Since its launch late last year, Nissan’s NV200 has made quite a splash in the LCV market.

Sales targets have been smashed in half the expected time and multiple honours have followed – including the prestigious International Van of the Year 2010 award.

And now Nissan has widened the van’s appeal with the launch of the five or seven-seat Combi version.

Based on the same floorplan, it is aimed at companies which need to move people around instead of goods and is available in three trim levels – S, SE and SE Plus.

Prices start at £13,200 ex-VAT for the S, which includes ABS, EBD, and driver and passenger airbags.

SE grade Combis start from £14,300 ex-VAT and add alloy wheels, body-coloured bumpers, air conditioning and a reversing camera.

The Combi SE Plus – at £14,750 ex-VAT – adds ESP and side airbags to the standard equipment list.

A third row of seats can be fitted to both the SE and SE Plus models taking the total potential passenger count to seven.

All models are powered by the familiar Renault 1.5 dCi engine, which produces 85bhp at 3,750bhp and 147lb-ft of torque at 2,000rpm.

It offers combined fuel economy of 53.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 139g/km.

The Combi provides luggage space of 2.3 cubic metres with five seats in use, or 0.87 cu m with seven seats in position – still large enough to accomodate two suitcases.

Access to the rear seats is through twin sliding doors on all models, with a pair of twin rear doors at the rear. A top-hinged tailgate is optionally available.

Nissan expects the Combi to provide 10% of total NV200 registrations – which, based on the manufacturer’s expectations, could be up to 200 this year and 300 in 2011.

Since launch, NV200 sales reached Nissan’s four-month target of 390 vehicles in just two months.