The intelligent choice
There was a time when Pickups were strictly workhorses for small to medium businesses. As they got better looking, adopted more car-like comforts, performance, and durability, it wasn’t long before more Pinoys realized they were perfect for daily use, what with Metro Manila’s bad road conditions and the part we like, its infinite possibilities for customization. Just in case you didn’t know, pickups are exempt from the excise tax on automobiles, meaning their prices didn’t or should NOT have increased when the TRAIN law was implemented.
360 visibility
This 2018 Nissan Navara 4x4 VL has more tech than its predecessor with features usually found on higher end vehicles. Most notable of Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility technologies is the Around View Monitor.
Pickups are admittedly a bit tougher to park than your average sedan or SUV. Thankfully, this feature lets you see 360 degrees around the Navara by giving you a bird’s eye view of your immediate surroundings with four cameras mounted all around the car. The composite image is shown on the screen of the entertainment system. It displays this along side the back-up camera image, making parking and precise maneuvering easier. Under the hood
This VL variant is the top of the line 4x4, automatic transmission variant, and still has all the features carried over from previous year’s model. Under the hood, it’s still got the same YD25DDTi 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine equipped with a variable geometry turbocharger that puts out 193-PS and 450-Nm of torque, mated to a seven-speed automatic. It has a shift-on-the-fly 4x4 system too, to quickly transition from 4x2 while rolling. Interior amenities
To get rolling, you don’t even need to pull out the intelligent key. Simply keep it in your pocket and push the start/stop button. You also get quite a few creature comforts, including the very comfortable leather Zero Gravity type seats for the driver and front passenger, with the driver getting eight-way power adjust.
The steering wheel is leather-wrapped, with buttons for audio, cruise control, and handsfree controls for your paired smartphone. The rearview mirror has auto-dimming. Both sun visors have illuminated vanity mirrors. There’s a 12v power outlet on the center console and another 12v outlet on the center upper tray of the dashboard. There are four cup holders in front and two in the rear, paired with bottle holders in the door pockets.
Finally, the six-speaker entertainment system has a five inch QVGA screen with CD/ Tuner, MP3, AUX, USB, audio streaming, call function, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity. Safety features
Aside from the Around View Monitor, the Navara has technologies like Hill Start Assist (HSA), Hill Descent Control (HDC), Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with Brake-Limited Slip Differential (B-LSD) and an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) with Brake Assist (BA) to make sure you’re always in control. The only downside is there are only two airbags; one for the driver and front passenger.
The Navara still has one of the more comfortable rides by far for a pick up, and the Zero Gravity seats reduce fatigue on long drives. Power on tap is more than adequate, and with Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility technologies, has the edge over its competition by giving the driver better all around visibility and control over his vehicle on the road. Priced at P1.423M, it’s well below other top of the line models of other brands, making it a good choice… make that an intelligent choice for your hard earned peso.