Used 2020 Nissan NV200

The 2020 Nissan NV200 is a basic compact van with a small footprint and an affordable price. Best for companies on tight budgets, the NV200 may not be as large or as sophisticated as the Ford Transit Connect, Mercedes-Benz Metris or Ram ProMaster City, but it can still haul 122.7 cubic feet of cargo and up to 1,480 pounds of payload for less than $24,000.

Like its competitors, specialized upfitters can tailor the NV200’s cargo area to better serve the needs of your business. Whatever your requirements, the small NV200 is most at home in the city, where it fits with ease down alleys, on narrow streets, and into small parking spaces. After the workday is done, you can stash it in a typical residential garage, keeping your tools and inventory secure. Perhaps best of all, Nissan offers the best commercial-van warranty in the segment, good for five years and/or 100,000 miles and covering the NV200 from bumper to bumper.

The best way to describe what it’s like to drive the Nissan NV200 is this: It’s a van that drives like a decade-old compact car. In other words, the NV200 is remarkably easy to drive thanks to its simple engineering, uncomplicated controls, small overall size, and tight 36.7-foot turning radius.

In the city, where the NV200 shines brightest. Nissan’s compact cargo van can access places and spaces that larger vans and SUVs can’t. Making U-turns is a cinch, and the standard rearview camera makes parallel parking easier. A large windshield provides an excellent view forward, and big side mirrors do their best to compensate for the large blind spots. Watch the NV200’s nose, though, because it sticks out farther than you might guess.

While the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, which produces 131 horsepower, is fine for low-speed operation in town, it can struggle to reach highway speeds or when the van is loaded with cargo. That’s because torque measures just 139 lb-ft and peaks at a lofty 4,800 rpm. A continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) does what it can to make best use of the available power, and theoretically helps to maximize fuel economy, but there’s no question the NV200’s engine works overtime. Towing, unsurprisingly, is not recommended.

Don’t look for mechanical sophistication in this simple van. The brakes are a front-disc/rear-drum setup, and Nissan uses a solid axle multi-leaf rear suspension to preserve cargo space. The 15-inch steel wheels wrapped in 185/60 all-season tires are, like the rest of the NV200, designed for low cost and affordable maintenance.

In a cargo van, function and cost considerations take precedence over style and quality. And that’s true of the Nissan NV200, though starting in 2020 it comes with a NissanConnect infotainment system that includes a number of useful features including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration.

Cargo is the name of the NV200’s game, and it supplies 122.7 cubic feet of volume behind the front seats. The cargo bay boasts a low and flat floor that makes loading the van a breeze, and it can accept a standard 40 x 48-inch pallet. Also, 20 reinforced cargo-mounting points allow the installation of racks and shelves without drilling into the NV200’s cargo-area walls, and the van also boasts six D-ring cargo tie-downs (six exterior roof-rack mounting points are also standard).

Up front, the NV200 includes two bucket seats, each wrapped in cloth with wear patches on the bolsters. The driver’s seat includes a manual-height adjuster, and the passenger’s seat folds flat to create a quasi-workbench, thanks in part to a 15 x 13-inch tray built into the seatback. Storage is plentiful.

As a box on wheels, the NV200’s styling — or lack thereof — isn’t a big concern. However, primary competitors from Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Ram at least try to make their compact vans appealing. Nissan, by all indications, does not. But give the company credit for adding a body-color front bumper for 2020.

Accessibility is easy thanks to dual-sliding side doors and 60/40-split rear doors that open to 90 or 180 degrees. At just over 21 inches high, the cargo load floor is about two inches lower than that of the Ford Transit Connect and slightly lower than that of the Ram ProMaster City. Unlike the Ford Transit Connect and Mercedes-Benz Metris, however, the NV200 does not offer a choice of standard and extended lengths.

LONG WARRANTY
The 2020 Nissan NV200 offers an excellent 5-year/100,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, including the powertrain. This is better than what Ford, Ram and even Mercedes-Benz provide.

NIFTY REAR CARGO DOORS
The NV200’s 60/40-split rear cargo doors are a clever design. The offset allows a handier, larger opening closer to the curb, and the shorter door intrudes less into traffic when it’s open. Both doors, by the way, have opening positions of 90 and 180 degrees.

Nissan’s 2020 NV200 cargo van is available in two trims: S and SV. Standard equipment includes 15-inch steel wheels, a new body-color front bumper, air conditioning, power windows, power door locks, power side mirrors, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, cloth upholstery with vinyl wear patches, and vinyl front floor covering.

For 2020, a new NissanConnect infotainment system is standard, equipping the NV200 with a 7-inch touch-screen display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, Bluetooth phone and music streaming capability, and hands-free text messaging support. There’s a CD player, an auxiliary audio input jack, a USB port, and to ensure that you can enjoy your music, two door-panel speakers. A reversing camera shows the driver what’s behind the NV200 on the infotainment display screen.

Functional equipment includes a cargo-bay floor protector, cargo-area work lighting, interior cargo panels with 20 integrated and reinforced mounting points for shelving, and six wall-mounted, cargo-area D-ring tie-down hooks. Up front, the NV200 includes file and laptop storage. The van is also pre-wired for telematics equipment.

For an extra $1,000, the higher-level SV trim adds cruise control, remote keyless entry, a 12-volt power outlet in the rear, six D-ring tie-downs mounted to the cargo floor, heated exterior mirrors, and cosmetic improvements such as wheel covers, a chrome grille, and a body-color rear bumper. They still don’t make the NV200 look good.

You can option both versions of the Nissan NV200 with a window in the sliding passenger-side door and in the rear doors, something we recommend for better outward vision and safety. Cruise control is available for the S trim, and both the S and SV are available with rear parking sensors. Additional upgrades are available as dealer-installed accessories.

A 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine powers the 2020 Nissan NV200, producing 131 horsepower and 139 lb-ft of torque. A CVT sends the power to the front wheels. According to the EPA, the NV200 returns 24 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg in combined driving.

Those numbers match or beat the competition, but the engines in the Ford Transit Connect, Mercedes-Benz Metris and Ram ProMaster City make more power and torque. They can tow, too, up to 5,000 pounds with the Metris. Nissan does not recommend towing with the NV200, and for obvious reasons.

2.0-liter inline-4
131 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
139 lb-ft of torque @ 4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 24/26 mpg