Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Nissan Navara N-guard £37,250
This sturdy and spacious 4x4 is a beast of a pickup that can swallow 20-plus feed bags but it needs to be snapped up soon, says Ed Coles
and it’s capable of towing 3.5 tonnes. This one has a six-speed automatic gearbox and selectable two- or four-wheel drive high and low settings, plus hill descent. All looks promising, but the spanner in the works could be the overly road-friendly tyres.
A look inside
Climbing aboard the N-guard and adjusting the rather smart heated, part-leather seats, the spaniel owner in me thought: we’re going to need some seat covers or a canopy for the back.
The interior feels slightly indulgent, with leather steering wheel and seats and contrasting chrome trims, but there’s also a pleasing minimalist feel about it. One centre console controls pretty much everything and I’m pleased to say the Navara doesn’t overwhelm you with gadgets.
There’s enough of exactly what you need: DAB radio, phone connectivity, Bluetooth, Apple Carplay and Android, satnav, camera and sensors to stop you reversing into things. All the usual safety features are on board — airbags, traction control and trailer sway control.
It’s comfortable inside. That said, as a modern gamekeeper, the first task is to see how much of a faff it is to put a child seat in the back. The answer is quite a bit. The Isofix points are hidden behind two zips, making it a hassle.
Child seat fitted, the first test would be reversing out of my ridiculously potholed driveway. Backing out steadily still produced a fair bit of bouncing and clunking from the suspension, which wasn’t 100% comfortable. Pulling out on to the main road, the Navara soon got into its stride. There is that characteristic pickup truck wobble from the front end but, once on a decent bit of road, cruising is rather enjoyable.
The engine is quite responsive and it’s not overly boaty around the roundabouts. On the country roads, it handles well, but bumps are noticeable.
Selecting four-high, I opted on taking a shortcut through a wood to fill up with wheat. The Navara handled the soggy ruts well, with minimal slipping and sliding. It negotiated the tight, twisty bits well too and got me back to the yard in time to load up some feed.
Load test
Loading over the sides was relatively easy, albeit on tiptoes. Unloading was trickier but
I am afflicted in the height department. The tailgate sits slightly higher, as I noticed when I attempted to climb in.
Loaded up, it was time to check the feeders. The next task for the Navara was some muddy tracks, freshly churned up by tractors. It all started off well, but there was a moment when I thought the standard tyres were going to let us down. Fortunately, after a brief panic and a lot of wheel spinning, the Navara pulled itself together and forward motion was resumed.
The suspension handled the situation reasonably but utilitarian is probably the word.