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Carsales Staff1 Jul 2003
REVIEW

Nissan Navara

Bitumen and bush in Nissan's top-spec dual-cab workhorse

What we liked
>> Pleasant body styling
>> Good in-class fuel economy
>> Wide range of accessories

Not so much
>> No keyless entry
>> Lack of rear leg room
>> Silly drink holder

OVERVIEW
One of the interesting things about the utility market is the diversity in configurations -- combined, ironically, with what looks like a consensus among the Japanese manufacturers to produce look-alike vehicles.

For example, most of the current crop of 4x4 diesel sports trucks share similarly engineered engines, five-speed transmissions, wishbone and torsion bar front suspensions, and interior trim packages that could be transplanted from one truck to another with barely anyone noticing. There's a certain sameness in these vehicles, and that makes choice difficult if you lack brand loyalty.

One thing's for sure. Much of the current product development is aimed at improving the engines on offer. Most manufacturers now include at least one diesel and two petrol engines across their 4x2 and 4x4 range. Torque rather than power is the dominant determining factor when choosing a diesel vehicle, but petrolheads want power, and the more the better. Hence the rush to V6 and even V8 engines in 4x4 work trucks and wagons.

FEATURES
CarPoint evaluated the Navara ST-R V6: as good as it gets in Nissan's petrol 4x4 range. The Navara has nothing the opposition lacks, and the differently organised cockpit smacks of less attention to detail than the opposition.

The ST-R has central locking but only from the driver's door, a drawback for mothers trying to shepherd two or three kids into the vehicle. Unlike most sports trucks in this class it also lacks keyless entry. Inside, flat storage space is hard to find, and placing the drink holder in the storage box between the front seats only makes your drink awkward to reach.

The fully optioned ST-R gets black inserts in the chrome bumpers, a chunky rollbar, chrome grille and headlight surrounds, and mirrors that would be more useful if they gave a slightly wider angle of view. Tie-down points on the outside of the tray would be useful too. As standard equipment on the ST-R you get power windows, a sports bar, alloy wheels, an alloy sidestep, body-coloured bumpers and overfenders, and an AM/FM CD player.

The ST-R model boasts a dazzling array of accessories, among them air-conditioning (which should be standard on all 4x4 sports trucks, given their price), roof bars, driving lights, side steps, a steel bullbar, a towing kit, a weathershield, fog lamps and a snorkel.

MECHANICAL
There are three petrol engines in the Navara line-up: a 3.0-litre V6, 2.4-litre in-line four, and the 3.3 litre V6 engine in the vehicle we evaluated. This engine was introduced to the Navara in February this year and develops 125kW at 4800rpm and 266Nm of torque at 4000rpm. The transmission is a five-speed manual.

Rear suspension is the usual leaf spring setup, and front suspension is a double wishbone layout with stabiliser bars. The front brakes are ventilated discs and drums at the rear. Wheels are four-spoke, alloy 16-inchers, running on Bridgestone 255/70R16 tyres.

COMFORT
The Navara's sports seats have plenty of support and good adjustability, and a good driving position is possible with the tilt adjustable steering column. All controls are practical and easy to use. The primary instruments use black numerals on a white background, with groovy red indicator needles that glow in the dark. Two map lights are a good idea, while another central courtesy light illuminates whatever's going on in the rear.

The sequential transfer-case lever is neat. The Navara still has externally locking hubs while most of the opposition has auto locking. The petrol engine is very quiet and little mechanical noise enters the cab. The AM/FM player has clear controls that are easy to use while you're driving, and the four-spoke steering wheel is trimmed in a soft leather-like material. Ventilation is excellent.

To repeat a criticism we've made of all sports trucks, this one has too little space in the rear for a human adult. It's pretty much 'kids only' back there. Any normal adult will have difficulty finding somewhere to stow his or her legs without inducing circulatory malfunction.

SAFETY
The Navara has a host of active safety features. Among the more obvious are powerful windscreen washers and wipers that sweep a broad area, and rear brakes equipped with an apportioning valve to equalise braking effort, which are excellent and well matched to the vehicle's towing capacity. The Navara's suspension settings provide improved ride comfort and handling, particularly when the vehicle is unladen, the steering is accurate and well modulated, and the tyres perform well in high speed sealed-surface conditions. Antilock brakes are not fitted to the Navara ST-R, nor are they available on the options list.

Passive safety features include impact absorbing technology and a heavily reinforced cabin. SRS dual airbags are available, but only as an optional extra. An energy absorbing steering column and retractable seat belts are standard. The fabric trim is fire retardant, and the 75-litre fuel tank has a rollover valve.

COMPETITORS
This is a market mercilessly fought over. To succeed you have to do more than simply keep up. Toyota is the market leader by a margin that encourages manic depression in the opposition. But that doesn't stop them trying.

Navara's petrol-powered rivals in this price range are the Toyota SR5 (3 litre V6); the Holden Rodeo LT (3.5 litre V6); the Mitsubishi Triton GLS (3 litre V6) and the Ford Courier GL (2.6 litre in-line 4). The Toyota will cost you the most -- the Toyota SR5 tops out at nearly 50 grand for the auto model -- and the Courier the least. Several manufacturers offer auto options in petrol powered dual cab 4x4s, but Nissan isn't one of them.

The grunt king is Holden's Rodeo LT with 147kW at 5400rpm. Prize for the least powerful contender goes to the Ford Courier. With only 92kW it's outgunned by everyone.

ON THE ROAD
Once underway the Navara was commendably quiet and pleasant to drive, although the 3.3-litre engine failed to produce the level of acceleration we expected. It seemed no quicker point-to-point than a diesel of a similar capacity. The V6 hunts on a trailing throttle too. It also feels less than comfortable when gurgling at low speed over rough terrain in 4WD.

We gave this truck a fair old workout in a variety of on and off-road conditions. At times it hauled a camper-trailer weighing 450kg across rough terrain then back to HQ for a distance of about 150 kilometres. Fuel consumption turned out to be 13.5litres/100km, not much more than the Ford Courier's consumption without a trailer.

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Written byCarsales Staff
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