What’s this new car all about then?
The Navara has been a mainstay of Nissan’s line up for many years now – in fact it celebrates its 40th anniversary in New Zealand and Australia next year – as well as being a stalwart of the Kiwi ute market, regularly featuring in the top ten sellers over that time.
As such, the launch of an all-new Navara is something of a big deal for Nissan in Australia and New Zealand. It’s just that, this time there’s something different. That something comes in the form of three diamonds arranged in a pyramid shape that feature nowhere on the Navara, but loom large over it nonetheless.
I am, of course, referring to the fact that, due to Mitsubishi getting in on the Alliance action with Nissan and Renault, the Navara now shares a large part of its DNA with the Mitsubishi Triton. And by “a large part” I mean “most of it”.
Yes, on the surface the Navara is very much an exercise in badge engineering, with the Nissan using the majority of the Triton’s exterior panels as well as its underpinnings, putting it more in line with the Holden Colorado/Isuzu D-Max relationship than the (and yes, I realise this is deeply ironic) last-gen Nissan Navara/Mercedes-Benz X-Class.
Where the X-Class caught a lot of flack for being “a Navara with a Mercedes badge", the truth was that the two only shared their doors on the exterior. Which is far less than what the new Navara shares with the latest Mitsubishi Triton. But this isn't actually a bad thing; after all the Triton is an excellent ute.
While Nissan says that the Navara’s exterior design "balances rugged heritage with modern sophistication", it’s safer to say it actually balances Triton design with a few Nissan design cues thrown on top for good measure. Again, not necessarily a bad thing, but the similarities between the Navara and Triton go further that the usual “all utes naturally look similar” thing.
The external design features a new front end that uses Nissan's traditional V-strut shield grille shape as the shape of the mesh in a new "bull bar-inspired" grille that the company says “pays homage to Nissan's rugged legacy”, while a three-slot design above the grille is a tribute to the D21 Navara.
The Navara uses different headlights to the Triton, albeit designed to fit in the same body panel cutouts, avoiding sheetmetal changes, while large NAVARA lettering that stretches across the tailgate also differentiates the external styling.
Nissan says that because 90 percent of buyers of the D23 Navara went the double cab/wellside/automatic transmission route, it will only initially offer that format for the new Navara.
Unsurprisingly, the Navara is also exactly the same size as the Triton, measuring 5320mm in length, between 1865mm and 1930mm in width (depending on model), and 1795mm in height. It has a 3130mm wheelbase and 228mm of ground clearance, while the cargo bed measures 1555mm in length and 1545mm in width.
That Mitsubishi DNA continues to dominate under the bonnet, will all models of Navara being powered by a familiar 150kW/470Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder bi-turbo intercooled diesel engine featuring common rail direct injection technology, hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission.
The main point of difference between the Navara and Triton comes under the skin, with Nissan Australia saying that while the new Navara is built on the familiar Alliance platform, it has benefited significantly from locally tuned and tested suspension specifically calibrated for Australia’s arduous conditions, by Premcar, the Melbourne-based company that developed the popular Navara Warrior for the local market.
The Navara is available with two different four-wheel-drive systems. The entry models feature an ‘Easy 4WD’ system that automatically switches between two-wheel drive for cruising and four-wheel drive for extra traction, along with an electronic rear differential lock standard for challenging off-road scenarios.
The ST-X and PRO-4X grades are equipped with a 'Super 4WD' system that provides a full-time high-range mode using an open centre differential and incorporates a Torsen Limited Slip Differential for enhanced cornering stability. These grades also feature seven selectable terrain modes: Normal, Eco, Gravel, Snow, Mud, Sand, and Rock.
How much is it?
Nissan says it will reveal pricing closer to the Navara’s 2026 launch, and has yet to confirm the exact model lineup other than saying there will be a range of entry and mid-spec models, with a premium ST-X model and a rugged Pro-X model topping the range.
It will need to be sharp, however, as the largely identical Mitsubishi Triton starts at just $38,690, although this is for the single cab chassis model, something that Nissan is not offering at launch.
The convincing nature of its mechanical competence was impressive, strongly suggesting it will be equally capable in new Zealand conditions. Mud, that is.
Nissan says that because 90 percent of buyers of the D23 Navara went the double cab/wellside/automatic transmission route, it will only initially offer that format for the new Navara. But even then the Triton features a double cab wellside range priced between $43,990 and $59,990, so the Navara can't afford to approach Ranger pricing.
What’s it like to drive?
While we didn't get to drive the new Navara on road, we were treated to a short but comprehensive off-road experience hours before the global reveal.
Here the Navara proved to be pretty much what you would expect, with the same sort of competent off-road abilities as its Triton sibling, but with a genuinely noticeable improvement in ride quality both creeping across some pretty rugged obstacles and at higher speeds on gravel.
Premcar's suspension development certainly seems to have paid dividends, with a convincingly better ride that the Triton across the surfaces we got to try it on.
If Nissan can price the Navara competitively with the Triton, then it will be remarkably solid value for money. If not? Well, then it will be considerably harder to justify.
At low speeds tackling some genuinely challenging dry and dusty Australian terrain the Navara was relentlessly capable, albeit in an old-school mechanical sense, offering little in the way of cutting-edge off-road tech. However, the convincing nature of its mechanical competence was impressive, strongly suggesting it will be equally capable in new Zealand conditions. Mud, that is.
What’s the pick of the range?
Hard to say at this stage, particularly given that we don't even know what the full range is yet, but the ST-X we drove could well be the sweet spot, depending on that aforementioned pricing.
Which is actually right where the success or failure of the new Navara rests - if Nissan can price the Navara competitively with the Triton, then the ST-X will be remarkably solid value for money, offing a good level of standard equipment with a superior ride. If not? Well, then it will be considerably harder to justify.
What other cars should I consider?
I mean, there’s an obvious one, right? That’s the Triton, of course. Unless you are an absolute diehard Nissan fan who could never bear to drive a ute with another brand on the nose, then the biggest deciding factor between a Navara and Triton will be that price.
As mentioned, the Triton is a very sharply priced proposition that lines up well against the cheaper entrants in the ute segment, by being fractionally more expensive, but quite comprehensively better.
Other double cab one-tonne utes in the Triton’s price segment include the LDV T60 ($39,990 to $55,990), KGM Musso ($44,990 to $54,990), GWM Cannon ($43,990 to $45,990) and JAC T9 ($49,990), while the likes of the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max sit a bit higher up in the price range.
