloading. The shape of the van means the load bay is good and there’s enough floor area for two pallets and a low loading lip of just over 54cm adding to the practicality when lifting items inside and out. In terms of load length, volume and low floor, along with its superb load capability, it is leading the way. The driver hasn’t been forgotten either with a spacious front cabin and plenty of storage space. There’s a choice of E and SE trim levels for NV200 buyers to get their heads around. Even the E model has a decent range of features including remote central locking and a good trip computer. There’s no doubt the NV200 offers big van capabilities within a compact van footprint and has the potential to shake up the market. Staddlestones Nissan TEL: 01983 562705 staddlestones.nissan.co.uk