A few weeks back we looked at the Toyota Probox, which during one of our Sunday walks won the title of “most seen”. I guess we live in a Toyota-friendly neighborhood as when we walked through an adjacent area of Tokyo last weekend, the winner was this Nissan NV150, which fills the same market niche; small, compact wagon mainly for commercial fleet sales and for tradesmen – a “work car”…
Here in Japan, Nissan is loath to concede any market space to Toyota, so it’s not surprising they fielded this NV150. The name is a little strange – Nissan has used the “NV” nomenclature for all of its commercial van models, and this is clearly a wagon. Perhaps they wanted to emphasize its “work” role.
Like the Probox, the NV150 has been around for awhile – this version has been in production since 2006, but was given an exterior update in 2016. It uses the Renault-Nissan B-platform which also was used on the previous generation Nissan Note.
Put the Probox and the NV150 side-by-side, and they are almost identical; same length, same width, same 400 kg cargo-carrying capacity, similar 1.5 liter engine and CVT transmission – and AWD is available on both. Like the Probox, the rear seat can be deleted for more cargo space. Per its name, the Probox is a little more “boxy” while the NV150 adds a little Nissan swoop to its exterior. The only major difference is that Toyota also offers a hybrid engine option.
Both Mazda and Mitsubishi sold badge-engineered versions for several years – with the only change being the insignia in the center of the grille.
Unlike the Probox, from 2006-2018 Nissan sold a regular non-commercial version of the NV150 called the Wingroad, with an upgraded interior and exterior.
According to Nissan’s website, a base NV150 goes for around $15K. That’s approximately $1.5K more than a base Probox, but it looks like the NV comes with a few more interior amenities.
Rather than an F150, Ram, or Silverado, here in Tokyo when your insurance salesman, plumber, or electrician come calling, they’ll likely pull up to your house in a Probox or NV150.
Ah, I was hoping you’d get to this one! As ubiquitous as the ProBox but to my eyes far more homely and unattractive (which matters not a whit). Still, they likely aren’t any worse to own and use, and I suppose competition improves the breed, at least when they (eventually) get upgraded or revised.
I know they wouldn’t sell over here, but there is little objective reason why, they’d appear to offer what many (on the internet anyway or particularly) seem to want. Seeing the body in blue is a bit jarring, in situ they do all seem to be white or silver.
I hired a Nissan Tiida, the hatchback basis for the Wingroad/NV200 in NZ a few years – a perfectly serviceable if totally unexciting car
The roof line kink at the C pillar kind of makes it look like a modern interpretation of a Rambler wagon.
I see what you mean. To my eyes, the roofline looks like a Prius with a butt implant.
It’s that classic “we can save money by not doing a separate rear door design for the station wagon version” look. Check out the Nissan Tiida to see the same doors.
The rear doors are different, as are the apertures, but they definitely have the same shape to the cant rail, so I agree that they were definitely doing something there to save some $$. When the WIngroad was released here in NZ, the marketing department made up some waffle about the “wing” shape at the rear.
Nissan has used the “NV” nomenclature for all of its commercial van models, and this is clearly a wagon.
Commercial versions of station wagons are typically referred to as vans in Japan. T87 has shown us several of them, including here:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-asian/curbside-classic-1995-toyota-crown-s130-super-deluxe-van-ice-cool-old-school/
When I visited Japan in the 80s I heard or read somewhere that Japanese car buyers saw wagons as only useful for tradespeople. They were never considered by buyers as a viable choice for family transportation.
Yet, I find the Nissan to be reasonably attractive…the Toyota ? Uhmm, not so much.
No, there are plenty of higher-spec wagons in Japan, even high perfomance ones. The previous model to this WIngroad offered a 200hp SR20VE variant, and Nissan also had the next size up Avenir powered with an SR20DET. Likewise another size up you could get a Stagea with turbo charged six cylinder engines…
I have other, older cars for fun but my every day driver is a current generation Ford Transit Connect or a almost new Corolla hatch. This Nissan seems likely to serve in Japan as an FTC does here. I’d certainly consider owning one of these were it offered in the US – but as Jim knows, it never will be.
The FTC has and this Nissan “van” or wagon would have an important role – carry a bicycle or two inside the vehicle. My Corolla hatch can do it but it is not quite long enough. This little wagon seems to be perfect for the bike transporter role.
Make mine a five (or six) speed manual (no CVT, please), vinyl interior, steel wheels, maybe even crank windows, simple controls (like the basic HVAC illustrated). Make it white, silver or gray so nobody would look twice (but I think I’ll take the upscale version with body colored “bumpers”).
Okay, if I were there, that Wingroad would be just my style.
That said, “Rather than an F150, Ram, or Silverado, here in Tokyo when your insurance salesman, (my edit: accountant, or attorney) come calling, they’ll likely pull up to your house in a Probox or NV150.”
I may be misinformed, but I think Japan doesn’t subsidize white collar professionals’ purchase of big trucks the way the USA does.
Oh golly there’s a lot to unpack here, although I do get this is supposed to be an outtake rather than a deep-dive.
In the first two images, the one closest to the camera is a newer NV150 AD (December 2016-present), while further away is a pre-facelift AD, before the NV150 name was added. The original Wingroad model arrived in 1996 (replacing the Sunny California) and survived with many updates until the NV150 AD update arrived. It was allowed to soldier on unchanged a little longer into 2017 to wither and disappear. The AD and Probox have always been commercial vans, and until recently also had passenger wagon versions too (Wingroad in Nissan’s case). The AD has been around in some form since the 1982 Pulsar AD and Sunny AD vans.
In terms of engines, you can get a 1.5 with 2WD, or a 1.6 4WD, both as lower spec NV150 AD or higher spec NV150 AD Expert. The base 1.2 2WD and top 1.8 2WD were cut in recent years.
The AD’s chief rival, the Probox, arrived alongside a slightly longer twin (Succeed) in 2002 in both van and wagon form to replace the Corolla, Sprinter, and Caldina vans. The wagon versions of the Probox and Succeed disappeared late in 2013, leaving only the vans. The wagons were effectively replaced by low-spec versions of the Corolla Fielder, which still sells today as a basic narrow-body commercial/passenger wagon below the Corolla Touring. The vans then underwent heavy revisions mid-2014, with new powertrains from the Vitz, at which point they both then shared the same body so the Succeed was no longer slightly larger, with the Hybrid then added at the end of 2018. Then in mid-2020 during Toyota’s dealer channel unification, the Succeed was cut leaving just the Probox. You can have it with a 1.3 2WD, 1.5 2WD/4WD, or 1.5 hybrid 2WD. The smaller base engine allows the Probox to have a lower base price.
Honda hasn’t competed since the Partner’s demise in 2010.
As for the AD’s identical siblings:
The Mazda Familia Van became an AD twin in 1994. A Wingroad equivalent was never offered. The Familia Van followed the AD’s updates until mid 2018, when it switched to instead be identical to the Toyota Probox Van but only with the middle 1.5 engine.
The Mitsubishi Lancer Cargo became an AD twin at the end of 2008, after the Lancer Wagon the previous one was based on ended production. It then continued until Spring 2019, when all of Mitsubishi’s range of rebadged Nissan vans were eliminated.
A further sibling, the Subaru Leone Van, was available on prior generations 1994-2001.
So now the NV150 AD is left alone, competing with the Probox/Familia twins plus the Probox Hybrid.
Buyers who want a more conventional taller van body can look at an NV200 Vanette, or a Townace/GranMax/Bongo.
I saw these wagons (or should I say vans) everywhere when in went to Japan around 2014.
I find the Japanese attitude to wagons as being mostly for tradespeople to be interesting. It didn’t stop them from making some well equipped luxury wagons in the past few such as the Crowns, and the Cedric/Gloria twins and even the RX4.
The Nissan AD got progressively uglier with each re-design
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_AD
I used to see these bare bones 1.5 diesel Dacias in a part of rural Scotland where the only dealer is Renault.
It immediately came to mind – are they related?
Ouch, an eye sore like Tiida, I’d choose the Probox.