2012 Nissan NV

Indeed, there is a lot about the 2012 Nissan NV that will appeal to everyone that needs a van for their small business. The Nissan NV joins the Mercedes-Benz/Freightliner Sprinter and Ford Transit Connect in offering American entrepreneurs the same kind of modern, tall commercial vans that have been delivering the goods in Europe and Asia for years. 

In size, the NV is a full-size van, thus closer to the Sprinter than Transit Connect. Like its counterparts, it’s available in a multitude of configurations including different engines, roof heights, and even lengths. Our NV 2500 SV Standard Roof model fits right in the middle of the lineup and arrived as basically an unpainted canvas ready for adapting to whatever job you might have in mind. The cargo area was unfinished save for some no-fuss particle board paneling and a sturdy rubber floor mat. Our NV did get a fancy exterior paint job and lots of chrome however, which helped set it apart from the vast sea of white work vans out there. Proceed with caution though, as showing up at the jobsite with this much bling might make your customers think you’re charging too much. 

Under the NV 2500’s huge hood lies a familiar laborer, Nissan’s 4.0-liter V6. Here it cranks out 261-horsepower and 281 lb-ft. of torque. Both engine oil and transmission fluid coolers are on hand to help keep you on the go. For such a big vehicle, the V6 does a surprisingly good job of moving us right along, but if heavy hauling or up to 7,000 pounds of towing are job requirements, the Nissan Titan’s 5.6-liter V8 is also available. Both engines send power to the rear wheels through a 5-speed automatic transmission, which features an old-school column mounted shifter.

At our test track, the NV went to work right off the line and delivered a lumbering 0-60 time of 11.2-seconds. But hey, this is a work truck and it’s faster than either the Sprinter or Transit Connect. Whether navigating beltway traffic, suburban sprawl, or in our case, test cones, the NV feels surprisingly sure-footed. It is top heavy, but not as much as we were expecting. And tires offered plenty of grip. Standard stability control intervenes fairly early to ensure that you make it to the next job safely. With all-disc ABS brakes, we averaged 143-feet in panic stops from 60. Not that bad for such a big vehicle, but after 3 runs, the numbers started climbing rapidly. Stops were straight and the pedal firm. 

When it comes to the interior of this warehouse on wheels, it’s very much all business. Up front there are two seats and not much else. Fit and finish is also yeoman-like, but on the plus side, everything seems very durable and up for daily abuse. Gauges are clear and offer all the information you’ll need. And, there are plenty of job friendly features available, like a big sliding side door, with beefy track, rear doors that swing open wide, touch-screen navigation, fold-down passenger seat, a pair of 120-volt outlets, center console with sliding table, and lots of storage bins.

When it comes to maneuvering in tight spaces, dual side-view mirrors, parking sensors, and back-up cam are all available to help. As for storage space, our Standard Roof NV has room for 234.1 cubic-feet of cargo. The High Roof model bumps that up to 323.1 cubic-feet.

Now, ask any small business owner who’s on the road a lot, and they’ll tell you fuel is one of their biggest expenses. To that end, the NV averaged 16.8 miles-per-gallon during its stay with us. That’s better than the last Sprinter diesel that we tested. But, keep in mind, that’s unloaded.

The 2012 Nissan NV is built right here in the U.S. at Nissan’s plant in Canton, Mississippi. Pricing starts at $25,930 for a Base NV 1500 S. Our NV 2500 SV starts at $27,950 and the V8 powered NV 3500 begins at $29,530.

While not a typical vehicle that we test here at MotorWeek, we think the Nissan NV delivers the goods when it comes to a spacious, easy to maneuver work van. Add in its many user friendly features and fancy trim and you’ve got a work van that just might make you the N-V of everyone at your next jobsite.