Nissan has been making the NV full-size vans for several years, but they come with rear-wheel-drive only from the4 factory. One dealer Utah decided to take matters into their own hands and build a big 4×4 Van that you can take on your next overland trip.
Nissan NV 4×4
The NV 2500 and 3500 vans use a chassis that is largely shared with the Nissan Titan pickup truck. It means the dealer was able to use Titan XD 4WD parts (transfer case, front differential, drive shafts, and more) and install them on this NV 3500 passenger van. You have a full-size four wheel drive van with Nissan components – all the way to the 4Hi/4Lo shift knob on the inside.
However, this transformation did not end there. This van is riding on a 6-inch lift from Rough Country. The 20-inch wheels are wrapped in 35-inch Nitto Trail Grappler tires. Up front is a winch-ready off-road bumper by Avatar. There are also steel side steps to help people climb into and out of this behemoth.
On top is a custom built rack that houses a roof-top tent, portable shower, cooler, cans, and whatever else you want to put up there.
Under the hood is a familiar 5.6-liter V8 that is rated at 375 hp and 387 lb-ft of torque. This is a slightly detuned version of the engine that is in the Titan truck. The engine is mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission.
The van is still rated to tow around 8,700 lbs (passenger van version), but it does not come with a trailer brake controller from the factory.
The NV 4×4 can be had with several levels of suspension. There is a lower cost option to retain level factory height. You can ask for an optional 3-inch lift, or a big 6-inch lift that you see on this van.
Because the Salt Lake Nissan dealership is using Nissan components, they haver been able to get factory approval for this conversion. It means that the factory warranty remains intact.
A base Nissan NV 3500 two-wheel-drive passenger van starts around $42,000. The fully optioned van you see here comes in at around $83,000. However, you do not have to get the big lift or other many other parts and accessories to bring the price significantly down.
We have a first drive video review of this lifted overland machine coming up soon. Please stay tuned.
