VAN TEST DRIVE
Nissan NP300 Pick-up
Japanese marque Nissan has launched the NP300 and according to to the marketing spiel it’s a ‘proper’ pick-up ideal for businesses that need a vehicle to cover a mix of both on and off-roading.
It certainly looks the part – it has a powerful stance with the honeycomb grille looking quite menancing. The Nissan NP300 looks ready to do business.
Take a look inside and you’ll find that this is a business tool – if you need a lifestyle vehicle then Nissan will point you in the direction of the Navara. The NP300 is the work-horse, the plastics look tough and durable. However practicality up front is questionable – you don’t have separate seats only a bench and it moves in one motion. Not a great idea if you have people of different sizes up-front.
Stroll round to the business end of the NP300 and you’ll find that practicality has been well thought out. The pick-up can carry a payload of 1135kg and the tailgate has two handles, which flick down to release and push up to lock – a simple but effective mechanism which is safer than some rivals that only have one locking mechanism.
The rough and tumble of off-roading should be negotiated with ease as it has 230mm of ground clearance and a wading depth of 450mm.
Get behind the wheel and you’ll feel the power of the 2.5-litre four-cylinder 16 valve diesel power plant, which produces 133PS.
The NP300 is driven, by the rear wheels while the engine is mated to a five speed gearbox - the shifts are smooth and slot into place with ease.
Go off road and part time 4wd is available at the touch of a gear lever. While on road driving is comfortable as the NP300 didn’t skip and bounce as much as some of its rivals does.
Its road manners continued to impress as the engine is refined however the wind noise can be intrusive when cruising at the national limit due to the large wing mirrors.
The Nissan NP300 has a price tag of £13,630 excluding VAT but this rises up to £14,180 as we had the Comfort pack on our car. This pack includes aircon which is a real boon in the summer months.
So is it a ‘proper’ pick-up?
At IMN we believe that the NP300 is in fact a ‘proper’ pick-up and will impress the business community who need a practical tool when working across farms and construction sites across the length and breadth of the UK.
| Name | Nissan NP300 |
| Price: | £14,180 |
| Engine/power: | 2.5-litre dCi/133PS |
| Payload: | 1135kg |
Simon McBride