What happened to the Nissan Townstar?

Multi-award-winning, consistently well-reviewed, but not a best-seller. Are we overlooking the Nissan Townstar?

It does feel a bit strange to call an award-toting, critically acclaimed offering overlooked, but think of a small-sized van, and be honest: did the Nissan Townstar spring to mind?

And maybe that’s not your fault. In a market where large van registrations are dropping, but small vans are up 66.2% compared to 2024, it’s the fan-favourite Citroën Berlingo and the Peugeot Partner which have cracked the top 10 LCV sales chart, while the Ford Transit Connect has scooped up the industry name recognition. Heck, the Townstar didn’t even get the same recent facelift as the Nissan Interstar, so maybe it’s slipped out of mind elsewhere too…

So, perhaps the real question should be: ‘why has the Nissan Townstar edged towards forgotten gem territory?’

It’s a mystery… or is it?

It’s a tad mysterious. On the surface there are many reasons why it feels like the Townstar should be more of a household name — but is everything as it seems? 

For a start, as the spiritual to successor to the faithful e-NV200 which claimed over 60% of the UK’s electric van market in the past, it couldn’t have hoped for a much stronger foundation. Falling in line with what turned out to be an appealing ethos, the Townstar offsets its EV-first focus (always guaranteed to cause a stir) through the offering of a 1.3-litre petrol variant — picking up where the discontinued model left off as a versatile, convenient option. It even carries over the same inoffensive exterior design, meaning it won’t turn any heads, but it’s unobjectionable, identifiable, and well, looks like a small van should.

That said, despite the ICE offering, the electric Townstar models are still very much Nissan’s focus. Putting its 45-kwh battery to use a 183-mile range can be achieved, with top-ups from 15-80% possible in 37 minutes as a result of some quick-charging tech. These figures do remain competitive today, but with the latest ë-Berlingo and e-Partner offering up to 213-miles of range a piece, perhaps this is no longer the ‘class-leading’ area it was upon release in 2022.

Another of Nissan’s perceived ‘highlights’ in relation to its small van — also closely linked to its EV focus — is the Townstar’s cargo hauling ability. Depending on whether you opt for the short or long-wheelbase electric option, you’ll benefit from a payload of 600-800 kg, and 3.3-4.3 m³ of cargo space to play with. Again, this remains strong (and is undeniably enough to do the job for a small van) but now falls short of the ë-Berlingo’s mark by 200 kg and 0.1 m³ respectively, which makes quite a difference.

Some things never change

On the slightly more subjective side of things — so we’ll avoid any taste-based comparisons — the ride still holds up to the reputation it garnered upon release. A competent urban operator with a stable yet smooth feel, and of course, the calming effect of an EV powertrain (should you opt for one) — car-like is the buzzword which comes to mind. 

And this handling can be experienced from a suitably industrious cabin, loaded with storage cubbies and hard wearing plasticky surfaces which, while basic, has everything you need to be comfortable throughout the average shift. It’s nothing mind blowing, but for a commercial vehicle, it’s nothing to complain about. Tick.

So, the Townstar does still represents that same strong, flexible all-rounder which can get the job done. 

But has it lost half a step on its rivals as the years drive by? Is this why it has fallen off the tip of the tongue in small van conversations? Does it need a refresh like its larger sibling to recapture the shining reputation left by its predecessor? And most importantly, has it become, and should it be, overlooked? We’ll let you be the judge of that.

Hero image credit: Nissan