New improved Nissan Navara
spring rate that provides a comfortable ride in unladen and light payload conditions, and allows higher payload to be carried without compromise in posture or ride and handling quality.
Within this updated rear suspension, Nissan has incorporated the dynamic rebound damper. When laden, the damper is designed to contact the chassis rail, which causes the damper to compress and the resistance to increase — reducing lateral body movement and improving the Navara’s handling and stability.
Nissan has also responded to criticism of the steering on the Navara.
In a series of steering adjustments on Dual Cab SL, ST and ST-X models, the steering ratio has been improved from 21.5:1 to a lower 19.0:1. This means the steering wheel is turned less to get the angle, or the degree of turn, from the wheels.
In addition, the linear steering ratio has increased from 44mm/rev to 49mm/rev, so that each time the steering wheel has turned one full revolution the tie-rod moves 49mm, and the lock-to-lock ratio — the num- ber of turns it takes to rotate the wheels from left to right or vice versa — has reduced from 4.1 to 3.4. Combined, this has enhanced the Navara’s manoeuvrability, making it easier and more enjoyable to drive.
In further changes, the 2018 Navara also features an assortment of new safety and technology updates including a second row ISOFix child seat mounting points (on all Dual Cab grades), and the expanded availability of Rear View Cameras (on all Pickup variants) and satellite navigation (added to King Cab ST).
Helping ute owners keep an eye on their speed, from June all Navara SL, ST and ST-X models will feature a digital speedometer in the instrument cluster.
Additional (and the re-positioning of) tie-down hook points will make it easier to pack equipment in the rear of the Navara. On RX, SL and ST Pickup grades, tie-down hook positions have been lowered, while on STX grades with Utili-track, there are four additional tie-down hooks lower within the tub.
Two ISOFix child seat mounting points have been added to the outer rear seats on all Dual Cab grades, and satellite navigation has been fitted as standard equipment on the King Cab ST grade, aligning with its Dual Cab sibling.
New Zealand Navara models will continue to be powered by either a 2.3 litre inter-cooled twin-turbo diesel engine that boasts 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque, or a singleturbo diesel engine delivering 120kW of power and 403Nm of torque.
There are the options of a sixspeed manual gearbox or a sevenspeed automatic transmission which has a manual mode.