I don't think the Nissan was made for highway use as it doesn't seem to be using the engine effectively at highway speeds. I was told their target for the vehicle were the tradesman who used it for thing in an urban market, with the intent to go after the transit connect market.
As for "our" vans, the ignorant companies like GM and Ford seem to think that they are running the market, GM has made one nice comment that the sprinter is pretty much dead in the water because they have no brand while Ford keeps saying the Econoline will be made until 2016 or so and the transit will be here by then. BUT I heard the transit thing a few times before with different dates. Ford can do well with it here, but I think it is the same halfa** backwards thinking that prevents them from bring the Mexican built Fiesta with the diesel into this market.