In the growing field of high-end leisure double cab bakkies, the 2,5-litre Nissan Navara Pro-4X has a claim to fame that offers a price advantage, but does that translate to good value for money?
With the dust now having settled over the Ford Ranger Wildtrak winning the SA Guild of Mobility Journalists Car of the Year competition, we welcomed the opportunity to spend some time with a competitor that, perhaps, lurks in the shadows when the spotlight falls on competition such as Toyota, Ford and Volkswagen.
A Legacy of Toughness
The Navara name dates back to 1985: three generations of this hardy bakkie with the last complete range revision coming in 2017 – the Pro-4X being a recent update on that with the 2,5-litre mill replacing the older 2,3-litre and made in South Africa in the company’s Rossly, Pretoria plant.
Performance and Capability
The Pro-4X (R822 500) powers through a 2,5-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel that produces 140 kW of power and 450 Nm of torque. This engine can match a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic transmission, with 224 mm of unladen ground clearance and 600 mm of wading depth for those prone to outskirt adventuring.
Value for Money
In that, it compares favourably with its direct price rivals, the Mazda BT-50 3.0TD double cab 4x4 Individual (R818 400) Volkswagen Amarok 2.0BiTDI double cab Life 4Motion (R825 500) and Isuzu D-Max 3.0TD double cab V-Cross (R827 900) – the Amarok offering a tad more in both the power and torque departments.
There is nothing to complain about regarding its on-road performance, except for a somewhat agricultural-sounding engine at low revs. However, this sound eases out as the vehicle speed increases.
Fuel Consumption and Transmission
Acceleration is smoother than some of its rivals, but overtaking bursts happen swiftly enough, the 7-speed gearbox providing a suitable mix of ratios for the job. On the test cycle, the Navara returned an average consumption of 9,8 l/100 km, giving it a tank range around the 860-kilometre mark.
On the road, the suspension setup deals with bumps and ripples, the vehicle sitting on a coil spring independent five-link rear configuration. However, advances in suspension tuning by its rivals mean it does not have quite the level of refinement they currently offer.
Riding Comfort and Handling
The on-road handling of this vehicle is generally commendable, although there might be a slight body roll and front-end push noticeable during rapid movements. However, its off-road capability surpasses expectations, as the company has retained the shift-on-the-fly feature, enabling drivers to effortlessly switch between 2H, 4H, and 4L as needed. With an impressive ground clearance of 221 mm, there are very few places where this vehicle cannot venture.
For low-speed parking lot manoeuvres, Nissan has revised the steering to an electrically-assisted setup, thus making it easy to twirl in that scenario.
Interior and Infotainment
The enhanced styling of the Pro-4X gives the cabin ambience a boost as well, with the leather-accented seats and their unique embroidery both supportive and comfortable. It also features an 8,0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Accepting bakkies at this level are a combo of work and leisure, the Navara has the innate toughness required for the former and enough of the luxuries for the latter, making it an impressively well-rounded vehicle.
Nevertheless, despite the cabin upgrades, the presence of hard plastics diminishes the overall appeal in comparison to its competitors. As such, Nissan should focus on this area when the range undergoes a refresh in the future.
Features and Safety
Navigation is integrated into the infotainment system along with a surround camera view of the Navara that works well to help position the vehicle in difficult off-road obstacles or even when just trying to squeeze into an undersized shopping centre parking bay.
Standard features include leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers and keyless access.
The Navara features seven crash bags, anti-lock braking with EBD, brake assist, electronic stability control with traction control, and hill-descent control. Driver assistance features (incorporated in the Nissan Intelligent Mobility suite) include forward-collision warning, emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning and rear cross-traffic alert.
Besides sheer badge preference, the overriding factor in a purchase decision is the price and the value for money this offers. In the upper R700 000, the Navara is lower than some of its chief luxury rivals but loses out a little on the lack of some luxuries and the cabin fixtures – especially considering the likes of the GWM P-Series, which is overflowing with splendour and kit and is considerably cheaper.
But then, isn’t life all about choices?
