Had the new, locally-produced Nissan Navara for a weekend test recently, and having been a Nissan fan and purchaser of their vehicles, over the years, was looking forward to this for a while.

Nissan have had the Navara off of buyers radar for some time, and plenty ground has been lost, and we are not even talking the big two of Toyota and Ford here. Isuzu has entrenched themselves at three, with Amarok also becoming a favourite, but newcomers like the GWM P-Series are also making their presence felt.

So Navara needs a big splash here, to get people noticing them again. Having driven it, the Navara is a good bakkie, but again, it has a lot of competition, and buyers will need more, to just decide to spend their money on this bakkie.

In the South African context, the Navara is renowned for its Rugged Redefined looks, robust capabilities, reliability, and versatility, making it one of the most respected and anticipated models across the Nissan line-up and around the world. It is to be built at the Nissan plant in Rosslyn. Keen to provide exceptional customer satisfaction, Nissan has produced an exciting range of models, ensuring there is a Navara to suit everyone’s needs, whether you are buying to empower your business, or taking your family on an off-road adventure.

So let’s have a look at what’s new here. The drive was good, it seemed smoother, more quiet, with better handling than it’s predessesor. It also has more rear height, better shock absorber dampening and a new dual-rate 5link coil suspension, which delivers this new comfortable ride.

4X4 Capable.

It’s always been capable off-road, so you can choose 2WD for maximum efficiency, or shift to 4WD (4H) at speeds up to 100km/h with the Navara’s shift-on-the-fly 4×4 gearbox. The Navara’s  4H constantly monitors conditions and adjusts the balance of power between the front and rear axles to maintain traction, while the Active Brake Limited Slip Differential system (ABLS) manages power delivery and wheel braking between the front and rear axles..

New Navara drivers also have the option to select low range 4WD (4LO) for difficult terrain. It has an extra 100 kg payload, with an increased 36 mm in front, and 64 mm in the rear of the height of the loadbox. The tailgate seems easier to handle as well.

And if that’s not enough space, and you need to bring the off-road bikes on a trailer too, then new Navara’s Trailer Sway Control (TSC) system, with yaw-rate-monitoring can detect the trailer’s self-oscillation, while the Vehicle Dynamic Control system (VDC) enables it to handle the brake pressure of the trailer to reduce self-oscillation.

Media Tech.

The Navara line-up also features additional safety technology through Nissan Intelligent Mobility (NIM), and offers a host of cabin features including an 8” touch screen with NissanConnect, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay. These have become almost standard requirement in this tech savvy environment these days.

As it is manufactured locally, customers should hope to benefit from low running costs, competitive parts pricing, and competitive fuel efficiency, strong aftersales service.

Engine.

The new Nissan Navara is powered by a tried and tested 2.5 litre turbocharged diesel engine, which was in the previous model. The 2.5l power-train is available in two levels of output. The high output engine, available on higher grade models, delivers 140kW power and 450Nm torque, while the mid-output engine, delivering 120kW power and 403Nm, the most powerful engine in the entry and mid grades bakkie segment. In addition, the Navara engine line-up is includes a 2.5l petrol engine delivering 118kW and 233Nm available on the entry grade XE Single Cab.

With some of the bakkies up to 150kw, it might seem lacking, but it has good torque.

Safety.

One of the safest Navara’s, the inclusion of Nissan Intelligent Mobility (NIM) makes this range the most technology-advanced Navara yet.

One particular feature is Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, which monitors sudden movements of up to two vehicles ahead and alerts the driver of potential collision risk. This complements the Intelligent Emergency Braking feature, will activate which will activate the brakes in case of no response from the driver to avoid collisions – particularly useful in urban traffic situations.

For road trips and lengthy commutes, the Intelligent Driver Alertness supports safety and convenience with both visual and audible alerts that encourage the driver to take a break when it detects changes in driving style. For night driving, Intelligent High Beam Assist automatically switches headlights to low beam from high beam when it detects an oncoming vehicle.

So in summing up, the Navara is a vastly improved, and makes for a good offering. Nissan now just need to use clever marketing to ensure that it becomes top of mind with buyers.

Pricing.

DESCRIPTION	RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICE
	Incl VAT	Excl VAT
NAVARA 2WD – DOUBLE CAB
NAVARA 2.5D SE 4X2 MT DC	474 000,00	412173,
NAVARA 2.5D SE 4X2 AT DC	498 000,00	433043,
NAVARA 2.5D SE Plus 4X2 MT DC	505 000,00	439130,
NAVARA 2.5D SE Plus 4X2 AT DC	528 000,00	459130,
NAVARA 2.5D LE 4X2 AT DC	606 000,00	526956,
NAVARA 2.5D PRO-2X 4X2 AT DC	686 000,00	596521,
Retail Price includes 6yr/90,000 km Service Plan and 6yr/150,000km warranty
NAVARA 4WD – DOUBLE CAB
NAVARA 2.5D SE 4X4 MT DC	552 000,00	480000,00
NAVARA 2.5D SE Plus 4X4 MT DC	580 000,00	504347,83
NAVARA 2.5D LE 4X4 MT DC	660 000,00	573913,04
NAVARA 2.5D LE 4X4 AT DC	677 000,00	588695,65
NAVARA 2.5D PRO-4X 4X4 AT DC	740 000,00	643478,26
Retail Price includes 6yr/90,000 km Service Plan and 6yr/150,000km warranty
NAVARA 2WD – SINGLE CAB
NAVARA 2.5 Petrol XE 4X2 MT SC	311 000,00	270434,78
NAVARA 2.5D XE 4X2 MT SC	350 000,00	304347,83
NAVARA 2.5D SE 4X2 MT SC	426 000,00	370434,78
NAVARA 2.5D LE 4X2 MT SC	456 000,00	396521,74
Retail Price includes 6yr/90,000 km Service Plan and 6yr/150,000km warranty
NAVARA 4WD – SINGLE CAB
NAVARA 2.5D 4X4 SE MT SC	492 000,00	427826,09
NAVARA 2.5D 4X4 LE MT SC	527 000,00	458260,87
Retail Price includes 6yr/90,000 km Service Plan and 6yr/150,000km warranty