A BRAWN CHARMER
Love is in the air for Nissan’s macho ute
Not just a regular Nissan Navara with flashy stick-on bits, the N-Trek Warrior has been re-engineered in Australia with off-road specific suspension, body parts and protection.
Feeding our hunger for ever beefier (and pricier) one-tonne utes, the Warrior joins Ford’s Ranger Raptor and Toyota’s HiLux Rugged X as brawny range-toppers costing well north of $60,000. Is the muscular Navara fit for everyday purpose? Our family of testers don the truckers’ caps to find out.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
JULES: N-Trek Warrior? Do men really think having a ute named like a Transformer will give them Alpha Male superpowers?
IAIN: Dare you suggest ute names like Raptor, Gladiator, Sportscat, Boss and Rugged X are not gender neutral?
JULES: I get that these tough, off-road-ready utes are targeting the Boys’ Club, but where’s the female equivalent? Are we to get the BMW X3 Diamante Edition? The Fiat 500 Sparkly Unicorn?
IAIN: Back in the 1970s there was the Austin Princess. That’s pretty girly. Anyway, what do you think of Nissan’s gym junkie?
JULES: I’m not immune to its shirtless Hugh
Jackman charms. Orange for the side steps, bumper and mirrors add required colour, the black rims and massive wheel arches are tough as nails, but it has a goofy chin.
IAIN: Melbourne company Premcar ditched the Navara’s plastic front bumper and replaced it with a hoopless body coloured steel bullbar, complete with 470mm LED light bar and 3mm stainless steel bash plate underneath.
JULES: Most importantly, it has stickers.
IAIN: Yep. Massive Navara decal for the tailgate, and rugged, mountainous decals for the side. It shouts “twin turbo” on the front door. Even so, the engine’s the same as a normal Navara: a twin-turbo 2.3-litre four-cylinder diesel.
JULES: Lots of black bits equals tough style. And it’s massive.
IAIN: Its 17-inch alloys with 32.2-inch Cooper allterrain tyres work with revised off-road springs and dampers to give a 40mm lift. Imposing.
THE LIVING SPACE
JULES: Dark orange inserts and stitching for the leather seats looks good.
IAIN: Another win is an 8-inch screen running Apple CarPlay/Android Auto; this desirable tech is absent in most Nissans. Loads of storage for phones and everyday kit shows it’s been well thought out.
JULES: You say it costs $65,000 though? It still feels like a plastic-packed work ute.
IAIN: Nissan’s tried to glam it up with piano black trim, but the doors and dashboard are big wads of plastic fantastic.
JULES: I guess the money’s gone on hardcore off-road stuff.
THE COMMUTE
IAIN: Utes don’t make ideal commuting companions at the best of times. With the Warrior being lifted and on all-terrain tyres, vibrations at highway speeds aren’t pleasant.
JULES: Rear visibility’s not great, and the engine’s noisy when pushed.
IAIN: The same 140kW/450Nm engine as used in all Navaras remains, but it has to shift the Warrior’s extra 193kg. It shoots off the mark well with those two turbos, but runs out of guts. The Ranger Raptor and V6 utes would school it.
JULES: In town its size is a pain, but the ride’s quite good. Not as spongy as most utes.
IAIN: The suspension modifications are impressive. Cornering with no load in the tub felt solid for a ute, although on wet asphalt those knobbly tyres test your faith on roundabouts.
THE SHOPPING
JULES: People get out of your way in Coles’ carpark! The Warrior could drive over a little hatchback.
IAIN: No lockable hardcover for the Warrior’s tub, unlike, say, a Holden Colorado Z71. I like those for security when stuff’s in the back.
JULES: Shopping had to go in the back seats to prevent it rolling around. Not great with kids on board.
IAIN: Its 360-degree camera was welcome. With towbar fitted, and the Warrior’s length, parking nudges need preventing.
SUNDAY RUN
JULES: A Warrior’s amphitheatre is the wilds, and I’m blown away with its talents.
IAIN: Agreed. We gave it a serious off-road test.
Giant ruts in the baked-hard sand and mud tracks were cleared thanks to the excellent 268mm ground clearance: 40mm over standard. Those off-road tyres proved their worth too. Incredible grip, even in deep, sinking wet mud.
JULES: I was certain it would get stuck. But in low range, it’s all too easy. How can it walk over such terrain?
IAIN: The chassis setup is superb. This is a proper off-road tool and it’ll tow 3500kg. All I’d ask for is a bit more steering feel, it’s pretty lifeless on- and off-road.
THE FAMILY
JULES: Kids don’t care about everyday practical, all they see is a tough-as-nails truck. They loved it.
IAIN: Really good rear space for them, plus air vents. Not so family-friendly is the basic safety. No auto emergency braking, blind-spot monitor or rear cross-traffic alert. This is standard on many high-end ute rivals.
JULES: That’s enough to put a caring mum off. Bikes and surfboards were easy to sling in the tub, and the kids enjoyed the electric sliding rear window. But $65K is not great for the family budget.
IAIN: It’s $7000 more than a normal Navara NTrek. Plus our fuel use was 9.2L/100km, so diesel bills rack up.
THE VERDICT
JULES: Possibly the least feminine vehicle I’ve ever driven, but it’s easy to love this Warrior. It’s fit for purpose, tough as old boots and every other road user gets out of your way. If I was a cashed up single bloke, it’d be on my shortlist.
IAIN: The price won’t concern those shopping for such vehicles — it’s a bargain next to the $85,500 to drive away a Ford Ranger Raptor. The Warrior won’t trouble the Raptor’s King of the Lifestyle Ute crown, but the Nissan’s a commendable Aussie-modified special totally fit for purpose.