THE OTHER NAVARA

NISSAN’S D23 NAVARA IS NOTED FOR ITS COIL-SPRING REAR SUSPENSION, BUT THERE IS ONE MODEL WITH TRADITIONAL LEAF SPRINGS ON THE LOAD AXLE.

- Fraser Stronach

MUCH HAS been said and written about the coil-spring Navara dual-cab ‘NP300’ (or D23) that arrived here in mid-2015, not all of it complimentary, especially with regards to its heavy load and tow abilities, and much of it about the subsequent suspension revisions for the 2017 and 2018 models.

Meanwhile, flying under the radar, and among a host of coil-spring Navara models, has been a solitary leaf-spring dual-cab: the RX cabchassis. This is the base-spec model in the Navara 4x4 dual-cab range, something that’s pretty obvious given its steel wheels, lack of sidesteps and its work tray. Not that the steel wheels or lack of steps should put you off, and if you did want a smarter-looking and more aerodynamically efficient ute it wouldn’t be hard to pick up a factory tub, given so many are discarded from higher-spec models to fit work trays.

You can buy an RX with a factory tub, but like the more expensive SL, ST and ST-X Navaras, it too comes with coil springs at the rear.

The RX cab-chassis comes standard with a six-speed manual, but our test vehicle has the optional seven-speed automatic, which means a $41,350 sticker price, or around $46K on road, tray included.

POWERTRAIN AND PERFORMANCE

AS WELL as only being available as a cab-chassis, the leaf-spring Navara’s other single-model limitation is that it only comes with the less powerful of the two 2.3-litre four-cylinder diesels on offer in the wider Navara range. The RX’s engine claims 120kW and 403Nm, while the more expensive Navaras get the 140kW/450Nm engine, the difference being in the turbo arrangements. Where the RX has just one turbo, the higher-spec models get a more sophisticated and complex bi-turbo arrangement. Both engines are sourced from Nissan’s alliance partner Renault and were originally designed for commercial (delivery van) use rather than passenger-car use, so that should bode well for durability.