The Nissan Navara has long been known as one of the leaders in the bakkie segment in South Africa. Did you know that Mercedes-Benz modelled their X-Class Bakkie after the Navara? Let’s find out what is so amazing about the new Navara that Mercedes would do so!
Exterior
The Navara is bold, sophisticated and tough, but where the Navara stands out amongst others in the segment, is its sporty looks. While other bakkies may have sharp edges, the Navara has curves in the right places to give it a more distinctive look. The distinctive LED lighting gives the Navara a striking visual impression making the Navara stand out.
The signature V-motion grille flows into the hood through to the front fender, resulting in a smooth and dynamic character line. The V-motion motif continues in the tailgate section with a rear spoiler to further enhance the aerodynamics of the vehicle, all while maintaining Nissan’s distinctive bakkie design DNA.
To finish off the distinctive look, there is chrome detailing on the grill, door handles and the rear which gives the Navara some bling and depending on the model, you get either 16” or 18″ Alloy wheels.
Interior
Climbing inside you are greeted by a premium interior with a large dashboard with a centre mounted console. With 5 comfortable leather seats, there is space for the team or family.
The Navara comes standard with loads of features to make the drive, whether work or pleasure, comfortable and pleasant. As standard, you get an infotainment system with navigation, radio, USB/Aux and Bluetooth. The leather steering wheel has all the essential buttons so you can keep your hands where they need to be.
The drive assist display, situated between the speedometer, gives you all the driving info you need in one place. From fuel economy to the current song playing, you can see what matters most while keeping your eyes focused on the road.
No need to get out the key as the Nissan Intelligent Key with start/stop button allows you to unlock the front door and start the engine with the key in your pocket or bag. This handy feature only comes on the LE models though.
The Navara’s seats are super comfy and perfect for long drives thanks to the spinal support and seat cushions that flex to match your unique pressure points. The LE grade comes with optional leather seats with 8-way power control and a seat heat function.
We all like our own temperatures and thanks to the dual zone climate control, you and your passengers can each keep things as cool or warm as you like. You also get rear air conditioning vents so your rear passengers can also be comfy.
The Navara has something that is certainly unique, a rear window that can open via the push of a button. This window is great for getting fresh air in the rear or speaking to your dogs at the back!
With automatic on/off headlamps, you will never have to worry about a flat battery in the morning. Thanks to the auto-dimming rearview mirror, bright lights in your rearview are dimmed automatically.
Storage is no problem in the Navara as there is plenty of storage in the vehicle for all your bits and bobs. For bigger items, the load box is 1503mm long and 1560mm wide, perfect for construction supplies or mountain bikes on those weekend getaways. You can carry up to 1-tonne payload capacity!
There are loads of small spaces which are perfect for keeping phones or small objects.
In the Navara you will be able to charge three devices using the 12-volt power outlets.
Engine, Performance and Fuel Efficiency:
The Navara comes with a 2.3L Diesel engine which outputs 140kW & 450Nm. For a double cab bakkie, the Navara has lots of power and torque.
The 2.3L Diesel engine is mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle I had on test had the automatic gearbox, which not only delivered power at low and higher revs, it made the drive so much easier. The 7-speed auto also has a manual shift mode which comes in handy when you need power at short notice.
The Drive:
On the road, the Navara handles the drive with ease. The 2.3L engine provides more than enough oomph to get going while the 5-link coil rear suspension system offers exceptional comfort absorbing the bumps on and off-road. The twin-turbo diesel engine has a wide torque curve, so the small turbo gets you moving at low engine speeds while the larger turbo delivers power at higher speeds. Even though the Navara is a large vehicle, the turning circle is pretty small and I found manoeuvring in small areas to be a breeze. With rear cameras and parking sensors as standard, parking will be easy, even for those that just can’t parallel park 😉 The camera is displayed on the rear mirror/infotainment system for easy viewing.
While the Navara is perfectly at ease on the open road, don’t be scared to enter the concrete jungle. With a ground clearance of 226 mm, an approach angle of 33 degrees and a 27.9 degree departure angle, the Navara is fit for anywhere you need to go. For those really tough situations, the Navara becomes a 4 wheel drive vehicle at the turn of a knob. For light off-road driving, you can use 4WD High and for serious off-roading such as sand, snow or deep mud, you can use 4WD Low. You can change modes while driving, as long as you aren’t going faster than 100km/h.
Nissan has done a very good job at mixing power, acceleration and fuel efficiency. The Navara has a given rating of 6.5L per 100km and even with my heavy right foot, I managed to achieve around 8.8L per 100km, not at bad all! You can use cruise control, which is standard on all models, to help keep your fuel costs down.
With a braked towing capacity of 3500KG, you can bring the boat, trailer or even your horse wherever you go.
To assist with any obstacle, you may find yourself driving on, the Navara has modes so no fancy footwork is needed. Hill start assist keeps you from rolling backwards or forwards while hill descent control automatically maintains a steady speed and brake pressure to help you safely get back down a steep grade.
Whenever it senses a wheel beginning to slip, the Active Brake Limited Slip (ABLS) system automatically brakes the slipping wheel and sends additional power to the wheels with the most traction.
Safety:
The Nissan Safety Shield is a comprehensive approach to safety that guides the engineering and development of the Nissan Navara. Nissan have focused on three areas in the Navara to keep you safe: keeping an eye on your vehicle’s systems and the surroundings, assisting in handling unexpected situations, and helping to keep you safe in the unfortunate event of an accident.
With 7 airbags in total, the Nissan Navara surrounds driver and passenger with supplemental airbags in the front, two side-impact airbags mounted in the front seats, two side-impact curtain airbags mounted in the roof and a driver knee airbag.
An engine immobiliser helps prevent unauthorised driving by disabling the engine unless your electronically coded key is in the ignition. That way, you know your vehicle will be waiting right where you last parked it.
VDC monitors your steering, braking and the vehicle’s stability and, if needed, will reduce engine output and apply brake pressure to specific wheels in order to keep you on your intended path.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking under hard braking, allowing you to stop quicker and at the same time, steer around obstacles.
TCS helps you keep a better grip on the road. It senses when a drive wheel starts to slip and reduces engine power or applies brake pressure to help restore traction.
EBD automatically sends extra force to the rear brakes when it detects there’s additional weight in the back.
Pricing: The Navara starts at R484 900 while the highest specced model starts at R626 500. Compare this to the X-Class which starts from R 642,103 for basically the same vehicle with the Merc badge.
Service interval 15 000km Service plan 3 year/ 90 000km 6 year/ 150 000km
Verdict
The Navara is a really well built and designed double cab bakkie that has the power and the ability to handle whatever life throws at it. On the inside, there are loads of features and comforts to keep you and your passengers comfy. The price is what you should pay for a vehicle of its quality. Its biggest contenders would be the Ford Ranger or the Toyota Hilux. If you are comparing the Navara to the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, go for the Navara and don’t pay more for the same vehicle with a different badge. Overall, I really enjoyed driving the Nissan Navara!
Find out more about the Nissan Navara here: https://www.nissan.co.za/vehicles/new/New-Navara.html
