Modern-day utes seem to be a far cry from the low-slung V8-equipped models that once ruled the market down under, nowadays off-road capabilities are the top priority for these manufacturers.
Nissan is the latest one to wade into this segment with its ute dubbed the Navara N-Trek Warrior, and it sounds like it has the HSV SportsCat and the Ford Ranger Raptor in its sights.
Set for a December launch with pricing to be announced soon, this Navara builds upon the base of the N-Trek Dual Cab 4WD, and has been developed with New Zealand and Australia conditions in mind.
To increase its off-road prowess, new suspension components including different springs that have softer travel over the stock ones sit over larger dampers.
These new components sits alongside a set of 275/70 Cooper AT3 tyres that are wrapped around 17-inch alloys. This new tyre and suspension setup lifts the N-Trek Warrior's ride height by 40mm.
Reworked bumpers sit at the front and rear end of the ute, a body-coloured bull bar protects the nose, and 3mm stainless under body protection sits underneath the engine. An integrated 470mm LED light bar sits in the grille, and a full-size spare wheel and tyre can be found up underneath the tray.
On the inside, Nissan have hit the Warrior with a bunch of unique plastic components and a few 'N-Trek Warrior' decals. Heated from leather seats come standard and an 8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto sits in the dash.
Under the hood sits the standard 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel power plant that delivers a healthy 140kW and 450Nm of torque. Either a seven-speed automatic or six-speed manual accompanies this engine.
Unlike the Ranger Raptor, these minor suspension modifications haven't affected the ute's towing capacity at all, which remains at 3500kg.
