Nissan’s new Navara has only just arrived on our shores and it has already bagged two international awards. We hitched a caravan and set off to see what the excitement is about.
Nissan’s new Navara has only just arrived on our shores and it has already bagged two international awards. We hitched a caravan and set off to see what the excitement is about.
In the highly competitive double cab bakkie market, manufacturers have to sleep with one eye open to make sure they offer customers a wide variety. That includes a wide range of engines – from powerful 2 ℓ diesel engines to thirstier and equally powerful 4 ℓ V6 petrol engines. Unlike a decade or so ago, these days diesel engines are all the rage. And that’s perfect for towers, because these engines not only have more towing power, they’re also more economical. The new Navara has three engine choices, with only one of these available in South Africa: the 2,3 ℓ diesel, which lies between the 2,5 ℓ petrol and the 2,5 ℓ diesel engines.
What really matters
Because there’s only one engine choice available, you won’t have sleepless nights worrying about choosing the right one. That also applies to the final drive: All three of the new models are 4x4. The 4x2 models will be available locally by the end of the year. Two of the models have manual transmissions and the top model an automatic transmission. You’ll have to cough up more than half a million for any of the three, but none of them are afraid to tow. In fact, the
If I was in the market for a double cab bakkie, I’d definitely consider the new Navara.
towing capacity for all three is fixed at 3,5 t. This means you can hitch some of the heaviest caravans on the market. You should, however, look at the tare weight to see exactly how much you’re allowed to tow. All three weigh pretty much the same (1 866–1881 kg), which means you can tow most caravans or trailers. Nissan even managed to tap more torque out of the 2,3 ℓ engine – better than other manufacturers’ slightly bigger engines. The Navara boasts an impressive 450 Nm, trumping the Hilux’s 2.4 GD engine with 50 Nm, and is a full 130 Nm stronger than the Isuzu KB250 D-TEQ. One of the reasons for this remarkable amount of power is two separate yet synchronised turbochargers. Even before the engine starts gaining momentum you have 450 Nm at 1 500 rpm. That means you won’t struggle to pull away – not even with a caravan on the tow bar. The smaller turbo does its job with high pressure and