Alongside the announcement of the all-new Townstar small van, Nissan has chosen to rename its entire van line-up in Europe, giving the whole range an ‘all-star’ billing.
What does that mean? Well, the NV400 large van is now called the Interstar, while the NV300 medium van is now called the Primastar. A blast from the past in both cases.
The new models also benefit from a round of updates – but especially the Primastar, which gets a more substantial overhaul to bring it into line with the recently refreshed Renault Trafic that it’s based on.
>> Sign-up for the Parkers Vans and Pickups newsletter
New Nissan Interstar full details
While looking largely the same as the NV400 it replaces, the Nissan Interstar gets an expanded range of seven 2.3-litre turbodiesel engines. Offering power outputs from 110hp to 180hp, these all meet the very latest emissions regulations.
In addition, there are new driver assistance systems in the form of blind spot monitors and automatic high-beam adjustment.
There’s still no electric powertrain option, but you will be able to buy the Interstar in a wide range of body variants, including panel vans, double-cab vans, chassis cabs and platform cabs.
New Nissan Primastar full details
The Nissan Primastar makes a cleaner break from the NV300 it replaces by virtue of a new look front-end design – with ‘Interlock grille’ and LED headlights – and completely revised cab interior.
It also gets an engine range updated to the latest emissions regulations, available with a choice of manual gearbox or dual-clutch automatic transmission. Plus a more substantial upgrade to the available on-board safety systems.
These now include Intelligent Emergency Braking, blindspot monitors, traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control.
Again, there is no electric version of the Primastar planned at this stage, leaving the new Townstar alone to continue Nissan’s long-established electric van reputation.
When do the new Nissan vans go on sale?
The Interstar and the Primastar are due to begin arriving in the UK before the end of 2021, perhaps at early as October – though that’s not yet 100% confirmed.
The Townstar doesn’t arrive until 2022. No pricing information for any model has been released so far.
What’s happening with the Nissan Navara?
Nissan’s once popular Navara pickup is still currently listed in the pricelists but will shortly be disappearing from UK dealerships, with no immediate plans for replacement.
Nissan hasn’t ruled out bringing it back at some point in the future, perhaps when pickup powertrain technology advances to make these vehicles more environmentally friendly and fuel efficient.
For now, though, the Navara doesn’t fit into the firm’s European light commercial vehicle (LCV) plans, which are focused on an effort to double van sales by 2026.
