YOKOHAMA, Japan - Nissan signified its growing commitment to light-commercial vehicles on Friday with the launch of the all-new NV350 Caravan.
The large van closely resembles the concept shown at November’s Tokyo Motor Show and will initially go head-to-head with Toyota’s Hiace in Japan.
More refined than the Caravan it replaces, the NV350 offers best-in-class fuel economy and superior comfort without comprising cargo space, says Nissan Corporate Vice President Hideto Murakami.
"The first thing is design. Secondly, there’s good fuel consumption. Third, is its usability and the space inside. Fourth, is the advanced technology, like a passenger car," said Murakami. "These are remarkable features for this car."
In Japan, the NV350 is Nissan’s third van alongside its smaller siblings, the NV100 Clipper and the award-winning NV200.
NV350 Chief Product Specialist Norihiko Yagi says he hopes the new van’s all-round qualities will attract new customers, with Nissan targeting annual sales of 60,000 once the Japan roll-out extends globally.
"Without compromising the basic functions required for commercial use, we developed it to function for leisure and family usages as well, so it’s what we call a ‘triple use’ vehicle," says Yagi. With Nissan aiming to double light-commercial vehicle sales to around 2 million by 2016, the NV350 Caravan is ready to help carry the load.
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