Nissan South Africa's smallest bakkie, the NP200, posted record sales and a substantial market share in January.

The recently expanded  NP200 range found favour with a record number of South African buyers last month, with the competitively priced entry level 1.6 Base being the most appealing for new owners. At a time when the 0.5ton LCV segment has seen the demise of a stalwart and the introduction of an all-new competitor, the NP200 has finally broken into an 81-month sales stronghold held by its closest rival — becoming the number one seller in January by a substantial margin with 1506 units.

The high January volumes have translated into a mammoth 45.1 percent market share for Nissan in the sub-1ton LCV segment - the first time the brand has enjoyed majority market share since November 2001, in the hey-day of the well-known Nissan 1400 bakkie, which sold a 275 000 units in SA after nearly 40 years on sale.

The Nissan NP200 is available in seven different model guises, with a choice of petrol or diesel power. With a payload of 800kg and a deep load box (some 535mm), the Nissan NP200 is practical and builds on the solid reputation left by the Nissan 1400 Bakkie. Built locally at the company's Rosslyn plant in Pretoria, it's no surprise that the NP200 has found such a soft spot in the hearts and minds of South African buyers.

The range starts off with the 1.6 Base (at R115 300) and ends with the 1.5 dCi High (at R188 100), and all models benefit from a class-leading six-year or 150 000km warranty.