Light, compact, highly capable, and durable, the nippy little Nissan NP200 has been around for over 10 years, helping people and businesses get around.
Featuring a single cab, two-seater design with a sizable loading bay, the Nissan NP200 is smaller than standard single cab bakkies. It is closer to a hatchback in size and is the only one of a few compact bakkie models available in South Africa since the Ford Bantam bakkie range ended, a similarly sized vehicle in the light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment.
Built through the Nissan-Renault alliance, the NP200 leverages off the best qualities of both brands to offer a truly unique automotive experience.
Nissan's participation in the niche LCV segment dates back to 1932, but the Nissan NP200 model has only been around since 2008. It replaced the internationally renowned LCV, the Nissan 1400. Although sold globally as the Datsun 1200 and 120 Y, the 1400 was a proudly South African label. Launched in 1971, the small bakkie made a massive impact on the automotive market and helped cement Nissan's name in the history books.
The Nissan 1400 was a South African-designed and built vehicle, rolling off the Rosslyn production plant in Pretoria. It made such a mark on the country that the nippy little bakkie was dubbed the 'Champion of Africa' and was celebrated with its own Heritage Edition, of which only 150 were made.
Today, the Nissan NP200 is on its way to live up to the phenomenon that was the 1400.
The NP200, available at any Nissan Dealership in South Africa, offers a spacious cabin with uncompromising practicality and versatility. Driver-friendly features include electric windows, CD/MP3 player, aircon, and a sliding rear window. If you need to move a sizeable load, you can hire a Nissan NP200 here.
Despite its small size, the Nissan NP200 is not short on storage space. From the glove box, to the door bins, to the storage spaces located behind the seats, it surprises with its ample cabin space. Moving to the back, the load box of the NP200 can manage up to 300kg, making it a strong carrier.
The Nissan-Renault-designed engines are available in eight- and 16-valve petrol variants, with a K9K turbo diesel making up the range. The eight-valve petrol engine offers 64kW and 128Nm of torque from the 1.6L four-cylinder engine and consumes 8.1L/100 km of petrol. It's available with a five-speed manual transmission.
The Nissan NP200 eight-valve petrol variant retails from R178,000.
The Nissan NP200 comes standard with the extensive Nissan Assured Peace of Mind Warranty. This warranty is valid for six years or 150,000 km. It gives owners access to hassle-free maintenance from Nissan's dealership network across South Africa, and the service extends to Nissan's Genuine Parts promise. Various services plans also offer added peace of mind.
The warranty also covers a courtesy car should repairs take more than 48 hours to complete, and they'll even remind you when your license is due for renewal.
Nissan does not offer in-house insurance but you can find Nissan NP200 car insurance quotes using the hippo.co.za car insurance comparison tool. As the NP200 is a fairly common vehicle on our roads, you will be able to compare quotes from multiple insurers on our website.
Sources: Nissan South Africa, Wikipedia, Naamsa
Information provided for informational purposes. Prices quoted correct at the time of publishing this article.
