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Model: Cabstar single cab & double cab
Page 49
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Tester's impressinst Another single/double cab double act. Nissan's Cabsta. has undergone substantial changes in the driveline department. Gone are the dogleg first gearbox and the old 2.7-litre/90hp engine; in their place are a traditional layout five-speed transmission and three-iitre/105hp unit. Torque increases are even more impressive up almost 20% to 272Nm and with service intervals extended to 12,000-miles. Independent front suspension and a lengthened wheelbase contribute to a ride improved out of all recognition. The overall
gearing is low enough for unladen starts to easily be made in second gear.
The story is not as positive in the passenger department as the old forward control cab has been carried over. The cab is very square and dated, as is the dashboard layout. As the occupants sit on the engine, noise penetration is higher than in the competition, as is wind noise.
Interior comfort is not helped by a seating/steering column arrangement that leaves shorter drivers feeling cramped, or by the juxtaposition of the umbrella handbrake and the engine-over mounted gear lever. The latter also impinges on the centre seat, best utilised by folding the back down to expose the document table and twin cuphoiders. This is set to change later next year or early the following year when a new cab is due.
The Tipmaster body is a good, competent and workmanlike piece of engineering that did not rattle or bang when unladen. Its twin-hinged (top and bottom) tailgate is easy to use. The electrically-driven hydraulic pump, ram and fluid reservoir are installed beneath the floor. A four-stage ram means it does not reduce ground clearance of the base vehicle.
The double-cab Cabstar seats five passengers and its rear bench folds up to provide plenty of storage space. Though there is ample space in the rear for passengers, the front of the cab is a rather cramped affair. Access is also a squeeze for the driver with the dash inhibiting legroom.