If you’re in the market for a new van, start with this explanation of why we got rid of our Sprinter.
An update to our review can be found here.
We’ve been a Nissan family since our pre-marriage days, when Andrew sported around in a five-speed Maxima. It was very hard to let go of our Quest when we needed more room. That’s why we were really excited to test drive the Nissan NV 3500 as soon as it came out. It did not disappoint. And it went home with us that very day.
The van is eye-catching without being an eyesore. When we rode around town in our Sprinter, we couldn’t help but be noticed as we roared into the parking lot. With the NV we stand out, but it has less to do with looking like the FedEx truck and more to do with driving a spiffy-looking van that no one has seen before.
To me, the van looks like the Nissan Titan truck and the Nissan Cube had a gigantic baby. The front of the van looks like a Titan. The back is more like a box. I feel like I’m driving an extra large SUV rather than a van. And what red-blooded American can’t appreciate a good SUV?
One of the first things we noticed about the van was how quiet it was. Now, we were coming from a Sprinter, where we sat on top of the engine, so just about anything would seem quieter. But when you’ve got a bunch of people in the car, it’s important to be able to hear each other. Driving in the car is part of “family togetherness” but it’s useless if we can’t understand what anyone has to say. In the NV, as long as the music isn’t turned up too loud, I can hear the requests/demands/complaints/jokes/stories from the child in the very back seat.
Speaking of seats, there are a lot of seating options. Nissan claims there are 324 ways to configure the seats. It took Andrew and I two hours of pondering to figure out the best way to arrange our people, so, yea, there are several choices. The reason for this is that all three back rows have split seating and each section of seats can be removed. And the first back row can actually face backwards if you feel so inspired.
It’s like the Baskin Robbins’ 31 Flavors of the transportation world.
We chose to remove one of the seats to create a sort of aisle for the kids to get to their spot. When we take big trips, we’ll move everyone around a bit so that we can remove half of the very back seat for cargo storage. The good news is: even if we remove seats for cargo, we will still have an extra seat to take a helper with us wherever we go. Hooray!
Cargo space… We gave up some cargo space when we sold our Sprinter. But we have more cargo space than some of the Chevy Express vans I’ve been in. And the option to remove part of the back seat means we have much more flexibility to haul all our stuff. We can also put a trailer hitch on the back and use one of those back end attachments for more trunk space. The fact that I can get my double stroller in the back of the van means the cargo space is definitely adequate.
Here’s a list of the other things we like:
- Good driving experience. It feels really wide when you get behind the wheel. And it is. But you quickly realize you will fit between the parking space lines and you don’t have to swing as wide as you think you do. It’s like driving a truck, not a top-heavy van.
- Comfort in the front seat. A non-contraction-inducing ride for the grown-ups and lots of room. Lovely. Plus, we can hear each other now, so it’s like a date!
- Great mirrors. With the headrests and such, you can’t really see out the back but you don’t need to because Nissan put big and small sideview mirrors in all the right places. I can see everything I need to for safe driving.
- Lots of storage in the front. We haven’t tried, but I’m pretty sure we could store baby Finn in the center console. It was designed to hold a laptop and hanging file folders… or small children, apparently.
- Power, power, everywhere! There’s a plug-in outlet on every row to accommodate our geeky selves with our laptops and iPads. There are even two 120-volt plugs that you can plug things directly into.
- Shoulder belts and headrests for all twelve passengers. This has never been available in a van before to those of us who exceed the mini-vans. This is HUGE. The headrests are removable if you prefer.
- Side air-bags all the way to the back. Good for our insurance. Even better for our kids.
- The side door can be opened by the kids. There’s no fancy button that opens and closes it, but the door glides easily enough that my eight year olds can handle it.
- Rear sonar. It helps to have some notice if there’s something behind me.
- The back doors swing all the way open and then magnetize to the side of the van so no one will get hit by the doors. When we’re packing our van for a long trip, it’s nice to know we don’t have to worry about somebody getting the back door slammed on them while we’re trying to decide where to put the sleeping bags.
Things that gave us pause:
- Driver’s side headrest. We had this problem in our Quest, too. The front seat headrests pitch your head forward, which can be awkward on a long drive. I asked our dealership about it and they said it’s considered a safety feature, so it can’t be changed. However, adjusting the tilt of the driver’s seat seemed to help. It would be nice if Nissan would add just one more “click” so the headrest can go just a tick higher to accommodate my hubby’s handsome head.
- We got the V6 engine and coming from having a turbo diesel engine that literally ROARED, the V6 took some time to get used to. Even though I have to press harder to get the van to respond in a hurry, the van WILL respond and I have the power when I need it. In terms of gas mileage, we’re satisfied with about 15-18 mpg, and we live in a town with lots of hills. If we got the V8 we’d just spend more on gas so the V6 was the right choice for us.
- The back row seats are definitely narrow. Any vehicle that holds twelve people will have narrow seats. For those of you with lots of carseats, you’ll probably still only be able to get three carseats in that back row of four seats, unless you have all Radian carseats. However, the foot room on that very back row is excellent. Andrew and I can sit back there comfortably. The van definitely feels very roomy and Nissan made the most of the space.
Bottom Line: The Nissan NV 3500 is a great option for families. And I don’t think you have to be a family of “unusually large size” to like it. If we took out the back row of seats, we’d have a great eight passenger SUV type vehicle with more cargo space than any mini-van ever dreamed of having. We trust the Nissan brand to get us where we need to go for many years. And the incredible seating flexibility means that we’ve got options, no matter what our family looks like.
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If you’re still with me after all of those words I can only assume you’re really interested in the Nissan. So I must tell you about the dealership where we bought our van. If you’re located in the southeastern region of the US, listen up!
There are only three dealerships in Alablama that carry this van. I called all three. Only ONE consistently returned my calls and emails: Larry Richardson of Landers/McLarty Nissan. He met us halfway between our cities with the van so we could test drive it. And then he deftly handled our crew for the many hours we took at the dealership signing paperwork. Andrew actually left the dealership smiling and my husband LOATHES the car buying process.
Even though there are dozens of dealerships closer to us, we will definitely call Larry again when our small car needs to be replaced because our experience with him was THAT good.
And if you call Larry (256-837-5753 ext. 315), make sure you tell him the Vitafam sent you. I want him to know that all his efforts with us were worthwhile!
*Nobody paid me or gave me a free car for this review. They should have, but they didn’t. 😉
Sent this to my dad who works for Nissan. 🙂 He said he hasn’t seen a lot of NV reviews, so he was thankful to see this.
That looks really cool! I am envious of the myriad of seating options. We drive the Ford F-350 15 passenger. I’ve grown used to it and come to love it. We do have shoulder seatbelts throughout, thankfully. It is loud–but I don’t mind not being able to hear everything going on in the back! 😉
Great info! I plan to share this with my hubby. We are already discussing what our next vehicle options are. We are good for now (our Honda minivan seats 7), but it really does stink sometimes when we want to take one set of grandparents with us and can’t.
And we haven’t taken an overnight road trip yet. We have no idea where to put the luggage!
Wow I had no idea this type of a vehicle would still “look” stylish-ish. Great review!
Just a thought about the head rest. I had that problem in my car. I pulled it all the way out and turned it around. The rounded part was then facing the back and the flatter part was to the front. Much easier on my neck…
Emily – I emailed the dealer about that. Because it’s a safety feature, it can’t be removed. Sigh.
That is a pretty sweet ride! And it’s just one more reason I like you – we’re a dedicated Nissan family too!
Thank you. I have been patiently or not waiting for this;-) My husband texted me this morning and said the local lot had one. I’m still a little unsure about the lack of cargo space but I think everything else may make up for that. The creature comforts seem to be worth squishing our stuff in.
Lisa
Lisa – I look at it this way: a van meant to hold that many people cannot possibly have enough room in it for the cargo that many people would need. We’ll pretty much always need the trailer thing on the back when the kids get older. But for now, at least with the Nissan, I can take out a few back seats to get the cargo space I need. And, yes, take it from me, the creature comforts are WORTH IT. 🙂 Let me know if you decide to go for it!!
I’m so glad you posted this! We’re a family of 6 (for now) but are hoping to outgrow our Pilot soon. It’s a tight fit anyway w/ 2 teenage boys! We had looked online at these…may have to go take a look.
I had no idea this existed! We have five and are maxing out the Sienna minivan. We’re saving up for the inevitable “big van,” but seeing this as an option makes the idea slightly more tolerable. The feature I will miss most on the minivan is the automatic sliding doors! Thankfully the bigger kids will probably be strong enough to get the doors open by the time we upgrade.
This is such a cool van! I do like the power sliding doors on my van, but at least this van has sliding doors instead of “swing wide open and hit the car next to us doors” Some of my kids really don’t know how to carefully open car doors, because they have rarely ridden in anything other than my van.
It does look like a huge SUV versus the normal white large family van 🙂 Since we are at full capcity now, and reviewing our options, this looks like one I might like!
Stephanie
Wow! I was excited to see what you ended up with- maybe I live under a rock or something but I have never heard of nor seen this hunk of a vehicle trekking around anywhere! I’m so glad you were able to find something that you are happy with. I’ll be keeping it in mind when our 15 passenger dies. Unless we outgrow it… then we’ll need two NVs…
That’s amazing. I’ve never seen one of those, but I’m definitely impressed! I’m so glad you got something that you love!!
8 year olds?? These little people are getting so big so fast! Yay for your new vehicle! So glad y’all are happy with it, and the amount of ways that you can seat it, is so neat!
So glad you did a review we are shopping for one of these right now. I have a couple questions. Are your seats cloth with the v6….we want a v6 but don’t want cloth but on the nissan site it looks like you can only get a v8 with leather. I was curious if the v6 came with that fake leather. Also does it fit in your garage? I am assuming not but our garage is 22 feet deep and the dealer told me it’s 20 long so I thought there might be a chance. Your review has really helped us. We are getting ready to move just south of Atlanta so I am trying to find a place that I can actually test drive one down their. Thanks
Rachel – According to the brochure I have, leather is only available with the V8 engine (the SL). I would check with your dealer about a custom order if you were really set on it. Our dealer was doing a lot of conversions of the NV and might be able to find you an option as well. As far as our garage? Um, I don’t know. We haven’t been able to park a car in our garage since we moved in. Too much other stuff! Good luck and happy shopping!!
Hey LoraLynn,
We’re another big family, soon to be 9 children, and just bought our NV yesterday. I found your review after we got home with it, so it didn’t impact our purchase, but I am loving this van as well. So much space, so quiet, and doesn’t drive like a ‘truck’ like most larger vans do! We couldn’t be happier with the purchase (unless they lowered the price a little).
Thanks! Your seat in the pick don’t look like cloth though??? Or how I pictured cloth to look so maybe I will just go with the v6 option. Thanks so much for the review….can’t wait to see one in person!
Rachel- Our seats are cloth. But there’s some leather on the two front seats.
Thanks for the review of the NV. I discovered this vehicle a few weeks ago and have been dying to test drive it, especially considering our 02 Dodge Grand Caravan is going the way of the dodo. We have 5 kids, four of whom are in car seats and have been wondering how the seating arrangements might look with that many car seats. The only thing that is giving me pause is the price, but then again it might just be worth it. Thanks again.
Left by a reader on another post: Thank you. Just bought the NV today. A Silver SV probably same as yours. It is at the Audio/Visual guy’s shop now getting the Tech package (they didn’t have one with it), and DVD system installed for 3K. They figured out you would need 2 drop down DVD screens to cover all the people. Also they cannot place them in the headrests as they are very atypically small headrests and there are no screen that can fit. We realized that we would need to remove the middle headrests on rows 2 and 3 for better visual fields during movie watching. Also there should be a template to fit the seats on the NV for leather or Vinyl in the next 3-6 months. Take care.
Thanks for this great review! We only have four kids, and after a recent road trip decided that we need something a little bigger than our Sienna. I’m going to try to go see one today! We say a Sprinter yesterday, but it’s way too big and too spare for my liking.
I found your blog via google search, trying to figure out what to do about the lack of head restraints on the big passenger vans. The sprinter is out of our budget, but the NV passenger seems a little more affordable. My husband’s big concern is gas mileage. He wanted a diesel Sprinter because it gets much better gas mileage than the Ford or Chevy. We have a 40 mile commute to church three times a week, so the difference between getting 10-12 mpg or getting 20-22 mpg (in our current van) could cost twice as much or about $1300/yr more for gas if we had a Ford/Chevy. SO, his question for you is: Are you really getting 15-18 mpg? More often 15 or 18? Any idea?
My biggest concern is safety – shoulder seatbelts and headrests. We even talked about adding aftermarket seats to a Ford or Chevy van, or having headrests customized. They are just so much cheaper, but then the gas mileage will kill us. We are adding our sixth baby in February 2013, God willing, so we have plenty of time to chew on this. Thank you for sharing your blog with the world, I have had a lot of fun reading your posts this past week. I wish you had a search function on the blog, I don’t know if you’ve shared about your miscarriage journey. I’ve had seven miscarriages including a second trimester loss of twins, and five children here with us on Earth, all in only ten years. It is rare for me to “meet” someone who knows what this is like. God bless!
Stacy – It’s more often 15. But we haven’t taken it on a road trip yet. We live in a hilly area and rarely go above 45 mph. It’s hot here right now and our van sits and idles a lot (we run errands as a family – I run into the store and hubs stays in the car with the kids!) We are taking a mini-road trip this week and I will try to remember to clock it exactly. It won’t be interstate miles, but it might tell you something more.
Something else to factor in considering the cost of the diesel vs. gas: Repair costs. And finding a mechanic who is familiar with Sprinters. My husband is fairly handy, but he had great difficulty figuring how to fix things on the Sprinter. And finding a mechanic? Pfth. Forget about it. We thought that the diesel engine’s reputation for lasting forever would help us avoid major repair bills, that doesn’t mean that everything else on the van won’t break. The engine may run for twenty years but that won’t stop the water pump from breaking or the turbo charger from needing to be replaced. Mercedes parts and labor add up QUICKLY. Now, if you were buying a new Sprinter, it wouldn’t be as much of an issue, but for something used, it’s a HUGE concern. We bought the Sprinter because of the cost of gas but quickly learned that our “savings” wasn’t worth the hassle we experienced with the van in general. Hope this helps.
I keep meaning to add a search feature. Thanks for the tip. I’m so sorry for your losses. And congrats on your new little one!
Could you please give us an update of any new observations (pros and cons) of this vehicle? I am seriously considering finding one. Also, did you post somewhere that the second row seats can be rear facing? Thanks!
I just found your blog while researching this van. What a great blog you have! Our families are very similar. W also have 7 kiddos we homeschool by both birth and adoption….for a couple more months anyway. We are adopting 3 more from Ethiopia! Thanks so much for the detailed review of the NV. It is very hard to get info on it with it being so new so this is so helpful!
I enjoyed your review. Do the individual seats recline at all or only the front passenger? I can see how this would be a feature I would want on a long road trip, rather than being required to sit bolt upright for 12 hours at a stretch.
ColRebSez – The back seats don’t recline, but we’ve had several adults ride back there for a six hour drive and they were plenty comfortable.
Hi LoraLynn:
We actually bought this van and love it. We tried to turn the front bench backwards but couldn’t get it to work. Have you tried this yet? Just wondering if I am missing something. Our owner’s manual doesn’t seem to help much…
Phillip – We did figure it out, but you’re right, it was tricky. I’m working on an update and will include full instructions then, but if I remember correctly, we had to remove the entire plastic cover over the latch so you can see exactly where to hook the seat. There was also a trick to which seat went where. You couldn’t just flip the seat, you had to actually swap them so you completely reversed the bench. If that makes any sense… I’ll post pictures soon!
I found your blog while searching for cars because we also have a kabillion kids (the wife claims we have 7 but it seems like so much more) and we drive a Sprinter which I’m growing to despise. What kind of mileage does your Nissan get?
Richie – We’ve got a kabillion kids, too. *fist bump* We live in a pretty hilly town, so we get about 14 in town, but it’s better on highway, around 20-21. Chuck the Sprinter. You won’t regret it. Seriously.
Hi LoraLynn!
Thank you so much for your review. It actually helped me catch my husband’s enthusiasm about the NV and we ended up buying one a couple of weeks ago. We, too, are having a difficult time flipping the first row so it faces rearward. Were you actually able to make it work? I am getting no answers from the dealership. Anyways, thank you again!
Jenny – We’re going to try to duplicate our one-time success for the blog very soon. It’s on my list of things to do. Enjoy your new wheels!
Thanks! I realize you kind of already answered this question in another post. I just wanted to make sure you actually got it to work :). We have a 2013, so I was a little worried maybe they changed it so the row does not flip rearward. Do you remember if all three seats fit when you did it? We love it—–our only issue right now is that we are only getting about 10 mpg driving around town. I hope it improves! Thanks for your response!
Jenny – Is that with the V6 or the V8?
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the NVP! It is great to see the thoughts from an actual family who is using the van, instead of most of the other reviewers. I am the Commercial Vehicle Account Manager in C FL (Bill Ray Nissan) and I have been pointing all my customers in your direction so they can see how it is being used in the real world. I love this van as much as anyone, so representing it has been a pleasure, and meeting so many little kids that are all excited about it makes my day! Thanks again!
After almost 2 years of research we happened upon the NV. I immediately googled reviews and found yours! It was extremely helpful and actually sold my hubby on a full size van! We bought our NV this past December and have been thrilled with it. We have 4 bio kids and 2 coming home this summer from Ghana. I also put a review on my blog if anyone is interested. http://travisrichardsonandfamily.blogspot.com/
Oh, and so far we are only getting about 11 mpg, but we have only had it a month so hoping we see improvement. We live on an island, lots of stop and go.
We just got one! We out grew our minivan (8 passenger Toyota Sienna) 2 years ago, but I wasn’t ready to move up to a full-size van and we were happy to not have a car payment, but now with baby no. 8 on the way, it was time. We test drove the ford can first, it was ok, but felt like I was driving a bus, lots of work to steer and pretty bumpy after my Sienna. Then we test drove the Nissan NV. We loved it, it didn’t feel that different from my Sienna to drive and with the mirrors and back-up camera, not hard to get around in. It is comfortable, not very bumpy to drive and I love the graphite blue shade we got it in. Still figuring out the gas mileage, and I miss my power door, but the Bluetooth is super nice to have and that we can listen to audiobooks by hooking up my iPhone to the USB hub is really nice too.
We have 3 kids-expecting twins I a few months. We are driving a Suburban and we anticipate that with car seats and double strollers that it will be a tight fit, especially on road trips-which we frequently take. You mileage is better than what we get fully loaded on a road trip, or even in town (12 mpg town, 16 mpg hwy). We have a 6L V8. My concern is less the mileage than the road performance. How does the V6 perform when passing or going up hills? Does it struggle much? We’d prefer the V8 if the V6 can’t do hills when loaded.
Gregory – Congrats on the twins! I was concerned about the V6, too (we had a V8 in our Quest). You definitely notice the difference, but you can also feel that the van has plenty of power in it to do the job. And when I need it to go, it will. It might not feel as zippy, but it will absolutely move when I tell it to. We decided the better gas mileage was worth hearing it roar a bit more on our hills (we live in a hilly town). We don’t regret that decision at all.
Stephanie – I’m with you, I miss that power door option. Congrats on your new van!
Thanks so much for your review. We are likely going to pick up our NV today, and I’m excited, but nervous. I wish there was a link to the supposed “324” seating configurations! For example, do you know if I will be able to move the 4th row 4-seats into the 3rd row? My idea is to make it a 9-seater with plenty of cargo space, but I’m not sure if I can put the four seats (2/2 split) into the third row. Thanks for your help!
One more thing, LoraLynn. Haven’t you read that it’s safer for ALL children (even adults) to seat rear facing? Are you keeping that second row rear facing at all times? Thanks again!
Lucy – You cannot move the fourth row up to the third. There are not enough seat slots on the third row. And no, I do not turn the second row rear facing. There is some confusion over whether or not this is possible. Andrew and I made it work once but we haven’t tried to repeat it. The dealership is now claiming it was never possible to begin with. We have plans to try and duplicate the seat reversal and write down instructions for it. Hopefully soon… Congrats on your new purchase! Enjoy!
Thanks for the information. I think that the NV is definitely in our future. Looking at the other options, considering 7 of us plus the in-laws on frequent occasions, this seems to be the best combination of seating, cargo space and comfort that is available. The next task, having narrowed the field, is to look one over at a dealer (no dealer in our area carries them). Hope to keep you posted.
Yep. We bought one. 24 hours later and i’m in LOVE! I do wish the flooring was NOT carpet….but…beyond that. IN LOVE. This is an awesome vehicle! Your review was definately helpful!
I’m so glad you posted this review!! All I could find,was a bunch of folks without large families whining about how it looked.I have 8 children,and I’m single mom. I was piling my kids in a car,because I was saving for a van(little by little). Trust me….I got a lot of harsh looks,and was pretty much doomed to only go to Dr.’s appts,or other important outings(school stuff ect.) I was saving for a van at the time…because I never knew these things exsisted. Until recently…when I got got pulled over on my way from the Dr. Altho the nice officer gave me several fines,and child endangering charges(so much for the savings),he brought to my attention,that a regular van was not gonna cut it,to get that many kids around. Sad to say…but he was right. He did how ever mention the nv and the sprinter for me to check into. All I could find were bad reviews-from folks without families. If you don’t have a large family…its impossible to understand our needs. I really wanted something reliable,that was not gonna leave us stranded anytime soon. So I have began to save again-@ this rate….I should be able to afford one in 2-3 years-lol. But at least I now have a vehicle that I can save for,that I feel will be right for my family-thanks to you.
I just wanted to say thanks for helping me to get some direction,in making a choice.
What year is your NV? We have a 2012 NV 3500 with leather seats. We don’t have as many outlets/plug ins as you have. We bought ours in April 2012. Also, did you mention somewhere about getting DVD players put in for $3000? I found you on Google and it appeared you mentioned something about that but I cannot find it on this NV article. We have been looking for a set of headrest DVD systems that you swap out the headrests but they are difficult to find with the seat posts on the Nissan NV being so close together. Thanks in advance!
Angela – We have a 2012 NV, but the mid-level option, without leather. I did not mention DVD players, but perhaps one of the other commenters did. We opted not to install one for now since ours can just plug iPads in near their seats.
We are in the market. Have you guys had any issues with your van? I’ve read on other sites that the sliding door was giving people problems.
Jesse – We had an issue with the side door lock. It was a factory issue and they fixed it with no problem. Other than that, nada. Love it!
I was searching to see what this van looked like b/c my DD and her family are looking for one. When I was reading through your post the headrest issue caught my eye. My husband and I recently rented a Ford Escape to drive on vaca and when it came time for me to drive the headrest was an issue for me too, it was pitching my head forward…very uncomfortable and I found it strange that the passenger side hadn’t done that to me during this long trip. After I complained enough, hubby stated messing with the height, turns out the headrest also adjusted forward and backward on a tilt. My problem was solved. Is is possible that yours might have the same function?
Hey Loralynn we are looking at this van and pretty excited, the only thing is that none of the the dealers seem to know much about the 6 cylinder model. My main question is do you feel that the v6 is adequate enough to power the van, did you guys try the v8 model. Our dealer doesn’t have a v6 model so I haven’t been able to test drive it. Last Question and you may have already covered it, but what year is this van.
Josh – We are very happy with the V6. I didn’t test drive the V8 but we have friends that bought it. I feel like the power is there when I need it, although it’s not as zippy as a V8. We have a lot of hills here and it makes it up those just fine. It definitely doesn’t struggle like our old Sprinter did. We haven’t yet wished we’d chosen differently. Our van is a 2012.
Loralynn thanks for the quick resoinse . I have one more question for you, I know it may sound counter intuitive but jvw heard that the v8s get higher mpgs than the 6. What has your friend with the 8 told you about their mileage
We just got our NV today and I was wondering if you have tried the rf carseat in the front row? If so where did you put it and did you have any problems?
Autumn – Congrats!!! We have the rf carseat in the middle of the front row. Mostly just so we can reach the baby. I think we also put the rf carseat behind the passenger side one time and the only trouble was getting around it to get to the other side. My kids crawled. 😉
We are picking ours up today! Your post was very helpful in our decision-making. God Bless!
Hello, thanks for sharing your NV experience. I recently bought the NV 2500 6 cyl cargo van for work, but I want to install seats where the second row would be. I’m having a hard time finding the part numbers for seats, I’m looking at the seat that has two seat belts, like a 60/40 seat so that the side door can still access the back easily. Also, have you heard of anyone installing econoline seates? Thanks in advance!
We finally bought our NV about 3 weeks ago to accommodate our family (7 plus frequent trips with the inlaws). We love it. The ride is comfortable and the vehicle doen’t feel as big as it is once we got used to it. We bought the V8. It was the last on the lot, and the price was too good to pass up. Mileage on the V8 is roughly the same as for our GMC Yukon XL 4WD in spite of the greater weight. Given the crisp acceleration of the V8, I am sure the V6 would have been adequate for us, but there were none to be found in our area. I haven’t tried to reproduce the rear facing seat configuration yet. The vehicle is high, and climbing in and out required developing a technique. The kids hop in and out no problem. We’ve used a simple step stool which we carry around to help the inlaws in and out. I am considering having aftermarket running boards put on. So far we are in love with the vehicle, and the kids love the spaciousness. I am glad I found this blog. It was very helpful and instrumental in our decision to buy the NV.
We have six boys and live out on a ranch in central Montana we had a 07 1/2 ton Chevy sub that we loved especially in the winter, about a month ago we started looking for a bigger rig o transport our troops in. The ford and chevy vans I did not like at all, Then we saw one of these in Helena and test drove it, we bought it 4 days ago. Driving on I-15 north to Great Falls through the mountains was a dream for such a large vehicle, going 65 to 70 with little or no body roll, ample power to pass, the mirrors work great, and have no complaints yet. inside was nice and felt more like a car then a van, kids love the choice and are no longer jammed back in the third row. If you are looking at a full size van definitely give this one try. Plus they are made here in the U.S.A!
LoraLynn, thank you so much for posting this!! I read through each comment and you have no idea how much it has helped me confirm my decision to go with a NV.
I’m on the same train as Monique and empathise wholeheartedly!! (CUTE how our names are similar!) It’s hard to find a vehicle which will hold 6 kids (7y, 8y, 9y, 9y, 13y, & 14y), and 3 adults nicely. We’re currently cramming all 9 of us into my ’04 Chevy Venture, which only seats 7, and is having more and more issues over the past few months! I too have been reminded by the law I was ‘over capacity’, but at least I was only around the corner from my home so she let me go without any fines or tickets.
We single mom’s do what we have to do to make ends meet when left on our own! This post and its comments have finalized my decision to keep saving and hopefully by next summer I can try to find a used Nissan NV.
LoraLynn, thanks again so much! Your post and your followers comments made all the difference!!
Hello, your review and everyone else’s responses have been super helpful. We are looking for a larger vehicle because we are road trippers and since moving away from family and friends, often have out of town guests. We live in CT where it is snowy and hilly, anyone with experience in snow? I am loving this vehicle but rear wheel could be the unfortunate deal breaker. Thanks
enjoyed your story & thank you for taking time to provide your experiences with the NV. Just started looking this pat week. Is yours the java metallic in color?
Walt – Yep, ours is Java. 🙂
My wife and I have owned our NV for 17 mths now and love it. With 4 kids and another due in October we felt cramped in our Suburban when doing 4-H projects or road trips.
We bought the SV model with V8 engine. Test drove the V6 first and felt it was a little sluggish. Plus we wanted to tow in the future without regrets.
We have ongoing issues with the sliding door lock. It often won’t engage either from key FOB or when car speed reaches 15+ MPH. Dealer has replaced multiple components but it persists. The door rattles a lot too. Has anyone found a fix?
Also, we miss having leather seats with kids. A local upholstery shop in TN quoted me $1900+ tax to recover. Has anyone done this?
LoraLynn, Did your door lock issue finally get resolved? I’m taking mine to the dealer tomorrow.
Thank you so much for your review. We read it thoroughly before purchasing our 2012 NV Passenger ‘S’ version in May with tow and power packages and the V8. We got the ‘S’ version because we like simplicity and don’t like carpet. Too many kids, too many stains (we have 8 kids, almost all out of the house). Would have been nice to have the back up camera with the tech package. It’s like backing up a 7X20 storage shed!!! I’ll get an aftermarket eventually. We bought ours on May 6 shipped from Colorado to California for 34K with tax license and all fees including shipping. The ‘S’ is not as popular because of less creature comforts. From May 6 until today, Aug 28, we have logged over 15,000 miles. Our business, (Christian homeschool curriculum) had us traveling the west coast during the convention season. We averaged about 16 mpg with straight freeway driving (going through Nevada on I-80 in July (lovely) at 100 degrees, A/C full blast, and 80 mph). We sometimes tow a 6X12 enclosed trailer, single axle, approx 3000 lbs and averaged about 12 mpg. No problems towing it, just kills the mileage. Thanks again for your review!!! See you on the road!!! (We’re hard to miss, white NV and bright yellow 6X12 enclosed trailer…..wave when you pass us!!! Thanks again…..!!!
Forrest: So glad our review was helpful. And thanks for your mileage update, I know that will help other readers who come along. We’ll wave if we see you!!
Hello, we just recently purchased a NVP and LOVE LOVE LOVE IT, but the only problem I am having is trying to find where I can find how they even come up with 10 seat configurations much less 324? Did your van come with a brochure that has the different configurations?
Please help me locate this if you could.
Thanks
Hey All- My Story almost mirrors LoraLynn’s. We had 4 Nissan’s prior to our NVP. Pathfinders before we had more than 2 kids, and a Quest when we had 3. We always wished Nissan made a passenger van. We had a Suburban with 8 seats, which is what we need, but we were packed in like sardines. So after a ton of research we switched to a Sprinter, which our friends dubbed “the Great White Eagle.” There was no hiding in that thing. It was diesel, which was great for MPG’s but iffy in the winter when starting. We got the NVP pretty much as soon as it came out and we all love it. Terrible on gas(avg about 12 mpg and we have a V8) but drives and rides so smooth and we have people stop and stare everywhere we go. It really is a good looking vehicle.
Thanks so much for this review. We just bought a NV yesterday. We are not getting delivery of it until early next week and I have butterflys in my stomach over it. This review has really helped. We had a suburban for 10+ years, it was totaled in an accident, thankfully no one was seriously hurt but it left us looking for a new car to seat 6 plus ski equipment. I am hoping we will love it as much as you do. The kids are excited to be able to invite friends along.
Thank you for writing that VERY informative review!!! We were just about to take the plunge on the sprinter. We drive a lot and I couldn’t see buying all that gas for the NV. I am curious what year your sprinter was. They do seem to be improving each year. Also, you didn’t say it, but do you at all miss the head room in the sprinter, the ability to walk around? I haven’t been in an NV, but it seems much more like a car or minivan in the head space.
Although it is probably not safe, I have been told that one way to get around the headrest issue is to pull it out and put it back in backwards. I’d love to hear yours and/or any other NV owner’s opinions of the headroom space.
Thanks so much.
God bless!
Robin – I liked being able to walk around in the Sprinter but the NV makes up for that loss with a lot of other qualities. I like that it drives more like a suburban than a tall van. I like the seating options and the creature comforts that the NV offers over the Sprinter. (Ours was a custom refurb but none of it worked quite right. I’m sure a brand new Sprinter would have more “fancy” to it.) A few families I know that have bought newer Sprinters have been plagued by the high expense of repairs. Which was also our experience. Nissan has been easy to work with and has fixed everything for free under the warranty. Really helpful! Good luck on your search! Glad the review was helpful to you!
Thank you, Lora Lynn for your reply. Now that I have read all of this, we will definitely be looking at the NV. I have sons who are already 6 ft tall, so the height of the sprinter is very appealing. And, we drive ALOT. So, the gas mileage of the NV is not appealing at all. I only know one family with a sprinter and they love it. But it is newer, 2012 or 2013. I wonder if mercedes come a long way with the newer ones. We were about to make our purchase, but will definitely step back and reconsider the NV. Thank you all who have contributed information on this tread! It is most helpful.
We have been eyeing this van for months now. I love my odyssey, but 3 months from #6 and our oldest is 6 so not much car seat room. I always said the selling point for me would be if the second row (first passenger) could rear face. Is that correct? I think that is what I read that the first and last rows could rear face. Wanted to clarify, none of our Nissan dealers know if this is true. We live in Hawaii and have low inventory of these and the dealers are not well informed. Mahalo for your help!!
Has anyone set the van seating configuration for 9 including the driver (7 passengers behind the front seats)? If so, what does it look like…first, second third row.
I am surprised that even a few years after submission of your thorough review, your blog comes up in google searches top few results of the nv. We are a family of 10 and Honda no longer fits us. I drove the NV and loved it, but I am deathly afraid of the MPGs as this more than makes up for the slightly lower sticker price vs the sprinter. Have you tested specific gas mileage on your nissan? I am Leary. We were given the extended text drive of 2 full days with the nv and with our minimal driving burned thru half a tank of gas in a breeze. I had to put 10 bucks into the van just to return it. I am under the impression the nissan is getting 15 Max total mpg while the Sprinter achieves 22+. Would enjoy hearing more about your specific fuel consumption. Thanks!
Ben – We’ve actually been pretty happy with the MPG. We’re getting a consistent 18-20 on the highway, sometimes better. We have a lot of hills where we live, but we still hit at least 14 in town. When considering the cost difference between Sprinter and Nissan (and we’ve had both) you also have to factor in the cost of repairs. Sprinter parts are going to cost more and can quickly drain whatever savings you might accrue from better gas mileage. We also struggled finding someone who could work on the Sprinter, although that may be easier now. Just something to think on. Good luck!
LHudgens – I’ve not found anyone that can make it happen. It would be nice, but my understanding was that it was put in early marketing from the dealer and was later pulled.
Kelly – I don’t know of anyone who has made it happen. I think it was a mix-up with early marketing material.
Robin – While the head room was nice, the NV felt like a tighter fit to the road, not so top heavy, so I don’t miss it that much. I like that the NV drove more like an SUV, not a giant van that could tip over. We feel more secure in it and are willing to give up a bit of head room for that. Removing the head rests (since ours are still in car seats and short enough to do that) helped ease some of the feeling of “close quarters.” Remove them on just the seats you’re not using if all of your kids are tall. Enjoy whatever you pick!
Hello, I have read both of your posts about this van, and have found the information very helpful. The one question I have not been able to find answers to, though, is how many of the seats offer LATCH? We are expecting baby number six, and baby number two is still in a five point car seat. I do love that this van offers the seat belts that are on the individual seats, as that will make installation of car seats easier, safer, and less of a pain to deal with verses having them coming from the side of the vehicle (also love that the middle seats aren’t lap belt only!), but it would still be nice to know how many seats can use the LATCH, and which spots they are in. Thanks!
Just picked up our Nissan 12 passenger NV I’m Huntsville, too! Your blog abt this was very beneficial.
We were told our van is an SV but I think it’s an added-to S. No carpet (LOVE no carpet! It’s so easy to clean the floor!), no center console, no back up mirror. Sounds like an S, no?
Either way, we’re delighted with it and the kids (seven of them, 9 and under) are thrilled too!
That should say IN Huntsville. 🙂
We had bought our nv3500 passenger van and removed all the seats we placed a queen size bed in the back and shelving down the drivers side and started driving her as a escort vehical. This van has serpaased all expectations . My wife and I are on the road every day have hit alot of the country. And with this van have spent well needed time with my wife . I recomend this vehical to every one. Verry dependible and sharp. Verry safe . I will get another when it right.
Lora Lynn – i have the 12 SV v8. My only complaints is the ride (stiff, bumpy, makes 3-month old cry). Any recs on upgrading the suspension to soften this baby up a little?
Just wondering if you could give more info,on,facing the seats to the rear. Cannot find the how to’s online.
I want one of these so badly!! Sigh.
We have six and are adopting and I want more room than the suburban has.
Do you feel like the van gives more room per person?
Absolutely! There’s plenty of foot room and there’s a lot more flexibility of seating than with a suburban. I also like that there are headrests on every single seat. Best wishes on your adoption!
I’m a single dad of 4. My kids love to argue over space who sits were. I had 2 car accidents in 2 years wrote off a saburban and a gmc van. I looked at the NV test drove the V6 it was gutless. I drove the V8 i was in love. The salesman are paid by the hour by nissan is canada he was rude and did not care if he got my buisness my daughter bugged me to buy the 2013 Dodge grand caravan with the stow n go seating unfortunately I listened to my daughter and baught the caravan it was msrp $37,980 I paid $25,000 plus tax $30,000 stow n go waste of money. Size crap. Travel terable. One year later with only 29.000 km I want to trade in my caravan dealer offering me $14,000 I still owe $23,000 I found a guy selling his NV it’s to big for his wife he paid $59,000 V8 fully loaded owes $43,000 baught it January 2013 only 5000 km on it I baught it from him for $37,000 traded in my van to nissan for $14,000 got a good deal I’m happy out of the Dodge ragret letting the bad salesman distractions. In the end I lost $16,000 but saved $22,000 so it all worked out I’m happy my kids love it stay away from the caravan if you have boys that love to argue seperate them like I am in the nv makes life worth living I would like to know how to racers the seat can you make a youtube video of it and post a link here please we travel all over thus would help me allot thank you so much in advance go’s bless
I was wondering I have 4 boys and thinking we might have another baby is this to big if we only have the four? I love the look and I’m really interested in it but wanted to know from others point of views.
Kaylee – I’ve often thought it reminds me of a suburban. It would easily seat 7 and then you could remove the entire back row and have SO MUCH room to pack all the stuff. Because you know how much stuff there is to pack!! It also gives you the flexibility to haul extra people, which you will want as your kids get bigger!
cute kids and nice van
I love this van, we purchased one also, in Java. Ours is for our blended family of nine. I have realized that the seats don’t turn around. I have tried many times. Thanks for your blog post. Here’s my review for anyone who cares! 🙂
http://www.theblendeddavisfamily.com/2014/09/this-post-is-really-about-our-van.html
I have 6 children and absolutely love my 2002 Sienna and it’s 21 Mpg as well as how we fit and the back windows rolling down but at 140 k miles, I’m realistic that eventually I will need to replace it. I also have a frequent 10 hr drive from Oklahoma to Colorado that I make & the Sienna – isn’t fun for the kids
Can you prove a picture or details on how to reverse the second row? Thanks.
can you provide a picture or instructions on how to reverse the second row seat?
Joy- the dealer now claims that isn’t a feature. Sorry!
Just got a 2015 NV SL and tried reversing the seats – the grooves in the floor are narrower in the back than the front so there is no way to reverse them – not sure if they changed that from the older models, but at least on the 2015 it looks impossible to reverse. Other than that – I LOVE this thing!
Just wanted to check in now that you’ve had your van for a few years and see how it is for you? still no problems other than the door?
We are seriously considering this vehicle but are leary as it is still so new there isn’t a history to go off of. Has your gas mileage gone down at all over the years? We were wondering with it being such a heavy vehicle if it goes through brakes or any other equipment faster than other vehicles?
Thank you so much!
Sharon – We still love it! We haven’t had any complaints at all. Still highly recommend it.
We are in the market to replace our 9 passenger suburban and have been looking at the nissan nv and the sprinter too. We have 7 children and the suburban just doesn’t cut it for long road trips. It bugs me that the center seats don’t have head rests and the front center seat is so uncomfortable. What I do like is that it is a normal vehicle that doesn’t stand out on the road. The size and cost of the nv is what is making us hesitant. We can get a nice used suburban for thousands less than the nv…. So is it worth it? You article has given us lots to think about…
I have been thinking about getting a Sprinter conversion van and you to gave me some good advice! I really want a class B RV. I thought it would be useful because I foster children and homeschool my others and we are always on the road. Needless to say, I fell in love with the Nissan NV but I wasn’t sure if it was a good choice. I saw a review on youtube from a mom. I currently have six kids. 3 are adopted and 3 are fostered. We also keep in touch with previous children that we have fostered and we need space! We are renting a NV from the Nissan dealer here in GA for our trip to Disney next month and I am so excited! Thanks for the input! Enjoy your NV!
Thank you so much for this review! I had twins last year and we had to go to a full size van. This review swayed us towards an NV of our own. I just reviewed ours here – http://busymommymedia.com/nissan-nv-3500-review-from-a-family-of-8-with-video/
Thank you for your testimony. We first saw the NV 3500 in Orlando Fl a couple of years ago at a gas station and we were amazed. We had a suburban that we lost to bankruptcy but, now we are rebuilding and have our eyes set on the NV 3500. We were just about to settle for a Ford E350 van until we found your website. My wife said Keith we should not settle and to trust and believe God for the NV 3500. Thank you all again as I believe this was of God for us to see. With 7 children and 2 parents, I can fully see this is the vehicle for us. God Bless!!
We have a large family also. We have 5 boys and 2 girls. My husband is 6’4″ so there is a possibility that my children will be tall. Does this van have plenty of leg room?
Hi, we just purchased an NV passenger. And I love it! But we are having issues trying to get it added to our insurance. Did you have to get a commercial vehicle insurance on it!
Thank you,
Jenii Pena
For those who have had problems with the sliding door locks – don’t waste your time going to a dealer to get them fixed. Our nearest dealer didn’t know what the problem was, replaced several parts, and still didn’t solve the problem. The issue is that the contact pad on the door is not making full contact with the pad in the door frame. The contact pad in the door just needs to be moved out slightly, and this is done by inserting a washer onto the bolts. It is an incredibly easy fix that you can do yourself, and here’s how: https://dougcarla.wordpress.com/2015/06/20/how-to-fix-the-sliding-door-power-locks-on-a-nissan-nv-3500/
Jenii: I just bought a 2015 Passenger SL and had no problem insured it. I have GEICO and the funny thing is this van is cheaper to insure than my 2013 Mazda 3.
Any idea on where to have video monitors installed in this van? I am surprised this van is billed for large family but Nissan forgot to option DVDs for the little ones. I am researching the DVD option and would love to hear any ideas before our 700 miles trek to Disney this August.
This car is amazing. Seat for twelve people nearly seems to be impossible but it is here. Wonderful idea,seats can be removed or moved according to our comfort that’s great.
I keep hearing that you can turn some of the seats rear facing so that your kids can see each other and play while we’re driving. But I haven’t seen any photos of this. Is it possible or just a rumor getting me all excitedly? Thanks for your very useful review.
Not possible according to Nissan.
You _can_ turn the 2nd row seats to be rear-facing, and I’ve made a video detailing how to do it: https://youtu.be/3NmZ0z3isJI
I am looking into buying a van like this and was wondering if 4 booster seats fit across the back row??
Honestly, I don’t know. We have used Radian car seats/boosters which are the most narrow, but I’ve never tried four across the back.
Thanks so much for your thorough review and also for answering the questions in the comments even years later. I love that big families have a “cooler” option for travel now. We’re on the hunt for a used one and are now between a 2012 and a 2014 (with high mileage.) Are there any differences in the first year model and later ones? My mechanic daddy always warned against a first year model of anything!
I haven’t had a need to look into the newer models but some friends who bought recently had a few more fancy options. I don’t think they’ve done a major overhaul of it, though. It’s pretty wonderful as is!
My wife and I are retired and wanted something safe to travel in so we checked out the NV 3500. I have been driving a Chevrolet for 46 years and thought I would never own anything else, was I I wrong. We have the V-8 ( which I think gets good gas mileage) and it is quiet and is very smooth driving. All of our friends can’t understand why we bought such a large vehicle but we love it.
How many of the LATCH are there? We’re debating between this and the Ford Transit-350 XLT, but the Ford has 3 of the LATCH systems available and if the NVP has 4 then it would be even better for us.
We have 8 kids, 4 are teens and the younger 4 range from newborn to kindergarten so we’d be lugging around 4 car seats (2 HBB and 2 convertible car seats).
Oh and I really enjoyed reading your review and updates.
There’s 4.
Thanks for posting info regarding your Nissan van. Are you still happy with your purchase? Do the seats (in the rear) recline?
Todd
Todd – Nope, they don’t recline. But yes, we still LOVE the van!
Wow, years later this is still coming up at the top of Google search when looking for a review of this van! Questions: I live in North Idaho and the big van of choice seems to be a Sprinter because it has all wheel drive/front wheel drive options and we have lots of snow, ice and mountain driving. Does ANYONE drive this Nissan SV with its rear wheel drive in areas like mine and love it? I don’t much like the Sprinter and would rather get one of these NVs… but I also need it to be super safe on the icy mountain roads. Make me want to buy it….
I remember reading this review when looking at the NV cargo van my families business and have to say it is the nicest van I have used. I am now thinking about one for family car and would like to know if the four seats form the back row can go in the front one or two row.
No, they can’t. Only the back row can hold four across.
Sarah – you can get a 4×4 conversion done by Advanced 4×4 in Salt Lake City http://advanced4x4vans.com/4×4-van/nissan-4×4-van-conversion/ . It costs about $10k which will still cost less than a 4×4 Sprinter. You can have it delivered directly to their shop from Nissan but still purchase through your local dealer (drop ship).
I don’t have one myself (yet), I’m still driving a sprinter but will be switching to an NV rather than a 4×4 Sprinter when we make a change.
Hi, I’m debating whether to get the V6 or V8 engine. Can anyone please comment about gas mileage?
We do not tow. Just mostly highway driving.
I’ve read on other sites some people saying that the V8’s are getting better gas mileage even though Nissan says the V6’s should be.