The Nissan Elgrand is Nissan's big people carrier for Japan, and it has been coming to the UK for years as a family bus, a camper base and an alternative to the Toyota Alphard. Most of the questions are the same ones: which generation to buy, what to look for, and whether it needs an IVA test or an MOT. The route is the same as for any car from Japan.
- Body
- Large people carrier, 7 or 8 seats
- Shipping from Japan
- From £3,575, shipping only
- Typical journey
- About 5 to 8 weeks
- Test
- IVA under 10 years, MOT over
Three generations
Elgrands that come to the UK fall into three families. All are right-hand drive from the factory, as Japan drives on the left like we do, and four-wheel drive was offered alongside the two-wheel-drive versions.
| Feature | E50 | E51 | E52 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built | 1997 to 2002 | 2002 to 2010 | 2010 onwards |
| In brief | The original, rear-wheel drive based, V6 petrol or turbodiesel | Rounder and more refined, V6 petrol only | Lower and front-wheel drive based, more car-like to drive |
| UK test | MOT | MOT | MOT or IVA, check the date |
| Import tax | 10% duty + 20% VAT | 10% duty + 20% VAT | 10% duty + 20% VAT |
The E50 is the one most often turned into a camper, being tall, roomy and cheap to buy. The E51 is the more comfortable family choice. The E52 drives more like a big car than a van, and the later ones are young enough to need an IVA test.
What to check before you buy
Rust comes first. Many Elgrands spent their lives in snowy parts of Japan where the roads are salted, and a four-wheel-drive one may well have been bought for exactly that. The electrics come second: power sliding doors, electric seats and the screens all add up if they fail.
Before you pay a deposit
0 of 10 done
Our guide to Japanese auction grades explains how to read the sheet, and the Japanese export certificate guide covers the one document every car from Japan needs. Expect the sat nav and any screens to be in Japanese and the radio to be set for Japanese FM frequencies. Many owners fit a band expander or a new head unit, and it does not affect the test.
The test depends on age
The age of the Elgrand decides most of the work. GOV.UK exempts cars over 10 years old from vehicle approval, so they take an MOT instead of an IVA test.
| Age of the Elgrand | What it needs |
|---|---|
| Under 10 years | An IVA test, and a speedometer reading in mph |
| Over 10 years | An MOT, with a rear fog light if one is not fitted |
Every E50 and E51 is well past 10, and so are the early E52s. An E52 built after October 2016 is still under 10 years old, so it takes an IVA test and its speedometer has to be converted to mph. We do that conversion in-house.
Looking at a later E52? Check the build date with us before you buy. A few months either side of the 10-year line changes the test it takes and whether the speedo needs converting.
Campers and conversions
Plenty of Elgrands have been fitted out for camping, with beds, storage and sometimes a cooker. If yours has proper living space, it may be registered as a motor caravan rather than a plain people carrier. The DVSA expects seats and a table, somewhere to sleep, cooking facilities and storage. A fold-flat bed on its own is not enough.
GOV.UK notes that the body type on the V5C does not change your insurance category, so tell your insurer about the conversion whichever way it is registered. Our guide to importing a van explains the motor caravan rules, and the Mazda Bongo Friendee and Mitsubishi Delica guides cover two other favourite Japanese campers.
ULEZ and clean air zones
London's ULEZ and the charging Clean Air Zones want Euro 4 on a petrol and Euro 6 on a diesel. An E50 diesel was never built to Euro 6, so it will be charged. A petrol Elgrand needs evidence of its Euro standard, and for a Japanese import with no Euro standard on record that can take some work, especially on an older one. If you live or drive in one of these zones, check before you buy. Our guide to ULEZ and imported cars explains how it works.
Shipping an Elgrand
From Japan, RoRo is the usual route and costs less than a container. The vehicle has to run and drive, and it should be empty, with no belongings or loose parts inside. That includes camping gear, so pack it separately or leave it behind. If the Elgrand does not run, a container is the answer.
As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from Japan starts from £3,575, shipping only. A big people carrier takes more room than a small hatchback, so give us the exact model and any roof fittings when you ask for a quote. Door to door, the journey is usually about 5 to 8 weeks. If you bought at auction, the auction agent usually arranges the trip to the port.
Import tax
An Elgrand from Japan pays 10% import duty and 20% import VAT, worked out on the price plus the shipping, with the VAT charged on top of the duty. The first E50s date from 1997, so none is old enough yet for the 30-year classic rate.
If you are moving to the UK, have lived abroad for at least 12 months and have owned the Elgrand for at least 6, Transfer of Residence can bring it in with no VAT or duty. The import tax calculator runs your own numbers, and our cost of importing from Japan guide works through a full example.
UK changes and vehicle tax
Because the Elgrand is right-hand drive, the list is short. Any vehicle without a rear fog light needs one fitted in the right position, and one under 10 years old needs its speedometer in mph. Japanese vehicles are no longer checked for headlight compliance, which keeps the work down.
We run one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain, so a later E52 is tested on our own lane in Castle Donington. Our dealer-level DVLA account then lets us register it within 10 working days. Vehicle tax depends on when it was first registered, counting the date in Japan. An Elgrand first registered before 1 March 2001 is taxed on engine size, and later ones on CO2 where there is an accepted figure. Our guide to road tax for imported cars has the detail.
Questions people ask
Can I import a Nissan Elgrand to the UK?
Yes. An Elgrand follows the same route as any car from Japan: shipping, customs, a rear fog light if needed, an MOT or IVA test depending on age, then DVLA registration.
Does an Elgrand need an IVA test?
Only if it is under 10 years old, which means an E52 built after October 2016. Every E50, E51 and earlier E52 takes an MOT instead.
How much tax will I pay on an Elgrand?
Usually 10% duty and 20% VAT on the price plus shipping. No Elgrand is old enough yet for the 30-year classic rate. Transfer of Residence can make it nil if you are moving to the UK and qualify.
Is an Elgrand ULEZ compliant?
An E50 diesel is not, as it does not meet Euro 6. A petrol one needs evidence of Euro 4, which can be hard to show for an older Japanese import. Check before you buy if you drive in London or a charging Clean Air Zone.
Can I register an Elgrand camper as a motorhome?
If it has proper living accommodation, with seats and a table, a bed, cooking facilities and storage, it may be registered as a motor caravan. GOV.UK says the V5C body type does not change your insurance category, so tell your insurer about the conversion either way.
Found an Elgrand you like? Send us the listing or auction lot on the quote form and we will price the whole job.
