Nissan CABSTAR VAN RANGE
In Its Latest Form, Nissans Cabstar Flat Bed Truck Is A Better Product For A Number Of Reasons. Steve Walker Reports
What did the E in Nissans original Cabstar E flat bed truck actually stand for? Energetic? Probably not, speed is not the be all or the end all with this type of vehicle. Put your foot to the floor and the only thing going by in a blur will be the other cars overtaking you. Could it be elegant? Doubtful, theres no room for flowing lines or fancy detailing in a truck designed to do a job rather than look the part. What about effective? Now were getting somewhere.
The first generation Cabstar E proved massively popular simply because it did exactly what thousands of UK businesses needed it to do. It moved dirty, heavy, abrasive loads on short trips from point to point and it did so reliably and efficiently. Plucked from the ether or endowed with some hidden meaning, the E is now academic. Todays Cabstar does without its enigmatic suffix but crucially it retains the overriding qualities of its predecessor.
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On the surface, little has changed with the Cabstar. The previous version, itself a progression from the models that had gone before, was around from the year 2000 and the main visual difference between it and the latest Cabstar is the grille. Now featuring stubbier in-take slats and a larger
Nissan badge, the current Cabstars nose still looks only marginally different. Its in keeping with the vehicles no-nonsense persona that this models exterior does so little to shout about the far-reaching changes that have gone on beneath.
The engine bay is now populated by one of two 3.0-litre turbo diesel units - theyre known as 3.0T and 3.0Ti.
The first delivers 105bhp to outstrip the 90bhp that was available from the old 2.7-litre engine that has been discontinued. The second and range-topping option, the 3.0Ti, pumps out 125bhp 5bhp more than the old 3.
0-litre diesel in the Cabstar E. These outputs may sound low for a vehicle capable of hauling well over 1.5 tonnes, especially when diesel family saloons routinely pack over 130bhp and rarely carry more than 2.5 children.
Its the way that the Cabstar delivers its power that is key here, though.
"This is a very specialised vehicle, excelling in the type of taxing job for which it was designed"
The engines are designed to produce their full force of torque from exceedingly low in the rev range. This means that a fully laden Cabstar can move smartly away from standstill and negotiate steep inclines without the need for a run-up. These power dynamics do mean that top speed and 0-60mph acceleration figures look fairly pedestrian but the vehicle is brisk enough up to 30mph and thats all most operators need for the kind of pick-up and drop-off urban journeys that Cabstars typically undertake. The Cabstar is available in three wheelbases each with a number of cab and bodystyle options.
The short wheelbase derivatives all share a 3400kg GVW and are powered by the 105bhp engine while the larger models weigh-in at 3500kg and get 125bhp power to help shift the extra weight. This sheds light on the naming system, which sees the short wheelbase 105bhp models snappily titled 34.10 and the big boys in the range referred to as 35.13.
Its all as clear as the tonne of topsoil you might be inclined to put in the back. The long and medium wheelbase models afford the greatest degree of choice when it comes to Cabstar bodystyles. Theres the single tilt cab or a double cab with an extra row of seating accommodation behind the driver and front passenger seats. Further to this, the loadbay can be obtained in dropside or tipper form and theres also the bare-bones chassis cab that comes ready and waiting to take more specialist modifications.
The short wheelbase models are offered with any of the three loadbay options but up front its a case of single fixed cab only. A repositioning of the rear axle on these smaller models has meant that the payload capacities are up by between 70 and 80kg with the dropside now managing 1,492kg all in. Further up the range capacities are much as they were and that means maximum payloads ranging up to 1,900kg. Its the suspension that represents the biggest area of improvement for the current Cabstar over its forerunners.
At the front, theres an all-new independent set-up that helps in various ways. Vehicles of this type always have the tightest of tight turning circles by virtue of their forward control set-up (driving position forward of the front wheels) but the Cabstars revised underpinnings tighten things that little bit further (by between 7 and 3.5%, depending on which model you choose). The wheelbase is wider at the front now too, creating greater stability and better road-holding, meanwhile the ride and handling have also been brought on a stage.
Smoothness and refinement are never going to be strong points of this kind of truck, so dont expect miracles but any damping of the juddering ride and seesaw pitching must be warmly welcomed. The inside of a Nissan Cabstar needs to be tough enough to stand up to years of rigorous use and abuse. Looking around the cab, theres certainly nothing that looks likely to wilt under the strain. The controls are simple and sturdy, while the carpets and
seat trim have been upgraded to good effect.
Of more immediate importance to music loving buyers will be the presence of a CD player on the standard equipment list. Safety concerns have not been overlooked with a drivers airbag and ABS brakes appearing as standard and better crash protection added to forward areas. The Nissan Cabstar must fight for sales directly against the likes of Mitsubishis Canter and Toyotas Dyna. There are flat-bed conversions of standard panel vans for businesses to consider but those vehicles generally dont offer the manoeuvrability and payload capacity of the Cabstar and its ilk.
This is a very specialised vehicle, excelling in the type of taxing job for which it was designed but falling short of mainstream alternatives in some other areas. There are numerous businesses out there that need a rugged workhorse for regular short trips, usually around town and with heavy loads on board. The Cabstar fulfils this role perfectly and the current model does a decent job of improving driver comfort to make infrequent longer journeys bearable.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
VEHICLE: Nissan Cabstar range
PRICES: £12,975-£19,335 ENGINE: 105bhp 3.0T / 125bhp 3.0Ti turbo diesels GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT: 3,400kg 3,500kg MAXIMUM PAYLOAD 1,380kg 1,905kg
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