Nissan Navara review: Luxe ride, meagre loads

The upgraded Navara is refined, comfortable and thrifty — just don’t stick too much on the back.

2017 Nissan Navara.

A NEW model comes along occasionally with design or engineering issues that nobody at the factory picks up before production begins. In many cases, an employee spots the problem but management decides to go ahead anyway, confident nobody will notice.

This approach never works so, inevitably, the “fix it” update soon follows. Nissan’s 2017 Navara is the latest example.

It’s a tweak of the 2015 D23 model, which compared with its D22/D40 predecessors has bombed in the sales charts for a few reasons, including Nissan’s decision to fit double cab pick-ups with coil springs at the rear instead of leaves, which everybody else uses.

So while the ride is luxurious for a ute, the D23 drags its bum on the ground if you put a heavy load in the tub, or hitch up a decent-size trailer.

Did nobody at Nissan ask the obvious question: “But isn’t that what blokes buy these things for?”

DESIGN

Nissan Navara NP300.

They must have now, because the 2017 Navara “Series 2” — which in industry code means “we stuffed up the first one” — gets stiffer springs (still coils) with commensurately heavier duty dampers and revised bump stops.

Why didn’t they just fit leaves, as used on all earlier variants, including the double-cab chassis?

Ah, well, this time next year you’ll be able to buy the Navara double-cab 4WD pick-up from a Mercedes-Benz dealer — stand by for the X Class, the ultimate tradie status symbol — so the coils are probably necessary to achieve a ride-handling compromise acceptable to Mercedes, which will sell the rebadged Navara as a luxo truck.

Other Series 2 updates include a new workhorse SL specification that sits between the bare bones RX and mid-spec ST 4x4 we’re in today. Oh, and they’ve also deleted the cupholders from the back seat, so if your mates want to do an early morning drive-through brekky on the way to work, they’ll have to juggle their coffees and bacon and egg rolls. Things could get messy.

AROUND TOWN

Up front, Navara is spacious and comfortable, though as in most utes there is still no steering wheel reach adjustment.

The driver’s seat, upholstered in dark velour in ST spec, is generously padded though the short cushion gives little support for long legs. Thick windscreen pillars compromise forward vision. Rear seat space is reasonable, although tall passengers sit slightly knees-up.

The centre section of the back window opens, via a switch on the dash. Why? I’ve no idea.

The ST’s central infotainment touchscreen has pretty rudimentary navigation graphics, Bluetooth pairs easily but has no message or email function and there is no voice control.

A direction indicator in the rear view mirror is useful, as are three 12V outlets and extra storage under the rear seats.

2017 Nissan Navara.

For Series 2, the Navara’s 2.3-litre turbo diesel (140kW/ 450Nm) and seven-speed automatic set-up is unchanged. Trundling around town, the auto extracts great fuel economy from the engine, regularly returning less than 10L/100km, a figure matched only by VW’s 2.0-litre Amarok.

The steering is light enough but, at nearly four turns lock to lock, you have to do a lot of arm twirling just to negotiate a simple 90 degree corner, while parking or manoeuvring in tight spaces can be an exceptionally tedious process.

ON THE ROAD

Seat of the pants, and the fact that Nissan hasn’t upgraded payload or towing weights for Series 2, say that although the rear suspension has been beefed up, it’s not by much. Use a fair chunk of Nissan’s claimed 985kg payload or 3500kg towing capacity and you still have the ST’s nose pointing at the sky.

If your trailer weighs more than 3000kg, it’s extremely difficult to stay on the legal side of the ST’s gross combined mass of 5910kg.

That said, its rear coils really give the Navara — by ute standards — a luxurious ride, especially on the ST’s sensible 16-inch alloys and tall tyres. Coils’ superior initial compliance all but eliminates that incessant, annoying body shake on rough roads common to leaf-sprung one-tonners.

Greater lateral rigidity also minimises rear end instability on potholes and corrugations.

Performance is adequate but unremarkable apart from the previously mentioned frugal thirst, which on the highway can be as low as 6.5L-7.0L/100km. You can go a long way on the 80L tank.

The smooth-shifting seven-speeder can be reluctant to kick down, so manual operation with the lever is a handy option in hilly country.

Off-road hardware includes a part-time, dual-range transfer case and locking rear differential.

VERDICT ★★★

Let’s assume that, for some reason, you want a one-tonner that works best with a lot less than one tonne in it, or a few tonnes behind it. You will find the Navara ST to be one of the more refined, comfortable, fuel-efficient utes around. You could call it a Merc at mates’ rates. Next year, it will be.

VITALS

NISSAN NAVARA ST

PRICE $49,490

WARRANTY

3 years/100,000km

CAPPED SERVICING $2950 over 100,000km

SERVICE INTERVAL

12 months/20,000km

SAFETY â˜…★★★★, 7 airbags

ENGINE 2.3-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel; 140kW/450Nm

TRANSMISSION 7-speed auto; part-time 4WD

THIRST 7.0L/100km

DIMENSIONS

5255mm (L), 1850mm (W), 1840mm (H), 3150mm (WB)

WEIGHT 1980kg

SPARE

Full-size alloy

TOWING 3500kg

AT A GLANCE 

WHAT IT’S GOT

Seven airbags, stability control, seven-inch colour touchscreen, navigation, Bluetooth, Nissan Connect smartphone integration, USB port, four 12V outlets (one in tub), rear camera, 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, full-size spare.

WHAT IT HASN’T

Parking sensors, dynamic camera guidelines, voice control, Apple Carplay, Android auto, trailer sway control, collision warning, automatic emergency braking, radar cruise, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, towbar.

OWNERSHIP

Servicing costs $2950 over 5 years/100,000km, with intervals of 12 months/20,000km.

WHAT WE LIKED

The 2.3 works well with the seven-speed automatic, returning great fuel economy and lazy, tractable performance. Tidier unladen handling and a much more comfortable ride than most one-tonners. Stable and secure on a rough road. Spacious cabin. Good fit and finish quality.

WHAT WE DIDN’T

If you want to carry or tow heavy loads this is not your ute. 3500kg max towing? Tell ’em they’re dreamin’. Underdone on safety and infotainment features at the price. Unsupportive driver’s seat cushion. No steering wheel reach adjustment. Steering has too many turns lock to lock. Short warranty. Expensive servicing.

ALSO CONSIDER

FORD RANGER XLS $51,090

Class-leading infotainment tech, big cabin, workable gross weight and the 3.2-litre five-cylinder is smooth and strong. Some reliability issues.

HOLDEN COLORADO LT $51,950

Tonnes of grunt from the 2.8-litre, with six-speed automatic and tidy handling. Same 6000kg gross as the Ranger. Sharp drive-away deals regularly advertised.

TOYOTA HILUX SR $48,490

The most comfortable, classy cabin here. Bulletproof and with bankable resale values. Hard ride and the 2.8-litre/six-speed set-up isn’t as frugal as the Nissan’s.