Nissan

Navara

When it comes to choosing a versatile pick-up then the Navara could be the perfect option. Spacious and packed with quality features, it is ready to take on any challenge and offers great comfort levels too.

Test Drive

Nissan NP300 Navara Tekna Double Cab

Developing the perfect pick-up truck should be fairly straightforward without too many complications. Basically it needs to be tough, rugged, practical, hard-working, reliable and able to cope with any physical challenges thrown in its path.

But, and it’s quite a big but, nowadays there are additional pressures placed upon the manufacturers because we also demand comfort, bags of on-board technology, good economy and decent running costs.

Thankfully Nissan has been building pick-up trucks for 80 years and they have drawn on all that experience and expertise to produce the Navara NP300 which looks awesome and has all the workhorse capabilities you could possibly wish for.

The Navara looks fabulous from any approach thanks to 18-inch alloys, LED headlights with pop-up washers, roof rails, LED daytime running lights, front fog lights with chrome surround, LED rear lights, rear privacy glass, a tailgate spoiler, side steps and plenty of chrome trim.

Move inside the four-door cab and the Navara is deceptively spacious and very elegantly laid out. Creature comforts include the likes of leather seats that can be electrically-adjusted and heated, a six-speaker sound system, 7-inch touchscreen with sat nav, DAB digital radio, a reversing camera, dual zone air conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity and plenty more besides.

The test model was supplied in range-topping Tekna format priced at £24,792 (£25,796 with options fitted). It can reach from 0-62mph in 10.8 seconds, tops out at 114mph, delivers combined fuel economy of 44.1mpg and has carbon emissions of 169g/km.

It boasted a powerful 2.3-litre 190PS diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and proved great fun during the week-long loan.

In busy town centres, the Navara proved surprisingly agile and the parking sensors and around view monitor make squeezing into a tight parking space much simpler than anticipated. Then out on faster lanes and motorways, the vehicle moved along effortlessly and the acceleration was nice and responsive. The gearbox can be a little clunky at times, but it’s certainly better than I expected.

The road holding is very assured and confident into bends and cabin noise is actually fairly low too. The powered steering is good, although it still feels a little heavy at times and if lots of tight manoeuvring was required on a regular basis, you could end up with biceps like Popeye!

That said; the all-round driving experience is very impressive for a vehicle that features such powerful working capabilities. Nissan has also improved the ride quality thanks to the introduction of an all-new five link, lightweight suspension system and this certainly helps give the impression you are driving a crossover model rather than a truck.

Within the cabin, five occupants have plenty of space and comfort levels are good. In addition, the high-seated driving position results in excellent all-round visibility.

The Navara boasts a whole range of safety specifications, including hill descent control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, numerous airbags, hill start assist and a selectable all-wheel-drive system with a low range mode and electronic slip differential which will make very light work of any off-road duties.

It would be fair to say the pick-up sector is fiercely competitive at the moment with Ford, VW, Mitsubishi and Toyota all developing excellent vehicles and there will be more to come from other manufacturers in the near future. But one thing is guaranteed, the Nissan Navara will be able to hold its head high against any competition no matter how strong.

Test Drive

Nissan Navara Tekna Double Cab 2.5dCi

Anyone who thinks a pick-up truck is simply a working vehicle needs to take a good look at the Nissan Navara and it’s guaranteed their views will instantly change.

It’s true – the Navara is quite capable of taking on any challenge put in its path, but there is definitely a softer side to it with a whole array of techno treats to make each journey all the more pleasurable.

The imposing double cab model is powered by a mighty 2.5-litre diesel engine and with 4×4 capabilities at the turn of a dial, the Navara is ready for any task that comes its way.

But, it isn’t all brute force as the vehicle features plenty of creature comforts such as heated leather seats, cruise control, dual zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers and an efficient satellite navigation system.

There is a great sound system too which is a plus factor as admittedly, the Navara is not the quietest vehicle on our roads today.

The Navara looks great from any angle thanks to its powerful stance, neat light clusters, side steps, 17-inch alloys, rear privacy glass, roof rails, front fog lamps and the massive loading area with liner and lockable roll-top cover (£1,590 optional extra).

Being a double cab, there is ample room for four occupants and the ride is pretty smooth albeit a tad bouncy at times.

The driver is treated to excellent all-round visibility thanks to the high seated driving positions and all dials, controls and read-outs are ideally positioned for ease of use.

Despite its larger-than-life size, the Navara is deceptively nimble and easy to manoeuvre. Parking is made simpler thanks to the rear view camera although you will need a long parking space.

The engine provides plenty of get-up-and-go and the six-speed manual transmission is smooth and responsive as the vehicle weaves its way through busy city centre traffic and bursts into action on faster country roads.

It has a nice solid feel to it without being cumbersome and the road-holding also impresses even on tighter bends.

There are plenty of storage options within the double cab such as a large glovebox, door pockets, a deep central bin, a pocket in the back of the driver’s seat and under-seat trays.

The Navara boasts a full range of safety specifications, including anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, numerous airbags, electronic stability control and an effective alarm system and immobiliser to keep away any uninvited attention.

All in all, the Nissan Navara is quite an impressive piece of kit – it is always ready, willing and able to take on any challenge and with Mother Nature often turning up the unexpected it is a vehicle that can cope with all driving conditions.

Test Drive

Nissan Navara Tekna Double Cab 2.5dCi

When did pick-up trucks become so comfort – that’s what I want to know.

For the beefy Nissan Navara has all the qualities, load capacity and pulling power you would expect from such a vehicle, but boasts a whole host of creature comforts normally associated with a luxury saloon.

These include dual zone climate control, leather seats that can be heated, sat nav, an electric sunroof, rain-sensing wipers and automatic headlamps, cruise control a great audio system with six CD auto-changer and plenty more besides.

But it’s the first impressions that really strike home with the Navara. For starters, there’s the massive tyres on the 17-inch alloy wheels, a rear step bumper, side steps, rear privacy glass and roof rails which all add to its I-mean-business appeal.

And from the second you start up that 2.5-litre diesel powered engine, the gentle rumble means its going to be a fun-packed, albeit noisy ride.

The driver benefits from excellent all-round visibility which is essential in such a lengthy vehicle, but one factor that really impressed was how smoothly the Navara handled. It proved deceptively agile and easy to manoeuvre and the six-speed manual transmission was very responsive.

On faster roads it easy to forget you were driving such a large vehicle as it cruised effortlessly alongside faster moving traffic, but in and around town it was a tad cumbersome at times and the cabin noise rather loud… as expected.

Rear seat passengers are treated to plenty of leg, head and elbow room and there is a light and airy feel to the cabin area.

The Navara is designed as a working vehicle and needs to be able to cover all terrains and road surfaces, so Nissan has equipped the vehicle with part-time four wheel drive which can easily be activated at the turn of a dial.

There is comprehensive list of safety features including anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist, numerous airbags, electronic stability programme and lots more.

The basic asking price for this particular model is £25.9k but the test model had several optional extras taking the total to £28,978.

All in all, the Navara has its own defined place in the market, but can easily outshine plenty of more traditional vehicles when it comes to performance, comfort and fun!