South Africans absolutely love their double-cab pickup trucks, so much so that the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, and Mitsubishi Triton are three of the nation’s five best-selling new bakkies. Another popular model is the Nissan Navara and while it may not sell as well as its rivals, it is still a very impressive piece of kit.
In early 2020, the Carscoops team tested the Navara in both N-trek and N-Trek Warrior forms and were very impressed with both models. Fast forward to the end of last year and a much-need facelifted model landed and the local range was shuffled around.
Gone is the old Navara N-Trek model and sitting in its place is this: the Nissan Navara Pro-4X. Using the same nomenclature as some of Nissan’s U.S. models, such as the Frontier and Titan, the Navara Pro-4X is the flagship model currently offered in SA.
Powered by a 2.5-litre twin-turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the Navara Pro-4X delivers (140 kW) at 3,750 rpm and (450 Nm) of torque between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm. This engine can be coupled to either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic transmission; the test car had the latter.
The Pro-4X has distinguished itself from other Navara models thanks to its unique exterior styling. Found at the front is an all-black grille with plastic cladding that extends up onto the hood. The nose of the Pro-4X also includes red accents on the lower portion of the bumper and certainly looks more purposeful than pre-facelift models. Evidently, Nissan HQ decided it would be a good idea to give the Navara some of the flairs of the U.S. Frontier and Titan. It was right.
Elsewhere, the Navara Pro-4X comes equipped with black fender flares, and black alloy wheels, and sits on Yokohama Geolander all-terrain tires. There is also a graphics package to make sure other motorists know you’re not driving a regular old Navara and a black sports bar in the bed that adds to the ute’s appeal.
Nissan has also put some nice touches of luxury in the cabin. For example, it features leather-accented seats with unique embroidery but interestingly, these seats aren’t heated as they can be in other Navara variants. As such, there are some blank buttons in the cabin – not exactly what you’d expect from a flagship model. Other interior features include an 8.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While this system works well, we still think Nissan desperately needs to update its infotainment software and UI.
In updating the Navara - Nissan strengthened the rear axle and fitted 25 mm larger rear drum brakes. The Pro-4X has a payload of 1,004 kg with an automatic transmission. A new steering rake has also been installed to improve manoeuvrability at low speeds and steering response.
The Pro-4X provides 224 mm of unladen ground clearance and a 600 mm wading depth as well as a 32-degree approach angle, 19.8-degree departure angle, and a 22.9-degree break over angle. It can also tow an impressive 3,500 kg.
Enough of the specs, what is the Navara Pro4X like to live with?
Carscoops tested out the new Navara for a week and in addition to testing it out in urban environments, embarked on a day trip out of Perth to visit The Pinnacles Desert, famous for its limestone formations and roughly two and a half hours north of the city. On the way, we also went to the beautiful Wedge Island.
One of the reasons why pickups like the Navara are so popular in Australia and South Africa is the fact that they are so well-rounded. Whether you need a daily driver to take the kids to school or a looking for a vehicle you can take off-roading, a pickup can do the trick. The Navara fits that brief perfectly.
Around the city, the new steering rack is immediately noticeable and makes the Navara much easier to use in traffic. Steering response is improved and this has a significant benefit in tight streets and while parking. Get onto the open road and the Navara Pro-4X continues to impress. The all-terrain tires do not adversely affect the ride quality and during long highway stints, the Nissan is comfortable and quiet. The automaker quotes a combined fuel economy figure of 7.9l/100 km and matching that figure is quite easy.
Whereas some pickups can feel floaty and unnerving at highway speeds, the Navara always feels settled and planted. The pickup typically operates in rear-wheel drive mode and that’s how I typically drove it. In wet conditions, traction is particularly impressive, despite the all-terrain tires.
Decent off-road credentials
On our journey to The Pinnacles Desert, we made a stop at Wedge Island for some beach driving while also heading a few minutes inland to see how the Pro-4X would perform on the neighbouring sand dunes.
With 4LO engaged and some air let out of the tires, we headed onto the sand and were immediately impressed with the tires, in particular in deep, soft sand. Hardcore off-roading enthusiasts looking to pick up the keys to a new Navara would be best placed to opt for the Pro-4X Warrior with its mud-terrain tires but in most conditions, the all-terrains of the standard Pro-4X do the job just fine. In addition, the drivetrain worked well and ensured that traction was never an issue, even while making a number of steep ascents and descents.
The complete package?
The current-generation Navara has been around since 2015 but it does come with a number of important safety features as standard. These include autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, a driver alert system, intelligent lane intervention, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, trailer sway control, and a tire pressure monitoring system, an especially handy feature if you’re letting air out while off-roading.
For the vast majority of SA bakkie buyers, the Navara Pro-4X ticks all the boxes and is just as home on the road as it is on the sand or along an off-road trail.
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