3500 SV 4dr Van (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
3500 SV 4dr Van (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
3500 SV 4dr Van (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
3500 HD SV 4dr Van (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
3500 SV 4dr Van (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
3500 SV 4dr Van (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
3500 SV 4dr Van (4.0L 6cyl 5A)
In the world of transit vans, the Ford Transit Passenger Van, the GMC Savana 3500 and the Ram ProMaster Van reign supreme.
The Nissan NV Passenger van is a solid passenger van and has been one of the most popular vehicles on sale from Nissan. Well, it might not have the best interior quality, but it is spacious, sturdy and the seats are comfortable. As far as passenger transit vans go, the NV is a solid competitor. The 4L V6 it has under the hood makes 261 horsepower, which is more than decent for a transit van, and it holds 12 people comfortably with an estimated cargo space of roughly 220 cubic feet. Good numbers? To know that we need to take a closer look into the NV passenger and compare it to the competition.`
Spread across 3 trims, the NV is priced between $35.7K to $43.5K. !st two trims get the V6 as standard, but the SL trim gets a 5.6L V8 engine and a 7 speed automatic transmission. Feature vise, the list is pretty standard.
Trims |
S |
SV |
SL |
---|---|---|---|
MSRP (RWD) |
$35,760 |
$37,710 |
$42,510 |
Key Features |
4.0-liter V6 |
Same as S |
Same as SV |
5-speed automatic transmission |
Same as S |
5.6-liter V8 |
|
12-passenger seating |
8-way power adjustable driver’s seat |
7-speed automatic transmission |
|
Eight airbags |
Rear Sonar system |
Beige leather-trim seats |
|
Removable split seats |
Dual power adjustable exterior mirrors |
Nissan Navigation System |
|
Dual-zone front air condition |
We recommend
The SL trim makes the most sense to us, despite its tall sticker price. The bigger engine and 7 speed automatic transmission was our 1st attraction. The upgraded features like the Navigation system or leather seats are a bonus. If you don’t need more power, the SV trim is your best bet.
The 4L V6 engine which is mated to 5 speed automatic is more than enough for most use cases here. This is standard on the S and SV trims. It produces 261 horsepower and 281 lb ft of torque.
However, the top trim, the SL upgrades to a 5.6L V8 and a 7 speed automatic transmission, which puts forth 375 horsepower and 387 lb ft of torque. This trim also gets towing equipment as standard.
Models |
Nissan NV Passenger |
Ford Transit Passenger Van |
GMC Savana 3500 Extended Van |
Ram Promaster Window Van |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSRP |
$36,110 |
$40,180 |
$34,900 |
$36,995 |
Engine |
4.0L Regular V6 |
3.5L Premium V6 |
4.3L Regular V6 |
3.6L Regular V6 |
Drivetrain |
RWD |
RWD |
RWD |
FWD |
Transmission |
5-Speed Automatic |
10-Speed Automatic |
8-Speed Automatic |
6-Speed Automatic |
Power |
261hp@5,600rpm |
275hp@6,500rpm |
276hp@5,200rpm |
280hp@6,400rpm |
Torque |
281lb-ft@4,000rpm |
262lb-ft@3,750rpm |
298lb-ft@3,900rpm |
260lb-ft@4,400rpm |
In the current lineup, the power offered in the class is very comparable. The Ford Transit’s higher price might make this comparison a little moot. The Ram Promaster makes the most power here while the Savana makes the most torque.
The NV Passenger Van reaches 60 mph from a standstill in around 9.5 seconds, crossing the quartermile in 16.4 seconds. The engine here is the same as the NV Cargo van, but with more seats and materials, making it feel a little more sluggish.
Model |
Nissan NV Passenger |
Ford Transit Passenger Van |
GMC Savana 3500 Extended Van |
Ram Promaster Window Van |
---|---|---|---|---|
0-60 MPH |
9.5 seconds |
12 seconds |
7.5 seconds |
9.2 seconds |
Quarter Mile |
16.4 seconds |
N/A |
15.3 seconds |
16.9 seconds |
Top Speed |
100 |
68 |
N/A |
N/A |
Engine |
4.0L Regular V6 |
3.5L Premium V6 |
4.3L Regular V6 |
3.6L Regular V6 |
The Savana is the quickest here while the Ford Transit is the slowest. The NV Passenger falls in the middle of the pack.
Getting any excitement from driving this vehicle is out of the question. However, it does manage to get your blood pumping. In a bad way though, as for the life of you, you won't be able to figure out where the wheels are pointed. There is little to no feedback from the steering wheel. The best way to use this vehicle is point it in a direction and keep driving straight. Narrow, winding roads are its achilles heel.
Such a big vehicle needs prompt and adequate braking to keep the occupants at ease. Thankfully, unlike the handling, the braking here is above par. The NV gets good ventilated disks all around and , going 70 mph, comes to a halt in 168 feet. For a vehicle this size going that fast, this is impressive.
Model |
Nissan NV Passenger |
Ford Transit Passenger Van |
GMC Savana 3500 Extended Van |
Ram Promaster Window Van |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brake Rotors Front |
14.2" |
12.1" |
12.8" |
11.8" |
Brake Rotors Rear |
14.4" |
12.1" |
13.0" |
11.0" |
Curb Weight |
6781 lbs |
5631 lbs |
6408 lbs |
4958 lbs |
60-0 MPH |
168 (70-0) |
N/A |
N/A |
173 (70-0) |
The NV Passenger has the biggest brakes in the class and one of the best braking performances.
We might not have accurate fuel economy readings, but we might not need them. Real world experiences show that the NV is among the most fuel efficient vehicles in the class.However, only when paired to the V6 as the V8 is a thirsty one.
Model |
Nissan NV Passenger |
Ford Transit Passenger Van |
GMC Savana 3500 Extended Van |
Ram Promaster Window Van |
---|---|---|---|---|
MPG (City) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
MPG (Highway) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
MPG (Combined) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Fuel Capacity |
28.0 gallons |
25.0 gallons |
31.0 gallons |
24.0 gallons |
Range (City/Hwy/Combined) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Emission (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/yr) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
The 28 gallon fuel tank on the NV is beaten only by the Savana, which has a 31 gallon oneBoth the Transit and the Promaster have smaller fuel tanks.
The Nissan Passenger NV doesn't have the best interiors in the class. Nissan has taken the Cargo NV and just added seats to it. Sure it sees some good feature updates, but over all, it will have a hard time facing its competition. The Nissan NV Passenger carries over the same purpose-built cabin of the Nissan NV Cargo and adds 10 extra seats to it. While the base trim features price-appropriate equipment, the SV and SL variants further elevate usability. There are hardly any changes other than that. Its dash is just as driver-centric and as logically designed as that of the NV Cargo.
Model |
Nissan NV Passenger |
Ford Transit Passenger Van |
GMC Savana 3500 Extended Van |
Ram Promaster Window Van |
---|---|---|---|---|
Seating Capacity |
12 |
15 |
15 |
2 |
Front Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in) |
42.8/65.7/42.0 |
52.0/67.9/41.3 |
39.8/68.8/41.3 |
N/A/74.8/38.9 |
Rear Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in) |
39.6/69.2/33.9 |
55.8/71.4/33.7 |
38.4/68.6/38.4 |
The Ford Transit offers very good interior space, while the Savana is has the least.
This year, the NV gets a bigger screen and upgraded infotainment features. A 7 inch touchscreen with fair touch response, a USB port and Bluetooth audio.
Other features include:
The cabin of the Nissan NV Passenger is quite versatile. It comes strapped with 12 seats from the factory which can be flipped to maximize utility. As standard the Nissan NV Passenger frees up enough space behind the three of row seats to comfortably carry necessities. Dump all the seats and this NV Passenger offers 218.9 cubic feet of space.
Model |
Nissan NV Passenger |
Ford Transit Passenger Van |
GMC Savana 3500 Extended Van |
Ram Promaster Window Van |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cargo Capacity |
218.9 cu.ft. |
93.9 cu.ft. |
127.2 cu.ft. |
463.0 cu.ft. |
The Promaster’s whopping 463 cubic feet of space puts others to shame, while the Savana is excessively small.
The boxy exterior of the NV is unmistakable. While it looks good to us, some feel it a bit too functional.Moving up the trim-ladder covers the grille and front and rear bumpers in chrome. This makes the NV Passenger look a bit more appealing than it does in its simplest avatar. At the same time, dual power side mirrors, also in chrome, besides improving practicality also elevate premiumness.
Model |
Nissan NV Passenger |
Ford Transit Passenger Van |
GMC Savana 3500 Extended Van |
Ram Promaster Window Van |
---|---|---|---|---|
Curb Weight |
6781 lbs |
5631 lbs |
6408 lbs |
4958 lbs |
Length |
240.6" |
235.5" |
244.1" |
250.6" |
Width |
79.9" |
81.3" |
79.2" |
81.3" |
Height |
84.0" |
99.2" |
82.9" |
105.9" |
Ground Clearance |
8.1" |
5.5" |
7.7" |
6.9" |
Wheelbase |
146.1" |
147.6" |
155.0" |
159.0" |
All other vans are about as equally boxy as the NV Passenger but they pay a little better attention to detail. The NV Passenger is the least attractive of the lot. It is big on built but not so much on styling.
Albeit the safety ratings of the NV Passengers are not available, it is filled with a decent amount of safety features, such as:
The Ford Transit offers better build quality and features. The NV is cheaper and makes more power, but in a transit van, you choose finesse over speed. Transit takes the cake here in our opinion.
The Ram Promaster is not exactly made for hauling passengers but the NV Passenger is purpose-built for it. That way the Nissan NV Passenger is more practical as you’d have to get aftermarket seats installed on the Promaster which can be hectic. But the Promaster is more accommodating which adds to its value.
The Savana made for an odd recommendation. Sure, it was cheaper and quicker and might have better interior quality, but the NV was not that more expensive, had better fuel economy and much more storage space. In our opinion, the NV Passenger is the one to go with here.
The NV Passenger has its ups and downs sure, but overall, it's a great vehicle and makes for an amazing companion. It could use a little more interior quality to separate it from its Cargo counterpart, but as Nissan upgraded the infotainment system this year, they might get to work on the other aspects of the NV soon.