Big honour for Nissan's little van

Nov 17 2009 Maurice Glover

Big honour for Nissan's little van

NISSAN'S compact NV200 van has been voted International Van of the Year.

The small model made a big impression with judges representing magazines read by more than half a million owners of commercial vehicles.

'We were particularly impressed by the fact that this vehicle sets new standards in terms of internal space in relation to external dimensions,' said a spokesman.

Said Nissan senior vice president Andy Palmer: 'This award recognises our determination to create innovative light commercial vehicles that exceed customer expectations. The NV200 is a global vehicle that associates unmatched levels of functionality with unique and attractive design. It's an efficient and reliable business tool.'

Sized to compare with a car-derived van, the model boasts the carrying capacity of class-higher vehicles with a load bay stretching more than two metres. Volume is around 25 per cent greater than competitor vehicles.

Initially, the NV200 is being offered only in van form at prices starting from £12,090, but a Combi version with the option of seven-seatg capacity is sedt to join the range in February.