MAMA members gathered yesterday for the association’s monthly meeting and presentation from Nissan’s Director of Sales and Marketing, light commercial vehicles (LCV), Tiago Castro. He delved into the brand’s 2017 LCV lineup and offered attendees test-drives in the NV Cargo Van and three different Titan models – which have become strong players in the commercial market – including a Titan Single Cab, Titan XD Gas and Titan XD Cummins-powered Diesel.

Castro touched on Nissan’s strategy in this segment, which is to focus more heavily on marketing commercial vehicles in hopes to increase the brand’s overall truck sales – both commercial and personal. For example, if a Titan or Titan XD is the pickup of choice for a small business owner or construction worker, that person may be more inclined to purchase a different version of the Titan for personal use.

To lure new customers, Nissan is offering a five-year or 100,000-mile (whichever comes first) bumper-to-bumper warranty on all Titan and Titan XD commercial vehicles which, according to Nissan, is America’s best truck and commercial van warranty offer. How does this stack up to the industry standard? The average industry warranty hovers around 36,000 miles.

An overview of Nissan’s light commercial vehicle lineup includes:

Nissan Titan and Titan XD

Nissan introduced the final piece of the Titan roll-out with the Titan and Titan XD King Cab during the 2017 Chicago Auto Show. The Titan and Titan XD, which have picked up numerous industry awards and accolades, have helped move the needle for Nissan’s overall truck sales.  

Under the Titan umbrella, Nissan offers the following:

• Titan XD Diesel
• Titan XD Gas
• Titan Half-ton
• Titan and Titan XD Single Cab
• Titan and Titan XD King Cab

NV Cargo, Passenger and Compact Van

NV Full-size Van (Cargo and Passenger)

• New for 2017, the NV Cargo Van offers a brand-new powertrain, producing best-in-class horsepower and torque while also delivering an estimated eight percent increase in fuel economy versus the previous powertrain.
• Offered for both personal and fleet use, the NV Passenger Van features eight standard air bags, standard head restraints and integrated seat belts for all rear seating positions. It also offers 324 different seating configurations and a total of six independent rear seats. 2017 MAMA Spring Rally attendees were able to experience the NV Passenger Van first-hand as they were shuttled around the Road America campus – from the track to autocross to the off-road course.    

NV200

• The NV200 has a small exterior footprint, large cargo capacity, outstanding versatility and excellent fuel efficiency. It also offers America's best commercial van warranty, with a basic limited warranty coverage of five years/100,000 miles, whichever comes first. The powertrain limited warranty term is also five years/100,000 miles.

NV Taxi

• Great for city driving with its compact exterior, the Nissan NV Taxi is nimble enough to easily maneuver tight city streets. Features include built-in navigation, intercom and Bluetooth to better assist the driver.

Castro is confident Nissan will continue to propel itself forward in the LCV segment due to four main differentiators: a dedicated team, quality product, best warranty and a robust dealer network.

MAMA members should save the date for the next monthly meeting, with Honda, on Tues., Aug. 8 at the Chicago Automobile Trade Association headquarters in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois. 

Photo Credit: Larry Nutson, MAMA Treasurer and The Auto Channel