The Nissan Navara recently celebrated its 40th anniversary here in New Zealand, one of many countries where it has earned a reputation for being a hardworking and reliable ute. There’s a very good reason for this and one can argue that it comes down to experience, after all, a solid reputation like that of the Navara’s wasn’t just built in the first year but is one that continues to be improved upon as each generation passes. In fact, Nissan could argue that their experience with utes and pickups dates even further back, all the way to the Datsun 13 & 15 from the 1930s, that’s nearly a century of expertise in the field!
Faced with an ever challenging automotive climate and an ageing product, Nissan turned to its ally Mitsubishi, seeking to co-develop the new generation Navara with that of the Triton. That begs the question then, what has Nissan done to differentiate the Navara and after 40 years, can it still meet the demands of the modern ute buyer?
At this point, I should clarify why the mention of the modern ute buyer rather than a traditional farmer, that’s mainly because in this PRO-4X spec with its red garnishing and high spec interior, this vehicle is far more likely to see a city high street than a rural high country farm, the latter likely to be the stomping ground of the SL or ST trims. Still, it is a Navara so there must be a sense of ruggedness to it, not to mention a Nissan flavour.
At the front, you see the inclusion of a Nissan grille with a prominent badge highlighted in red, the addition of the three nostrils or slats is a nod to its ancestor, the D21 ‘Hardbody’ in particular. After all, 40 years is an anniversary worth celebrating! Also note the black accents which are rather pronounced against the backdrop of this particular ‘Horizon Blue’ colour. Speaking of colours, I quite liked the ‘Kimberley Orange’ shade, although that is not available on the range topper. Instead, PRO-4X buyers get a choice of four colours, the blue being my pick of the bunch. Curiously, a quick browse of the Triton’s colour options presented an eerily similar palette. While Nissan have done a decent enough job of hiding most of Mitsi’s styling cues around the front, thanks to those ‘C’ style LED headlamps and a brand specific grille, the rear is where the similarities become far more obvious.
Being the PRO-4X model, aesthetics are an important point to consider and the Navara features flashes of red along with a pronounced ‘PRO-4X’ sticker graphic on the rear three quarters of the vehicle. If you’re after a discreet truck then this spec is not for you, although going with a darker shade like ‘Midnight Black’ does help it fly under the radar a bit more. It’s not all about looks though because this vehicle does feature credible off-road features like all-terrain tyres, coating these 17 inch matte black alloy wheels along with the protective cladding surrounding the wheel arches.
Like many utes in this segment, it’s very much a game of numbers for the Navara with the new generation vehicle measuring in at 5.32m long, 1.93m wide and 1.82m tall (unladen). Dimensions that put it in the middle of what’s available in the segment, there are smaller alternatives and larger ones as well but this seems to be the idea size for a ute. The extra cladding does make it a tad wider than SL, ST and ST-X which are all 1.865m wide, excluding mirrors.
The ‘PRO-4X’ is not all performative because it does have a 3,500kg braked towing capacity and a payload rating of just over a tonne, 1,050kg to be precise. Again, both good figures to be competitive in this segment, the payload of particular note and it will safely accommodate a pallet as well . However, go to open the tailgate and you’ll notice the lack of gas struts or hydraulics so dropping it is an experience akin to that of the first generation Navara, not ideal considering the circa $68k price tag of this range topper.
While the PRO-4X offers plenty of fruit for the exterior, the interior is really where the offering steps up. The inclusion of contrast stitching, inserts and embossed badging, all in red make it seem like this is trying to be an Italian sportscar of sorts but no, it’s a Navara. And while the colour is jarring at first, it softens over time. Although it may seem like the brand have gone a tad overboard with the use of coloured accents and shiny materials, note the gloss black panel as well as the shiny selector knob, the cabin is still generally hard wearing. The doors and dashboard feature swathes of rougher plastics that are not inviting to touch but in a ute, they don’t need to be! What you really need from the plastics and interior is the ability to be wiped clean following a day out in the mud and in that respect, the Navara stays on brand. If you are looking for softer materials, the seats, steering wheel and shift knob are all leather accented.
The real surprise though is the inclusion of a physical handbrake even on this top-spec model, a move that can be called outdated as much as it can be considered retro cool. It’s not the only thing in this cabin from the past, the other being the infotainment unit which we’ve seen on the brand’s models since the new X-Trail debuted in late 2022. Thankfully though, Nissan’s old school approach to interior design has meant that physical buttons have been retained for key functions like the air-con controls and off-road modes, a welcome relief from the screen heavy route taken by some of its peers.
A PRO-4X buyer though will want luxuries as much as they desire off-road capabilities, so the vehicle comes with heated seats for both front occupants as well as dual zone climate control. The driver also gets 8-way adjustable electronic seats and back seat usability is now far more than it has been on previous generation vehicles. Practicalities have been sorted with generous door cubbies, under-armrest storage and two gloveboxes. With Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, it seemingly has most trappings that a modern ute buyer would desire bar a brand name audio system.
That is until you push the ‘Start’ button to fire it up. Here’s where the Navara could really use some refinement because unlike the quieter, smoother diesels sported by some of its peers, the Nissan counters with a rustic experience, again, not too different to the Hardbody, they really are making a deal of this 40th anniversary!
Now it may sound like I’m being a bit harsh on the Navara and while some things like the rougher materials or physical handbrake can be overlooked, the rough idling diesel powertrain cannot, not in this range topping model. The experience doesn’t get much smoother on the move either as the unit feels like it’s straining when moving from a stop. Something that shouldn’t be the case considering this 2.4L bi-turbo unit makes 150kW and 470Nm, not a bad output. The PRO-4X also comes with Premcar tuned suspension for Aussie roads. If anything, it highlights how different Australian and New Zealand roads are because the PRO-4X did not feel settled on rougher tarmac surfaces.
Yes, I’m aware that it is a ute after all but at this range topping level, the discerning buyer has begun to desire vehicles that are more car like to drive, with smoother powertrains and suspension set-ups. These are not the Navara’s strong points, nor is the 6-speed automatic that can sometimes make for lurchy shifts, all of which doesn’t help with fuel economy either which is claimed to be 7.7L/100km but we recorded between 9-10L/100km despite long shifts of motorway driving! Then when you come to a stop, a concerning amount of pedal travel distances you from some actual braking. A shame because while the price, equipment list and capabilities make the Navara a compelling package, the drive experience makes it feel last generation.
The Verdict
I’ll start by saying that $68k for a range topping ute from an established brand is not a bad deal at all! For that money, you get all terrain tyres, Premcar tuned suspension (for Aussie roads though), a leather accented interior, 3,500kg braked towing and a payload on the better side of a tonne. The biggest disappointment is its drive experience, an unrefined, strained one in general with an unsettled ride when unladen isn’t ideal for a ute that will see many city streets.
Then there’s the Navara nameplate, 40-years strong in this country and renowned globally for being a hard working, reliable product. If anything, this new vehicle highlights that the Navara’s strengths firmly remain in the grassroots where capability is a priority over refinement.
2026 Nissan Navara Dual Cab 4WD Auto Pro-4X Overall Rating: 3/5
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Car courtesy of Nissan New Zealand. Pictures and words by Matthew D’Souza.
