2012 Nissan Navara Review and First Drive

How important is the Navara to Nissan Australia? So important that when production of the pickup and cab chassis models was interrupted by the floods in Thailand, the company sprinted in a momentous effort to get production quickly re-sourced from Spain. 

Despite the spectacular new arrivals in our ultra-competitive ute market, Nissan has now introduced a 2012 D40 Navara lineup bristling with extra features to sharpen the value proposition even further and an extra V6 turbo-diesel variant – the ST.

Nissan Navara Overview

Navara adds a new model for 2012 – the ST-X Dual cab with the 3.0-litre V6 diesel - stickered at $56,990. Compared to the range-topping Nissan Navara ST-X 550, the new ST-X misses out on leather seats (heated fronts), the premium Bose hard drive audio system, satellite navigation, reversing camera and the black sports bar with LED stop light.
 

Of course the major part of Nissan Navara’s value-for-money story is the 2012 prices: for example the ST-X 550 is $2,000 less than the outgoing model and the new ST-X Dual Cab V6 replaces the previous 2011 ST-X 550…but is actually $4,000 less.

2012 Nissan Navara full range is

RX Single Cab Cab Chassis 4x4 2.5l diesel (6-speed manual) $34,860
RX King Cab Cab Chassis 4x4 2.5l diesel (6-speed manual) $39,990
RX King Cab Cab Chassis 4x4 2.5l diesel (5-speed automatic) $42,150
ST-X King Cab Cab Chassis 4x4 2.5-l diesel (6-speed manual) $42,910
ST-X King Cab Cab Chassis 4x4 2.5l diesel (5-speed automatic) $45,160
ST-X King Cab Pickup 4x4 2.5l diesel (6-speed manual) $44,610
ST-X King Cab Pickup 4x4 2.5l diesel (5-speed automatic) $46,860
RX Dual Cab Pickup 4x2 2.5l diesel (6-speed manual) $30,600
RX Dual Cab Pickup 4x2 2.5l diesel (5-speed automatic) $32,850
RX Dual Cab Pickup 4x4 2.5l diesel (6-speed manual) $41,300
RX Dual Cab Pickup 4x4 2.5l diesel (5-speed automatic) $43,550
RX Dual Cab Cab Chassis 4x4 2.5l diesel (6-speed manual) $39,600
RX Dual Cab Cab Chassis 4x4 2.5l diesel (5-speed automatic) $41,850
ST Dual Cab Pickup 4x4 2.5l diesel (6-speed manual) $46,800
ST Dual Cab Pickup 4x4 2.5l diesel (5-speed automatic) $49,050
ST-X Dual Cab Pickup 4x4 3.0l V6 diesel (7-speed automatic) $56,990
ST-X 550 Dual Cab Pickup 4x4 3.0l V6 diesel (7-speed automatic) $62,990

Nissan Navara Engine

Under the bonnet, for 2012, Nissan Navara ST models score a new, more powerful version of the 2.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine with 126kW of power at 4000rpm and peak torque of 403Nm from 2000rpm. Entry-level Nissan Navara RX sticks with 106kW of power at 4000rpm and peak torque of 356Nm from 2000rpm. 

Range-topping ST-X and ST-X 500 are both powered by Nissan’s 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel with 170kW at 3750rpm and 550Nm at 1750rpm.

Both V6 models provide a 3000kgs towing capacity.

Nissan Navara The Interior

Nissan Navara received substantially improved interiors at the last running change, so only minor changes this time around.

Range-topping ST-X 500 gets the ‘whole enchilada’ with leather seats (heated fronts), sat-nav, hard-drive Bose audio and a reversing camera. At the other end of the Nissan Navara scale, for 2012 the RX single cab swaps from bench to bucket seats and ditches the vinyl floor – replaced with carpet and rubber mats. 

Navara ST now has six airbags as standard and all models have standard Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) and three-point seat belts.

Nissan Navara Exterior & Styling

No external changes for 2012, but some handy additions inside the tub of pickup models – the addition of Nissan’s very clever Utili Track cargo storage tie-down system. A Car Showroom colleague who is a Nissan Navara owner has the system in his vehicle and reckons it matches Apollo 11’s moon landing for smart inventions.

Nissan Navara On The Road

Nissan had a job for us with the new Navara – tow some trailers loaded with materials to a home being built in Melbourne’s Black Saturday bushfire-ravaged Buxton. The route included country roads, mountain twists and, later some dirt tracks. 

We sampled some ST and ST-X models and here’s the thing…the Nissan Navara is just so outrageously competent – it does everything well.

We previously had some criticism of the V6 turbo-diesel’s noise but this time noise and NVH seemed reduced.

And while Nissan Navara isn’t the newest chassis in the market, Nissan has it well-sorted and ride/handling was also high-standard for a ute with nice suspension compliance and precision even when we pushed hard in the loose dirt. 

Nissan Navara lapped-up the trailer-towing job, but a couple of switchback turns in the dirt sections did require a three-point turn as Navara 4x4 just didn’t have a small enough turning circle (neither would any 4x4 ute in all likelihood).

Nissan Navara Challenges

Model cycles are a fact of life in the auto industry and commercial vehicles have longer cycles than passenger cars. It’s still some time before we should expect an all-new Nissan Navara, so we shouldn’t be surprised the all-new, Australian-designed Ford Ranger and its Mazda BT50 twin have sharper, more contemporary interior designs.

Nissan Navara Verdict

With Navara accounting for over 30 per cent of Nissan’s sales in Australia, you just knew no stone would be left un-turned in developing the 2012 D40 range. Equipment improvements mean enhanced value-for-money and the V6-powered ST-X Dual Cab 4x4 is a smart, handily-priced addition to the range. 

So, while the current Navara dynasty is well down the road in its model life (Nissan’s commercial vehicles guys admitted the all-new model is still some years away, but they are already working on preliminary stuff) it still stacks-up well against the all-new Ford Ranger/Mazda BT50 lineup in most areas.

Value-for-money is impressive – no surprise there.

Despite its advanced years, driving dynamics give the newcomers a run for their money – and that was a surprise.

Nissan Navara The Competition

If you thought the NRL and AFL grand finals were tough – they’re nothing compared to the war being raged to win-over Australia’s ute buyers.

Ford’s all-new Ranger scores the maximum 5-star safety rating from ANCAP and the driving dynamics really impress thanks to its extensive local development – Ford Ranger was designed and engineered by Ford Australia and is now sold globally. Interior space and design is also impressive.

Same for Ranger’s cousin – the Mazda BT50.
 

But in terms of sales, Nissan Navara battles it out with the segment king – Toyota HiLux. Just freshened last year, Toyota HiLux , like the Navara, is better than ever, but – also like the Navara – isn’t the newest design in this league.

Volkswagen’s Amarok arrived with a bang, but the German giant was always going to struggle with no single cab variants or automatic transmission (they’re coming this year). Volkswagen’s brilliance means the Amarok is a dream to drive on-road, but in this segment buyers heed the decades-long toughness reputation naturally promoted by Nissan and Toyota.

Mitsubishi Triton is showing its age these days and its engines lack the refinement of some rivals. There is no doubting the Triton’s toughness or value though.