Used Nissan NV300 for sale: everything you need to know

The Nissan NV300 is one of the large family of vans spawned from the Renault Trafic, though the NV300 name itself only hung around for a few years - prior to 2016, and since 2021, it’s been named Primastar. And while we’re specifically covering the NV300 here, you’re looking at broadly the same van, whatever its name.

It’s a competitive van, as you’d expect given the Trafic is itself a good product, but it’s also much rarer than its Renault or pre-2019 Vauxhall Vivaro stablemates on the same platform. So if you absolutely must have the Nissan badge, read on - but remember you can get largely the same vehicle elsewhere, with a great deal more choice.

Trafic and Vivaro aside, other familiar faces in the panel van segment include the Ford Transit Custom, Volkswagen Transporter, and Mercedes-Benz Vito, as well as that other prolific line of vans, the Citroen Dispatch, Peugeot Expert, Fiat Scudo, Toyota Proace, and 2019-on Vauxhall Vivaro.

Should you buy a Nissan NV300?

The Nissan NV300 is just as easy to recommend as the Renault Trafic - and if you find a used one, which could be difficult as they’re thin on the ground, you may also benefit from a van with the remainder of Nissan’s useful five-year, 100,000-mile warranty still available.

Like the Renault, the NV300’s strong suits are a usefully practical load area, capable of taking three Euro pallets, some very frugal engines (1.6 litres in earlier models, 2 litres in later vans), and a driving experience that includes a more comfortable ride than many alternatives.

The relatively soft ride is joined by impressive refinement, with not much exterior noise making it through to the cab. The tradeoff is that the NV300 doesn’t feel quite as nimble as some other vans on the market, but the basic controls are still well weighted and easy to use.

Another small drawback of the NV300 is that it doesn’t offer quite as broad a range of body and wheelbase sizes and variants as some of its rivals, but if the sizes Nissan did offer work for you, then there’s little to complain about. Crew cab and platform cab versions mean that (again with the caveat that there aren’t many available used to start with), you have further options for carrying people or heavier loads.

You’re spoiled for choice in the market for mid-size panel vans though. The Ford Transit Custom is one of the better models to drive and you’ll never struggle to find parts given its ubiquity, while the Volkswagen Transporter and Mercedes-Benz Vito have a quality feel. The Stellantis group has a huge range of vans - the Citroen Dispatch, Peugeot Expert, Fiat Scudo, Toyota Proace - and depending on whether you buy a pre or post 2019 model, the Vauxhall Vivaro is either related to the NV300, or to the Stellantis vans. Remember there’s the Nissan Primastar too - the name for the NV300 prior to 2016, and since 2021.

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What’s the best used Nissan NV300 model to buy?

As ever with vans the choice of engine, transmission, or body size will depend on your individual needs as a business owner. The NV300 doesn’t quite have the range of body styles of some vans on the market, but in addition to the two lengths and heights (and combinations) referenced below, Nissan did offer crew cab and platform cab models, while panel vans could be specified with either unglazed or glazed twin rear doors, or a glazed tailgate, so there is some variation there.

While you might expect the 2-litre engines to be the better option, you’ll notice that most power outputs remained similar when Renault (and therefore Nissan) moved from 1.6 to 2.0 litres, and the 1.6s are surprisingly strong and very frugal. The main benefit of the later unit is that it meets a later emissions standard (Euro 6d-TEMP), which may affect you if you operate in a low-emission zone.

Used Nissan NV300 fuel economy and performance

• Nissan NV300 dCi 1.6: For simplicity’s sake we’ve divided the NV300’s engine choice into its pre-2020 1.6-litre and post-2020 2.0-litre formats. The 1.6 was available in 95, 120, 125 and 145PS outputs, with economy of up to 47.9mpg in models with stop/start technology. All used a six-speed manual gearbox.
• Nissan NV300 dCi 2.0: After 2020, Nissan switched to a 2-litre engine. This model made 120PS with a manual gearbox, and had 145 and 170PS variants both offered with either manual or automatic gearboxes. Nissan did not quote any performance or economy figures.

What used Nissan NV300 trim levels are available?

The trim levels on the Nissan NV300 echo those you’ll find on Nissan’s passenger cars of the era, with Visia, Acenta and Tekna trim, and escalating levels of equipment on each. This makes things simple to understand, but we’d note that only Acenta and up offers air conditioning and rear parking sensors, and if you want a touchscreen or cruise control, that’s offered only in the Tekna.

• The Nissan NV300 Visia is the NV300 in its most basic form, with 16-inch steel wheels with hub trims, unglazed rear doors, cloth seats with height and lumbar adjustment for the driver, a trip computer, a stereo with Aux and USB inputs, and a fixed steel bulkhead.
• The Nissan NV300 Acenta added air conditioning, a smartphone cradle, full wheel trims, a body-colour front bumper, a fold-down centre seat, rear parking sensors, front fog lights, and a 12v power socket in the load area.
• The Nissan NV300 Tekna got rain-sensing wipers, auto headlights, a rear-view camera in some body variants, cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels, a leather steering wheel and gearknob, and a 7-inch touchscreen with navigation.

Used Nissan NV300 dimensions and load capacity

The Nissan NV300’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4999mm (L1), 5399mm (L2)
• Width: 1956mm (mirrors folded), 2283mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1971mm (H1), 2493mm (H2)

The Nissan NV300’s load capacity is:

• 5.2 cubic metres (L1H1)
• 6 cubic metres (L2H1)
• 7.2 cubic metres (L1H2)
• 8.6 cubic metres (L2H2)

Used Nissan NV300 road tax

Van owners pay a flat rate of road tax, which for the 2023/2024 tax year is £320 for 12 months. The only way to get around this is to buy an electric van, but the NV300 wasn’t offered with an electric variant.

How much is it to insure a Nissan NV300?

We do not have insurance group data for the Nissan NV300, but van insurance will vary significantly depending on the model and body style you choose, and your intended use - so we’d recommend speaking to a broker to find a competitive quote.

Read our full Nissan NV300 review