Considering Nissan have won awards for their pick-ups in the recent past, it comes as no surprise that the latest in the line is a decent multi-purpose unit, sturdily built on the outside, with some unexpected luxury touches to the interior. Formerly known as the Frontier, the Nissan Navara tests well against other pick-ups from Toyota and Mitsubishi and with no VAT for businesses, it’s a pretty cost-effective buy.
On first look, the Navara is bulkier than some of the SUVs on the market, with a large front grille and weighty fold-down tailgate, but as a pick-up, it has a lot to offer. Storage can be increased by folding rear seats but the flat-bed at the back already benefits from the vehicle’s longer wheel-base.
Comfort-wise, the truck does well on space, with two large front foot wells and numerous pockets of storage from the double glove compartment on the passenger side to the nifty sunglass holder overhead. Capacity in the back is good, meaning this is one utility vehicle you can introduce to the family.
The handling is smooth, the choice between two-wheel and four-wheel drive translating into decent performance under light off-road conditions such as mud and pot-holes. It’s a fairly quiet ride but no-less powerful for it: the 2.5 litre diesel engine coming up with 231 horsepower and a seven-speed automatic gearbox if you go for the high-ranking Outlaw Double Cab specification. The Navara is not great at taking corners but as racing is not its primary purpose, this doesn’t really impact on the positives.
For those looking for a multi-functional 4×4, the Nissan Navara is a sound choice, even more affordable in the used car market from websites like Carsales. The package has clearly been thought out here, with all four trim levels giving you Bluetooth and climate-control and the Tekna level adding leather seats, cruise control and some fancy CD sound equipment. All in all, the Navara still holds a firm position in the stylish pick-up market.
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