Is This a Second-Generation Nissan NV200 Compact Passenger Van? [UPDATE: It's a Serena!]

It’s Spy Shot Weekend at TTAC. In addition to the Chinese metal driving around Ann Arbor we published yesterday, here are images of what could be a next-generation Nissan NV200 Compact Passenger van plying the highways of California by way of eagle-eyed TTAC reader Felix.

The current NV200 van is only available in cargo van or Taxi of Tomorrow guises. The latter landed the City of New York in a lengthy legal battle.

The van in the photos has all the hallmarks of being a Nissan prototype, including similar camo to that used on other Nissan models, explained spy photographer Brian Williams in an email.

According to reader and photo submitter Felix, the two vans passed him this morning as he drove westbound on I-80 near Vacaville, California, which is about halfway between Sacramento and San Francisco. Nissan has a Silicon Valley research facility located just an hour-and-a-half south of Vacaville.

Not much in shown in the shots, which Felix pulled from dash cam footage. However, larger side glass and a possible Hoffmeister kink (because sportsvan!) could be in the cards for Nissan’s smallest commercial vehicle. The next NV200 will likely be powered by the same drivetrain it uses currently — a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable transmissions that pushes power to the front wheels.

Update: TTAC reader astoncfw said it’s a Nissan Serena, which isn’t sold in the North American market. Comparing photos of the Serena with the spy shots, it looks like a solid match.

In overseas markets, the Serena is sold as a hybrid with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmission. Nissan claims its the only hybrid van sold in Malaysia.

Sill, what’s it doing in California?

[Images: © 2016 The Truth About Cars]