Nissan Urvan

On the inside, the Nissan NV 350 Urvan doesn’t look contemporary to the tee, but it surely packs in all the essentials, which deters it from being too basic and paired down, especially in the passenger vehicle version. The cargo version, however, is stripped off many amenities and features and is actually the basic version for just transportation of goods.

A simple four-spoke steering wheel with a conventionally laid out instrument console makes up for a functional-looking driver’s cockpit. The centre console too is designed without much flair and has a boxy layout comprising of a rectangular 2-DIN basic audio system. Below this central panel of the dashboard, there is a trapezoidal console that houses the transmission lever and manual AC controls placed beside it.

The passenger version of the Nissan NV 350 Urvan is available in both 15 and 18 seater versions, both of which pack in enough space on board. 

The Nissan NV 350 Urvan has the same traditional boxy silhouette of a typical passenger/cargo van, which might make an impression of a not-so-appealing thing at first. However, praises to Nissan that it has made some significant design executions which make it appealing when viewed head-on.

From the front, the Nissan NV 350 Urvan looks handsome, thanks to the presence of Nissan’s familiar V-style chrome grille, which looks sharp, is extended horizontally and has got a sleek chrome garnish above it across the width of the bonnet.

The large grille is flanked by trapezoidal headlamps, which look basic sans LED elements. The scooped fog lamp housings do look nice and so do the rakish front windscreen, both of which do try to make it look aerodynamic.

While the side profile of the Nissan NV 350 Urvan has the traditional van like large rectangular side windows and a lifted roof design with sliding rear doors, there are noteworthy creases above the front and rear wheels which do add some character to the design.

At the rear, the design affair of the Nissan NV 350 has been kept simple, with large rear windscreen and slim and vertically laid tail lamps on the outer edges.

Under the skin, the Nissan NV 350 Urvan is based on a body on frame chassis, which consists of a torsion bar with a stabilizer at the front and rigid axle with leaf springs at the rear. The suspension feels rigid and firm for heavy-duty work, which makes it a reliable and comfortable vehicle for longer runs. The NV 350 Urban rides on small 15-inch wheels, and larger wheels would have been much appreciated.

The Nissan NV 350 is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, which is coupled to a 5-speed automatic gearbox in the top-spec Premium variant and a 5-speed manual gearbox in the other variants. The engine is capable of pumping out a maximum power output of 129 PS and a peak torque output of 356 Nm.

The Nissan NV 350 is armed with all the basic safety features for a modern vehicle, which includes dual front airbags, ABS and brake assist.

The Nissan NV 350 might not break any new norms and create outstanding benchmarks in the segment, but it surely projects itself as a modern and contemporary vehicle tailor-made for the purpose it is designed for. The core functions of the transporting passengers and goods are done comfortably in the Nissan NV 350, which makes it a practical choice in the van segment.