NISSAN NAVARA
2,5 DDTI Pro-4x 4x4 AT
Finished in purposeful-looking Warrior Grey and studded with black and red-accented trim garnishes that form part of the range-topping Pro-4x package, the new Rosslyn-built Navara was probably one of the more eye-catching additions to the line-up. Although, the Nissan is about more than just chiselled features. While the inside is suitably leather-trimmed and the facia car-like in its execution – it plays host to a wealth of tech accessed via an eightinch touchscreen infotainment system – its underpinnings are tuned with a balance of workhorse and weekend activities in mind.
Something of an anomaly in this gathering, the Navara dispenses with leaf-supported rear suspension in favour of coil-sprung dampers. It’s a setup that, in principle, would provide a more settled ride on broken surfaces while still being tuned for load-carrying duties. Nissan has tweaked the power steering to better suit this rugged setup for on-road use.
The execution is hit and miss; wheel travel off-road is impressive but that payload-related stiffening unearths some unwelcome cabin-shake when traversing bumpy surfaces. Thankfully, the steering does feel a bit more connected than before and no longer requires constant correction at speed, as it often did in the old model.
Nissan’s YD25 turbodiesel is a seasoned campaigner that returns a healthy 140 kw and 450 N.m, tying it with the BT-50 as the most powerful four-cylinder unit in this group. It gels reasonably with the seven-speed automatic transmission and remains fairly re ned by one-tonner standards. It may sit at the upper end of the pricing pyramid here, yet, the Pro-4x is generously equipped, adding a wealth of safety features to the mix such as a 360-degree camera feed, rear cross-traf c alert, blindspot and lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control with emergency braking and a trailer stability system as part of its ESC module. What will the testers make of it?
“LOVE THE LOOKS. HOWEVER, THE AUTOMATIC GEARBOX FEELS LIKE IT NEEDS RECALIBRATION TO SMOOTH TORQUE DELIVERY. BIG BONNET HAMPERS DRIVER VISIBILITY, OTHERWISE, VERY IMPRESSIVE OFF-ROAD.”