Nissan e-NV200 Combi (2014-2022) reliability & safety

Tried-and-tested running gear should ensure the Nissan e-NV200 Combi is reliable

Overall rating

2.0 out of 5

Reliability & safety rating

3.0 out of 5

While the e-NV200 Combi has Nissan's latest 40kWh battery, the rest of its running gear is feeling rather old these days. It uses the same platform as the NV200 diesel van, while the electric motor is from the first-generation Leaf. This should mean the e-NV200 Combi is reliable, though it’s not offered with the latest safety kit you get with the latest Leaf.

Nissan e-NV200 Combi reliability & problems

While low sales numbers mean the e-NV200 Combi failed to show up in the latest Driver Power satisfaction survey, Nissan as a brand did finish a respectable 11th in the top 30 manufacturers' rundown. There is some insight into how reliable the e-NV200 will be, however, courtesy of a small taxi firm in Cornwall. C&C Taxis in St Austell has been running a Combi since 2014 and has racked up over 100,000 trouble-free miles in that time. It was so impressed with the Combi’s performance that it has since converted its entire fleet to Combis and Leafs.

And if something should happen, there are a variety of warranties covering different parts of the Combi. The MPV itself gets Nissan’s standard five-year warranty, while the electric running gear gets eight years of cover. That includes a guarantee against capacity loss on the battery – it'll be replaced if the charge meter doesn’t climb above nine bars (out of 12) when the e-NV200 is fully charged.

Safety

Euro NCAP crash-tested the e-NV200 Combi in 2014, when it earned a three-star rating. This was a decidedly average score at the time and the test has been made even tougher since then, so it’s likely the Nissan would score even lower if it was tested today. Adult occupant protection was rated at 75% and it managed a respectable 80% for child protection. Pedestrian safety was 60% (probably not helped by the charging hardware mounted in the nose of the Combi) and the car received a 38% score for its safety assistance features.

Six airbags are fitted as standard, with driver and passenger bags and two pairs of curtain airbags for the doors. All cars get electronic stability control, tyre-pressure monitoring and anti-lock brakes, while there's a pair of ISOFIX child-seat brackets in the rear bench. Cruise control with a manual speed limiter is offered on the Acenta and Evalia versions, but there are none of the advanced autonomous driving aids that Nissan has rolled out with the latest Leaf.

Most Popular

Tesla Model 3 facelift will be a double-edged sword
Tesla badge
News

Tesla Model 3 facelift will be a double-edged sword

Tesla’s updated EV will have an improved interior, greater range and a more affordable price – as well as one unfortunate drawback
1 Jun 2023
Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB is a retro, seven-seat electric MPV
Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB - front door open
News

Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB is a retro, seven-seat electric MPV

Volkswagen has unveiled a larger version of its ID. Buzz EV, boasting more seats and a larger battery with more range
2 Jun 2023
Abarth range to expand with lighter, faster EVs
Abarth 500e front end
News

Abarth range to expand with lighter, faster EVs

Italian sports car brand will stay wedded to Fiat, but is eyeing up a faster 500e, plus tuned versions of upcoming crossover
5 Jun 2023