Navara utes pass muster in WA
Nissan NZ flew NZ Company Vehicle Editor Sean Willmot to Perth to try the latest NP300 Navara off-road.
It seemed a lit tle odd to head all the way to Perth for a bash around the bush in the already upgraded Nissan Navara, but this was a Limited Edition line ( with AirPoints attached) so we went anyway.
Our first day with the limited edition ‘Black’ Navaras and the regular ST-X models was spent mostly on the seal of the Maybegunnagethere highway, with some dust gathering on the B roads or as the Kiwis called ‘em, the ‘Aussie Expressways.’
The dual stage spring rears of the unladen Navaras worked spectacularly well on these dirty and dusty trails.
Channelling their inner Crocodile Dundees, the Aussies were keen to ‘go bush…’ which was the equivalent of a day out in Auckland’s Woodhill Forest.
Taking double cab utes along walking trails and through cutty grass was an awe- inspiring prospect for the Aussies – real Paul Hogan-t ype stuff. For the Kiwis, yeah, not so much.
We encountered a few stream crossings which – unlike our gentle entry and egress variants with nice, soft sand or at worst, clay – concealed some bloody great rocks, which bit into more than one Navara’s sacrificial step-guards ( er, I think you mean ‘Rock-Sliders,’ there Sean! Ed).
Mmmm, lunch!
We parked up for lunch at a historic mine site decorated with undefinable metal things with newly erected signs – which possums or possibly wombats had crapped on – telling us they’d been around since 1929 – the metal things, not the possums.
We eventually wound up the day at Camp Nissan somewhere around the Margaret River, and it certainly was – camp, I mean – as in a row of tents. Yup, we were sleeping under canvas –
luxury canvas certainly – out in the middle of wherearewee, whiling away a pleasant evening with S’Mores and other local produce of the grape-inspired variety ( be rude not to) before retiring... checking for things that call you dinner first... at a respectable hour to tackle ‘ the hard stuff’ the next day. The ‘ hard stuff’ was actually ‘soft stuff’ but we had to go through some tough conditions to get there – if going through a naturist reserve is tough. The ramblers we encountered were fully clothed. Maybe something got lost in translation...? Besides, you’d be pretty brave to drop your dacks and go tramping in the Aussie outback. You never know what’s going to bite you – or where! After what seemed like a very long time being bounced around on big red rocks with nary a Nudie to see, we popped out at a promontory with a Council-built dunny – long drop of course – which provided a pitstop ( after checking for scorpions) before we tackled – umm – a white sand, but otherwise typical, Kiwi west coast beach.
Aussies v Kiwis
Here was a chance to pit Kiwi ‘gainst Roo in a Trans-Tasman challenge for dune hopping. The Aussie team went first, up a hill, down a gully, up a dune and – oh dear, they got stuck. Lever them out and check the dune tracks. “Mm, bit deep Blue, maybe send a Kiwi?” Good power control, brilliant steering, right up the middle – what’s the problem? Not wanting to admit defeat, an Aussie came up in the wake... Up up and... bugger, stuck again! By this time, the Aussie experts were convinced the rest of us wouldn’t make it: “Y’know, it's erosion and all that...” The convoy turned and – tails twixt towbars – slunk our way back over the dunes to tackle a semi-siding traverse up shrubencrusted terrain, helpfully lined with hard black plastic to preserve Mother Nature’s creations. The 255/ 60R13 Toyo Open Country All-terrain tyres seemed a lit tle OTT for this level of ‘’off-road’’ abuse. Going down, there was more bouncing from rock to rock while trees seemed to want to just come in close and cuddle the Nissan’s which – unfazed – picked their way precisely through the pathways. And then we were out. Back on the open road – mind that Koala – and we made our way into Busselton ( that’s a real name) and partake of lunch at the seaside resort town.
A whale of a time
Looking out over the cool and bright clear water ( thank you Little River Band) we spotted stingray nets, which sort of took the shine off things, but then t wo humpbacked whales decided to come and dance a tango for us in the bay. Nice one Nissan! Busselton is very Akaroa under a big blue sky with the same sort of vibe, less the Froggie place names. But all too soon, it was time to make our way on the tarmac to an airport – don’t ask me the name, Wan na catch a qantas maybe? – for our connecting flight to Perth then onto the Big Bird back across the Ditch.
Your basic Black
What makes up a Black Edition Navara? Take an ST model and add black 18- inch alloy wheels with all-terrain t yres, black sports bar, black wheel arch flares and black nudge bar. You include an LED light bar, soft tonneau cover, protective tubliner, and black front grille, black mirror caps, black fog lamp surrounds, smoked bonnet protector, mobile phone holder and black body decals. The ST Black Edition has a seveninch colour touchscreen with satellite navigation and a leather accented steering wheel, and there’s a rear-view camera built within the audio display plus an automatic dimming rear-view mirror, electronic rear differential lock, privacy glass, LED headlights and daytime running lamps, Bluetooth and cruise control are standard. The new Navara special edition options feature a 2.3- litre intercooled t win-turbo diesel engine that boasts 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque. More than what you need for Aus, which means it should be capable enough for the real art of 4WDing – in New Zealand!