Nissan Navara

Nissan Navara is the best double cab pick-up

Despite not having a single cab option, the Nissan Navara is the best pick-up on the market by quite some distance thanks to its excellent levels of performance and high kit levels.

Its economy is on a par with most competitors and it has a longer warranty than many.

However, it’s for its excellent four-wheel-drive system that helps the Nissan Navara stand out from the crowd and it’s a great performer of the road with a good range of gear ratios to deal with just about every environment.

Once on board, owners will find a double cab that’s got plenty of room for three adults in the rear seats and there’s plenty of storage space to be found too. The king cab option is a cramped affair for those in the drop-down rear seats so it’s only really suitable for shorter journeys.

Available in three specs, there’s a Navara for just about every need which, when coupled to the decent storage area, makes this a pick-up truck to set the pace.

Reasons to buy

For anyone wanting a pick-up truck, the Nissan Navara makes for an excellent choice and has high levels of comfort and a good amount of kit.

The cabin is spacious and three adults can fit comfortably on the back seat – in the double cab version. Be aware that’s not the same with the king cab version – though has a larger load bed.

With trucks and vans becoming more car-like in their cabins, few can match the comfort levels and equipment found on board the Nissan Navara which really does give some high end cars a run for their money in the comfort stakes.

With an excellent level of off-road capability, it’s also a decent handler in rough weather, the Navara makes for a sound choice in the pick-up truck market and with its high levels of reliability should give a decent level of service.

Some may find the price of the Outlaw is excessive but it does drive the best of all the models and has a lot of kit on board. For most users though the entry level Visia will provide everything they need from a well-designed and made pick-up truck.

If you like the Nissan Navara then have a look at the Ford Ranger, the Toyota Hilux or the Mitsubishi L200.

Running Costs

The 2.5litre dCi engine is a great performer and should return around 34 mpg in the 190bhp variant, when coupled to the manual gearbox, and that increases to 35mpg for the entry-level model, the Visia. Most drivers won’t notice the difference in power output and in the real world will probably get around 30mpg.

Opt for the top spec version with the 3.0litre V6 and the fuel consumption will be around 30mpg and 250g/km of CO2 emissions. As a comparison, the Visia has CO2 emissions of 215g/km.

The Nissan Navara is also renowned for having slightly higher servicing costs than many of its rivals but it is an excellent performer with a strong reliability record.

Service intervals are set at a useful 12,500 miles or one year, whichever occurs first. In addition, there’s a 60,000 mile or three year warranty on the Navara.

Load Space

Even though there’s no single cab option for the Nissan Navara there are actually two cab versions available: the extended king cab has occasionally use seats for the rear row or the double cab with proper seats in place.

This means that the load bed length for the double cab is 1,511mm and in the king cab it’s 1,861mm.

The Navara is also excellent for towing and is capable of pulling 2,600kg in the double cab version, slightly more in the king cab pick-up version and an impressive 3,000kg for the Outlaw model which has a 3.0litre V6 engine.

However, one of the big attractions for the Navara is that all models in the range can carry in excess of 1 tonne – and 1,250kg in the double cab versions.

This means that VAT-registered owners can claim back the VAT.

Also, the Navara comes with a range of useful hardtops and bed covers. The versions above the base model have the firm’s impressive C-channel tie-down system which utilises channels bolted onto the sides and floor of the pick-up. The system enables owners to carry loads of varying sizes and be able to tie them down easily.

Technology & Safety

The Nissan Navara has electronic stability control fitted as standard along with ABS brakes with electronic brake force distribution, a useful feature that applies more pressure to a wheel that needs it to help preventing the driver losing control of the vehicle. There’s also brake assist.

The Navara also has airbags for the driver and passenger and all models above the base version come with curtain and side impact airbags too.

Performance

One of the biggest attractions to owning a Nissan Navara is that it’s a comfortable car to drive, particularly over long distances. The driving position is excellent with good all-round visibility and the seat is very comfortable. The cab is also well appointed and engines provide enough power to shift heavy loads without too much difficulty.

However, owners wanting to put the Navara through its paces off-road or in bad weather conditions will find that the low gear ratios really are effective and impressive to provide excellent off-road four-wheel-drive ability.

Unlike some of its competitors, there’s little in the way of body roll on tight corners, especially when the cargo area is empty and the tyres grip the road effectively.

The only niggle is that the cabin can get noisy at speed because of the loud entry level engine having to be worked hard when there’s a full load. It is still, however, a better performer than many rivals despite this.

Specification

The entry-level Nissan Navara Visia makes for an attractive proposition and is a workhorse with a lot to offer. The 2.5 dCi engine is a great performer. Standard kit includes tailgate lock, air con, door mirrors with integral indicators and 17 inch alloy wheels.

The Tekna adds rear privacy glass, leather upholstery and roof rails as well as some nice chrome touches. It also has cruise control, rain sensing wipers, dual zone climate control and steering wheel audio controls. Some will find the firm’s impressive touchscreen satnav, with rear parking camera, has also been fitted.

The top of the range Nissan Navara Outlaw costs a lot more than the entry-level model but has a 3.0 dCi V6 under the bonnet and automatic transmission. There’s also an electric sunroof, air con, 18 inch alloys and electric Windows and mirrors. There’s also Bluetooth connectivity.

Overall, the Nissan Navara feels well bolted together and the cabin has a lot of good design ideas and has been made from a robust materials; this is a truck that will take a lot of punishment.