Nissan NP 200

Don’t look for muscle when you go shopping for any of the 13 models of the Nissan NP 200. It has the looks of a car, although it is an LCV. This one’s not for the 200-pounder who is looking for a lot of steel and rubber under his chassis. If you are not overly concerned about the lack of macho looks, it can wow you with its other features.

It has 800 kg payload capacity, which is the highest in its class. So if you’re a weekender with a farm in the countryside or managing a small business which requires hauling goods through the city and highway, this would be an ideal choice.

The Nissan NP 200, manufactured at Nissan’s Rosslyn plant, north of Pretoria, initially launched with a 1.6 litre gasoline engine in South Africa and will substitute the bakkie. While the maximum power of 64 KW/5,500 rpm and a torque of 128Nm/3,000 rpm will not make you the envy of other LCV users, it has a balance of nippiness and power. You may however, like to stay out of the game sanctuaries and muddy, undulating terrain where a diesel powered, higher torque, four-wheel drive may be more suitable. If you are going to own this LCV for three years, you may have no other concern than the fuel bill as the Nissan NP 200 comes with a three year/100,000 km warranty.

If the exterior is relatively ho-hum, the interior will make you beam. It is commodious with the largest cabin space in its class and very chic, too. The anti-lock braking system should  keep you safe on slippery roads. If you do encounter an accident, the crumple zones are designed to keep the driver safe. Besides, the impact-absorbent materials underfoot in the dashboard and doors could well keep you out of hospital. For added measure there are dual air bags and a driver airbag.

Brand new Nissan NP200s are priced between R105,000 and R155,000 for the petrol models and R146,000 to R177,500 for the diesel models (depending upon how much luxury you want ), it is not the cheapest LCV in the market. However, the Nissan NP200 is value for money.