Driven: Updated Nissan Navara touches down

NISSAN has launched its updated Navara pick-up range in Australia, with the new line-up featuring fresh styling, mechanical changes, reduced variant choice and driveaway pricing, with the range now kicking off from $33,890 for the entry SL single cab-chassis 4x2 manual.

The Japanese car-maker has made the decision to trim the range by dropping the entry-level DX and RX grades, raising the entry price from $27,150 plus on-road costs.

Despite the reduction in variants and higher entry price, Nissan Australia managing director Stephen Lester told GoAuto that the brand would nevertheless be targeting a sales increase for its updated pick-up.

“(Less overall sales) is not a surprising assumption to make when you look at a contraction of the total model range, but what I would say is, unequivocally, the expectation for Navara is growth, period,” he said.

“Not on a per-unit or any other percentage or ratio basis, but on an absolute volume – we need to sell more Navaras in this market and we need to capture more share overall.

“So what we have noticed, in that DX and RX space, we are already seeing diminished interest and demand, and whilst it plays a part or a role, we feel much more confident that the new model range reflects more closely what consumers are asking for and what fleet buyers are looking for in terms of the tech and spec of the vehicles.”

The SL now becomes the range-opening variant in the Navara line-up, offered in a single-cab 4x2 and dual-cab 4x4 guise.

Standard kit on the SL single-cab includes 17-inch steel wheels, automatic halogen head- and daytime running lights (DRLs), 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cloth upholstery, manual air-conditioning, cruise control and power door mirrors and windows.

Safety kit extends to autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, intelligent driver alert, hill-start assist, trailer sway control, seven airbags, hill descent control and rear locking differential (4WD only) and a reversing camera (pick-up only).

Opting for the king-cab SL adds a 7.0-inch TFT instrument cluster display with a digital speedometer, while the dual-cab includes tailgate assist for pick-ups and two Isofix points for outboard rear seats.

Next up is the ST, available in dual-cab guise only, which adds LED lighting all round, 17-inch alloys, rear privacy glass, power-sliding rear window, sports bar, leather-accented steering wheel and gear lever, auto-dimming rearview mirror, rain-sensing wipers, heated door mirrors, satellite navigation and DAB+ digital radio.

Extra safety kit includes surround-view monitor, off-road monitor (4WD only), drive-mode selector (4WD auto models), rear parking sensors, lane departure warning, intelligent lane intervention, blind spot warning, intelligent blind spot intervention, rear cross-traffic alert and high-beam assist.

The ST-X, available in king-cab or dual-cab guise, steps things up with 18-inch alloys, stainless steel sports bar, tubliner, towbar, two-channel sliding tie-down hooks, dual-zone climate control, intelligent key with push-button start and tyre pressure monitor.

Two option packs are available on the ST-X, the first including leather seat trim, heated front seats, eight-way adjustable driver’s seat and power lumbar support. The second pack includes all the aforementioned features as well as an electric sunroof.

Sitting atop the Navara range in the newly introduced Pro-4X variant which includes extra visual flair with blacked-out sports bar, fender flares, roof rails, alloy wheels, door mirrors, side steps, grille and door handles, all-terrain tyres and leather-accented Pro-4X seats.

The entry-level SL 4x2 manual is powered by a single-turbo 2.3-litre turbo-diesel engine producing 120kW/403Nm, while the carry-over twin-turbo unit on all other variants continues to output 140kW/450Nm.

Transmission choices remain either a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic.

As previously reported, the Navara update brings in a number of changes including the revised styling that brings it more closely in line with other Nissan global models like the Titan and Patrol.

Mechanical changes centre around a strengthened rear axle for better payload and slightly revised rear suspension for dual-cab versions with the multi-link coil rear end.

The Nissan Intelligent Mobility active safety suite has been expanded, while improvements have also been made to noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels.

An expanded range of genuine accessories will be offered, including three different styles of bullbar with winch compatibility, a snorkel and a roof rack.

The range will eventually be bolstered by the addition of the top-spec Warrior grade, however the brand has not yet given any timelines as to its arrival.

Through the first two months of 2021, Nissan Australia has sold 1785 examples of the Navara, marking a slight improvement over the 1767 examples it sold over the same point in 2020.

2021 Nissan Navara pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs