Nissan NV350 Urvan

Overview

The Nissan NV350 Urvan might not be as desirable as other premium sedans or SUVs from the Japanese manufacturer, but when it comes to historical significance, this minivan holds a high rank in Nissan’s books. In existence in the automobile world since 1965, the Nissan NV350 Urvan is one of the most important models for the company. The NV350 Urvan is one of the highest selling minivans across the world and is commonly known as Nissan Caravan in many markets.

In the Philippines, the Nissan NV350 is sold with only one engine option and four different variants – Standard 15-seater, Standard 18-seater, Premium M/T, and Premium A/T. Color options on offer for the Nissan NV350 Urvan are Alpine White, Pearl White, Brilliant Silver, Gun Metallic, Topaz Brown, and Granite Black. Prices for the Nissan NV350 Urvan start at Php 1,670,000.

Interior & Features

Just like on the outside, Nissan has carried out little contemplations while designing the interiors of the NV350 Urvan. The overall layout of the cabin and dashboard is very basic. However, everything in this cabin feels as if it is at the right place, thus making the overall interior quite spot on in terms of ergonomics.

The three-spoke steering wheel with large centre boss feels plain, basic and weird, and so is the instrument console behind it. However, the instrument console does get a very informative MID screen. The AC vents have been given a round theme, which make no effort in sprucing up the cabin design.

The overall dashboard design is very simple, with a wide centre panel consisting of an archaic looking 2-DIN music system with Bluetooth connectivity. The positioning of AC controls besides the dashboard-mounted gear lever looks quite awkward, however, it does help in maximizing space inside the cabin.

Apart from the things mentioned above, the Nissan NV350 does come equipped with some other basic functions such as independent AC vents for all passengers, power windows, keyless entry, a host of cup and bottle holders in all the five rows.

When it comes to space, the Nissan NV350 Urvan has got a plenty of it for all the five rows with equal capacity and comfort.

Exterior

The segment of minivans is one category where design and form are given the least priority, and the Nissan NV350 Urvan is no exception. The NV350 Urvan is that quintessential minivan with a boxy and long profile, with almost a no-frill design which is unexciting but functional.

At the front, the NV350 Urvan has got the Nissan’s new family chrome grille shaped in elongated V-profile. The thick chrome bar at the top of the grille adds in some character to the otherwise bland face of the minivan. The trapezoidal large headlamps look quite basic in design, however, the protruding front bumper with large vertical housing for fog lamps add some visual appeal to the frontal stance.

From the sides, the Nissan NV350 Urvan has got the typical van-like profile with a long wheelbase, small wheels, and sliding doors. The overall ingress and egress is quite easy, for the NV350 has a lower floorboard. The minivan comes with sliding windows handy closure which allows further comfort of the passengers inside.

At the rear, the boxy stance of the NV350 Urvan is in its full glory, with the rear door having a bland design with no characteristic element to make it look plain and boring. There is a thick chrome garnish above the license plate place, but apart from that there is nothing to write home about when it comes to rear.

Ride & Handling

Given its boxy stance and small wheels, don’t expect the Nissan NV350 Urvan to provide you with a spirited driving experience. Adding to it, the long height of the vehicle restricts its high-speed manners, which gets slightly curbed due to the presence of substantial body roll. However, the front torsion bar with stabiliser and rear rigid axle with leaf springs are tuned on the softer side, so that all the passengers do feel tirelessness even while long-distance touring.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

Given its utilitarian approach, Nissan has decided to equip the NV350 Urvan with a simple but torquey 2.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine under its hood. This VGT turbocharged diesel engine is good enough to produce a maximum power output of 129 PS along with a  torque output of 356 Nm. The engine does come with the options of either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic transmission, with the latter reserved only for the top-spec Premium variant. For a vehicle of this size, the diesel engine has been tuned in such a way that it extracts maximum performance in the mid-range and higher rev range.

Braking & Safety

The Nissan NV350 Urvan has a target audience in the form of fleet operators, and for that, it has compromised on a lot of matters to keep it as cost-effective as possible. Such an approach has taken a toll on its safety equipment list as well, for the minivan comes equipped with only front dual airbags and individual seat belts for all passengers in the name of safety.

Verdict

The Nissan NV350 Urvan feels a lot more basic, boring, and undesirable in many aspects. Be its exterior boxy design or no-frills interiors, the minivan from Nissan feels very simple and straightforward towards its sole purpose of carrying passengers from point A to point B. And in this very purpose, the NV350 Urvan feels pretty okay. The space for all the five rows is at its best, while the overall ride quality is supple. Though, the tallish profile does take a toll on its high-speed manners. But then, minivans generally are designed only to ferry passengers in comfort and nothing else. And if this purpose is counted in, the Nissan NV350, despite being a boring vehicle in isolation, is quite interesting from the perspective of a cab operator