Nissan’s new ute is civilised in town and capable on dirt

VALUE

Australians love the promise of adventure offered by high-end utes and are happy to pay handsomely for it.

Priced from $69,990 plus on-road costs (about $78,000 drive-away) in automatic trim, Nissan’s Navara Pro-4X Warrior is not a cheap car by any stretch. But it is significantly cheaper than Ford’s Ranger Raptor.

A follow-up act to the limited edition Navara N-Trek Warrior, the new model is based on the updated “Pro-4X” model with a better interior and improved safety gear. Warrior fans considering an upgrade will be drawn to the new version’s winch-compatible front bar and upgraded payload. High-riding suspension, tough looks and all-terrain tyres make an imposing first impression. The cabin’s 8-inch touchscreen has a 360-degree camera and smartphone mirroring, but its low-resolution displays feel dated alongside segment leaders.

COMFORT

The need to balance ride comfort and roadholding with the ability to tow heavy loads and carry the best part of a tonne in the tray makes fine-tuning the suspension in dual-cab utes a nightmare.

Nissan Australia turned to Australian outfit Premcar to do the work, tapping into local engineering know-how from experienced folks who understand what customers want from their ute. The result is a machine that’s not only more capable off-road than the regular Navara, but more comfortable on the road.

That said, there is still room for improvement. The Navara’s seats aren’t particularly supportive, there is no reach adjustment (or shift paddles) on the steering wheel and all-terrain Cooper tyres are noisier than regular rubber.