Nissan Navara SL Warrior review

The stock-standard Nissan Navara SL ute gets off-roader treatment from Premcar for those who want to get dirty.

Designed for the off-road enthusiast, the Nissan Navara SL Warrior.

Prices of some of the latest four-wheel drives are enough to make you wince.

Macho looks and cabin luxuries make them equally at home on the bitumen as they are on the toughest of terrain.

Some of the high-end offerings with all the trimmings have price-tags over six figures, which would have many owners reconsidering hitting the beach or bashing their way through the bush.

Nissan’s Navara sits middle ground in the pricing realm, with one model built specifically for beaten track challenges.

The Navara SL doesn’t have flashy carpet on the floors, instead there’s vinyl to make it easier to clean out the mud, while a lot of the safety wizardry is also left behind. It’s often a hindrance when off-roading.

Premcar offers the SL with a serious makeover – they’re Victorian outfitters who provide off-road specific upgrades that are supported by Nissan. That means for those who want extra lift and hardcore gear, it’s all covered under warranty for additional peace of mind.

Current deals on the 2023 model Navara SL Warrior are $59,990 drive-away, but we’ve also seen some demos around with minimal kilometres on the clock for $55k.

What do you get?

Manual aircon, turnkey ignition rather than a button and the vinyl flooring highlight the SL hierarchical positioning, but it’s not without all luxuries. Sitting central on the dash is an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto apps, while the driver also has a seven-inch digital readout.

Black is the single complimentary colour, while grey and white cost an additional $700.

Most important for buyers in this realm are the mechanical upgrades. It rides 40mm higher than a standard Navara SL courtesy of changes to the front and rear springs, while the track (distance between wheels) is 30mm wider for better overall handling.

It also comes with a bullbar featuring an integrated 16-LED lightbar. Maximum towing capacity is still 3500kg, although the suspension upgrade delivers a payload of 1026kg, which is an increase of 100kg over the donor vehicle.

Our test vehicle also had a HSP Electric Roll Top Cover, which is available through Nissan for about $3800 fitted.

Depending on what you value, Nissan is about to release the Black Edition Navara for the same drive-away price.

For just below $3000, paying upfront for five services delivers a $330 saving (10 per cent off the capped price offer). Those who travel reasonable distances each year will appreciate the long servicing intervals of 20,000km.

Nissan’s standard five-year unlimited kilometre warranty applies, with roadside assist coverage for the same duration. Premcar matches the coverage for its components.

The Nissan Navara SL Warrior is basic with vinyl floors, but at least it has an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto apps, while the driver also has a seven-inch digital readout.

How was the drive?

Despite the hardcore upgrades, Premcar’s version of the Navara has little impact regarding the on-road performance.

Surprisingly comfortable and composed, it rides smoothly on Cooper all-terrain 17-inch rubber. The increased 40mm ride height comes from the tyres and springs, which also provides a better approach angle for off-roading.

While it lacks the brute power of some rivals, including the likes of the Ford Ranger Raptor and Toyota HiLux GR Sport, there is no doubting its ability on raw and challenging terrain.

Added payload prowess is handy for campers who will embrace carting more gear, and also get to remote locations without a worry. The bullbar is winch-compatible and while the cabin is basic operationally many true off-roaders will embrace the fact there is less electronic gadgetry that can go wrong.

Nothing changes under the bonnet, with the tried and tested Nissan four-cylinder turbo-diesel delivering the same outputs. The seven-speed auto is a solid unit and partners perfectly with well-timed changes, and while the Navara isn’t a rocket off the line there is ample mid-range grunt and it handles well around town and is even reasonably quiet on the highway despite the off-road tyres.

Our test saw average fuel consumption of nine litres for every 100km – more than a litre thirstier than the official figure from Nissan.

Our family road test saw the Nissan Navara SL Warrior return fuel consumption figures of about nine litres for every 100km.

Would you buy one?

Kel: Given the burly looks I was surprised how easy the Navara Warrior was to drive. With no parking sensors and just the reversing camera, tight carparks did cause me some anxiety. I did miss push-button start and heated seats which I think should be standard nowadays, so this model wouldn’t be for me, I’d have to take the step up into the Pro-4X.

Grant: Wider track and bigger fender flares certainly ensure this dual-cab boasts aura. We filled all five seats, undertook the groceries as well as the weekly around-town duties, which it handled nicely. Then it never missed a beat when stepping onto the tough stuff. This is a genuine four-wheel drive for enthusiasts who don’t want all the bells and whistles … or those who just like to look the part.