2008 NISSAN NP300 Pickup King Cab 2.5L dCi 5MT (133 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Nissan was already a big name in the pickup-segment around the world. For Europe and the U.K., it introduced the NP300 in 1997, which was upgraded continuously until 2007.

In 2007, Nissan introduced the latest evolution on the D22 series of its pickup. It was built mostly for work. For leisure and private use, it already introduced the D40 series in 2004. There was still a high demand for dedicated, simple, off-road utility vehicles that shouldn’t have cost an arm and a leg, and for that, the D22-based Nissan pickup was a great deal. The Japanese carmaker offered it in a few body shapes, including the King Cab version.

At the front, the D22 featured an updated fascia with clear headlights and a black plastic bumper. A black hood-scoop provided additional air for the intercooler. It wasn’t there only for design purposes. One version was the King Cab, which was the middle road between a 2-seat and a proper 5-seat vehicle. Its cabin was longer than the 2-door and the 4-door version, with a pair of rear-hinged rear doors.

Inside, it offered room for four occupants, with jumpseats in the back, but mostly for temporary use. Those could have been called torture seats on a long road due to lack of legroom and their low height. The extended cabin meant that the seats featured a longer travel front and back for the front passengers, very appreciated by taller occupants.

Under the hood, Nissan installed a 2.5-liter turbodiesel engine in the NP300. The only available transmission was a 5-speed manual. Unlike its main rival, the Toyota Hi-Lux, the D22 featured a 4×4 system with a transfer box and a low-range gear.