NARAVA ST WITH FACTORY FRUIT

AN OLDER PLATFORM WITH A FRESH REDESIGN AND FACTORY-FITTED ACCESSORIES. IS THIS ENOUGH FOR YOU TO CONSIDER BUYING A NEW NAVARA?

- EVAN SPENCE

THIS Navara platform has been around for seven years now, receiving various updates along the way. Suspension was one area which required a few goes to get right, however the wait seems to be worth it . We now have a dual-cab 4x4 from Nissan that rides well on- and offroad, has a solid traction-control system and a more modern appearance. But is that enough? Well, we took off for the week, living and camping out of this new Navara, to see if it was up to task.

While it’s a familiar package, with the same seven-speed automatic gearbox and 2.3L twin-turbo motor, exterior and interior revisions have certainly done favours to the vehicle overall. There’s nothing much to gripe about that couldn’t be fixed with a visit to your local 4x4 shop. There are also some really handy additions such as a sharp-looking steering wheel, which means you now don’t accidentally press the horn when turning like the previous generation. That was always an unwelcome surprise.

There’s also an increase in payload-carrying ability, thanks to a new massively stout rear-axle housing. This thing is huge, but thanks to the flat (or shaved, if you’re in the biz) lower differential housing, we didn’t have any issues getting hung up on rocks. This is a nod to the heritage of Nissan building bulletproof 4x4 drivetrains in the GQ and GU Patrol; it’s nice to see a beefed-up Navara.