Road Trip: The Nissan NV350 Urvan Ride and Drive Adventure
It
was a bright and sunny day when I arrived at the Nissan Showroom in Chino
Roces, Makati. I and my blogger friends were lucky enough to be invited
and be part of the lifestyle media team that will go on a road trip to Tagaytay
and Batangas. And what better ride we’re going to use than with Nissan’s latest
baby – the NV350 Urvan.
Already several select members of motoring and
lifestyle media gathers for a sumptuous breakfast served by Dulcinea. The ever
amiable Nissan President and Managing Director Sir Toti Zara were seen talking
to some of them and as the time for departure draws near, he gave us a
send-off speech which makes everyone excited. This trip is meant to be a
barkada trip and we should enjoy it to the max.
The Nissan main
office was our jump off point before the trip from Tagaytay to Batangas. We have our own van and there were seven of us inside. It's just too
bad that none of us will get to drive this baby, well except for Driver George.
As passenger we
always look for riding comfort, what kind of transport we're using especially
if we're in for long travel. And this is the day we're going to find out if the
all new Nissan NV350 will live up to its expectations as we put it through the
mountain climbing paces on the way to Batangas.
In getting inside the
van you will immediately notice how cold it is and I love the smell that only a
new car/van gives off. We settled in quickly and everyone is really quite
excited. As I was trying to find a comfortable way to seat laidback and looking
where the cold air was coming from, I noticed these individual vents mounted
not in the usual place we know but off center on the van's ceiling. I counted
twelve points, no wonder it was so cool and relaxing. Now everyone won't fight
just to get cool air. Each will have their own share.
On the expressway, I thought that the backrest was a little off. I'm
used to leaning back where my head had something to rest on. I want to catch up
on my sleep and the cool van interior makes me sleepy. But the backrest
is really just for the back of your body and I will only realized why this is
so after the long hours of travel. The backrest was designed so that you won't feel tired even after long hours of travel. Isn't that nice? I also noticed that the interiors have more
legroom especially the front occupants after the driver's place.
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| Photo by Carlo Chongucon |
I was told that the driver seat
opened up to more legroom and cargo can be placed alongside the occupant's legs
as the gearshift which used to be on the floor is now part of the dashboard
panel.
As the van take on the uphill,
twisty road leading to Tagaytay, I noticed how powerful the engine of the
NV350. Even along the South Expressway where our driver George tried to overtake other cars several times, you will notice its smooth acceleration.
Providing 356 Newton-meters of torque, complemented by 129 PS in power, the turbo-charged engine generates higher torque from low to medium speed range, translating to ease of starting and smoother acceleration.
The all-new NV350 Urvan’s engine and Load Sensing Valve (LSV) work in tandem to optimize the balance in break pressure between the front and rear brakes, giving power when it’s needed, and reliable braking whether the vehicle is full or empty.
I was not really nervous when Driver George tried to overtake because I noticed that he can pull it off with the Urvan's excellent braking capability. We even enjoyed the speed and laughed off when we passed on the other vans.
When we reached the R1 Diversion near Tagaytay it was then that the motoring group and Lifestyle group parted ways
with the motoring going their way to Anilao and us for a pit stop at Chef
Antonio before we reached our final destination of Pico de Loro.
After our amazing lunch at Chef
Antonio, where Chef Tony Boy even made an appearance and greeted us, we went
our merry way towards Pico de Loro.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ALL
NEW NV350 URVAN
Since safety comes first with
Nissan, NV350 Urvan it features:
- A protected front and sides with a zone body impact
zones. In cases of collision, the energy is absorbed and dissipated thus
lessening impact effects for the passengers.
- Seat belts and airbag provisions for the driver and
front passengers;
- A high-mounted stop lamp LED that is mounted over the
rear cargo door as additional visual warning; and,
- Child-safety locks installed as standard features.
The all-new NV350 Urvan has also
upgraded its designs:
- Classic color choice of white and silver.
- Form-wise, it also sports a clean and modern form, with a shortened overhang, longer wheelbase, and an aerodynamic side view with the removal of the side roof drip channel.
- Other visual enhancements include an angled strut front grille with sharply angled halogen headlights, leading to a leaner look, and a squared rear design that emphasizes the roomy impression of its cargo space.
- Rounding off the external looks are the flush side windows as well as the chrome rear emblem and 15-inch wheel covers.
And because Nissan firmly stands
behind its products, customers are assured of after-sales attention and
service, the Nissan way. Those who will use the NV350 Urvan for utility
purposes and will be registered as PUV will get to enjoy three years
manufacturer’s warranty with no additional cost, a first in the local
automotive industry.
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