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Nissan

Wednesday, 8th of October 2008

On test we drove the Interstar 2.5dCi four cylinder 16 valve SE MWB. Pulling power is good as this version of the Interstar had an output of 120bhp while you have 300nm of torque at 1500rpm. The Interstar drives well on most routes and is a competent motorway cruiser. Our van on test was fitted with a six speed semi-auto gearbox, a great feature when you’re picking up and delivering goods in congested town centres.

The Interstar’s ride and handling was competent. When measuring it against rivals of the same size the 2.5 dCi SE MWB came out well. Just like all vans of medium wheel base size you’ll have to keep an eye on the rear and remember that once the front is round a corner, you’ve still got to watch the back end. Our van was empty but rattles were minimal which was pleasing to hear. The power steering proved a boon when in town as parking, can be tricky when you’re driving a van of this size.

Open the door and you’ll find the cabin is well kitted out with goodies to keep the driver and passenger happy. The Interstar comes with tinted windows to keep the sun out of your eyes. While the electric door mirrors are electric powered and heated - especially useful in the heart of winter. The plastics look durable and should last for the lifetime of the van, as they didn’t seem to scrape easily. Practicality is good, the doors have large side pockets which are ideal for keeping bottles in. For driver comfort you have a multi-adjustable seat, which makes it easy to get a good driving position.

Keeping your load safe on the move is important. Nissan has installed 10 floor mounted lashing rings, which should be more than enough to keep your contents from moving about. A nice touch is that when you open the side and rear doors, it activates loading lamps – very useful if you’re on the night run. The Interstar has also got a drivers airbag, ABS, side impact door bars and a high mounted rear brake lamp as standard. Security features include remote central locking, plus a lockable glovebox.

The Interstar range has three wheelbases and roof heights to choose from with load space ranging from 8.0m3 to 13.9m3 and payloads from 1,043kg to 1,691kg. Add this to the four common rail turbo diesels on offer and you have a lot to choose from. Our test vehicle had a payload of 1598kg while this version of the Interstar has a gross vehicle weight of 3500kg. The low rear loading height was also impressive it's just 537mm – this is due to the Interstar’s front wheel drive.

The Nissan Interstar 2.5 dCi SE MWB will cost £22,280 excluding VAT. While our test vehicle had metallic paint, which was optional at £350, this increases the cost of our test van to £22,630 excluding VAT. There’s an insurance group of 14E T1. Nissan have got it just right with the Interstar – a well thought engine line-up and large payloads should make this van high up on your wanted list.