To paraphrase Red Green, the central character in the Canadian sketch comedy show that bears his name, if you can't be handsome, you should at least be handy. That's a maxim that Nissan took to heart when it designed the NV, a full-size commercial van that, since 2012, has competed for the attention of fleet buyers with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Ford Transit.
The NV is definitely not handsome, but it does gain a few enhancements for 2018. There's a standard backup camera that comes in response to a new Canadian regulation that will require this safety feature in every new vehicle sold in Canada as of May 2018. Bluetooth with streaming audio and a text message assistant is also now standard, as is a USB port for connecting and charging smartphones.
Powertrain choices remain a 4.0L V6 making 261 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque and a 5.6L V8 good for 375 hp and 387 lb-ft. The NV comes in 1500, 2500 and 3500 variants, each one bringing higher payload and towing capacities than the one before it. The V6 is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission, while the V8 gets a seven-speed. All NV models are rear-drivers; there is no AWD option.
The NV range is also split into passenger and cargo vans, each of which can be had with standard or tall roof heights and in S, SV and SL trim levels. Passenger vans can accommodate as many as 12 passengers in three rows of seats (plus the two front chairs) that can be configured in 324 different ways.
Standard features include 17-inch steel wheels, vinyl upholstery, interior D-ring latches, 10 roof rack mounts, trip computer, a two-speaker radio with CD player and pre-wiring for upfitting. Heavier-duty 2500 and 3500 models add a number of touches that lend themselves to workaday purposes, like extra interior storage and work lights in the cargo area.
SV models get flashier steel wheels, cargo floor protection and hardboard side panels and conveniences like power side mirrors and windows and cruise control.
Passenger models are a bit more posh, with cloth seating, rear heating and cooling vents, rear parking sensors and overhead lighting.
The NV's commercial classification means that Natural Resources Canada doesn't require Nissan to provide fuel consumption estimates.
This vehicle has not yet been reviewed
