Delivery vehicle in short test
Nissan Townstar van – a workhorse with manners
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Small delivery vans are subjected to a lot of wear and tear almost every day. The Nissan Townstar aims to make everyday work easier with comfort and good equipment. Does it work?
The name Townstar is probably less familiar to most drivers than Kangoo or Citan. Nissan's small van has exactly the same genes as its two relatives from Renault and Mercedes. The combined development power helps it to compete against competitors such as the VW Caddy, Opel Combo and Ford Transit Connect.
The first impression
Visually, the Nissan stands out from Renault primarily through its grille and logo.
(Photo: Nissan)
Decorative, but not colorless – the almost four-and-a-half-meter-long Townstar has a sober appearance both as a van and as a station wagon, but looks modern and high-quality with its clearly defined sheet metal folds and LED lights. The Japanese have also maintained the practical style in the interior, garnishing good ergonomics and solid plastics with a little technical chic in the form of a large touchscreen monitor.
The generous loading space (3.9 cubic metres) holds two Euro pallets and can hold up to 775 kilograms. The sliding door on the right-hand side is 62 centimetres wide and 1.06 metres high, and the asymmetrical rear doors open up to 180 degrees. If the loading volume is not sufficient, a trailer weighing 1.5 tonnes can be attached to the hook.
On the street
The Nissan Townstar is powered by a petrol engine.
(Photo: Nissan)
Like the Berlingo and Citan, the Townstar is also available with an electric drive (range: around 300 kilometers), but most customers still choose the only combustion engine: a 1.3-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with 96 kW/130 hp, front-wheel drive and six-speed manual transmission. Although it is significantly less economical than the diesel otherwise offered in this class, it is refined and has good pulling power.
The Nissan also benefits from its car platform, which generally improves driving comfort. However, this is of little help when unloaded, as the van is rather unwilling to ride on bad roads without the extra kilos.
The costs
The cockpit offers the comfort of a car if desired.
(Photo: Nissan)
The Townstar van in the “Visia” variant starts at 21,330 euros excluding VAT. Manual air conditioning and electrically adjustable mirrors are standard equipment. From the “Acenta” model onwards, the loading area floor is lined with plastic, and a parking sensor at the rear prevents bumps.
The test car came as an “N-Connecta” model with a rear view camera, blind spot warning system and a comfortable driver's seat. The minimum net price for this is 25,870 euros.
Conclusion
The cargo space is generous, as befits a delivery van.
(Photo: Nissan)
Modern, with a wealth of equipment options and, above all, practical: the Nissan Townstar is a worker with manners. If you invest a little money, you can drive it with car-like comfort and safety. If you can do without a diesel, you'll find it an interesting alternative in the van market – and not just to its technological twins.
Nissan Townstar van 1.3 DIG-T 2.0t – technical data
- Van with two seats, length: 4.50 meters, width 1.86 (with exterior mirrors 2.11 meters), height: 1.81 meters, wheelbase: 2.72 meters, loading space volume: 3300-3900 liters, loading space length/width: 1.81 meters/1.25-1.57 meters
- 1.33-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, 96 kW/131 hp, torque: 240 Nm at 1600 rpm, front-wheel drive, 6-speed manual transmission
- 0-100 km/h: n/a, top speed: 183 km/h, standard consumption according to WLTP: 6.8 l/100 kilometers, CO2 emissions 151 g/km, test consumption: 7.5 l/100 km
- Price: from 21,330 euros
