Nissan Navara Van Review

Nissan Navara Photos

Our Review of the Nissan Navara

There was a time when a pick - up was suited to the building site and were built accordingly. Almost over night they became the choice of company car for many due to the attractive pricing of the commercial vehicle tax rate, and as a result chrome finishes and luxury interiors began to emerge on pick - ups in place of sturdy and rugged design. The pendulum has swung again towards the centre, and many pick - up manufacturers aim to give the best of both worlds, as typified in the Nissan Navara Diesel D/Cab Pick - up.

Pick - ups do tend to be sturdy workhorse beasts even if the interior is carpeted and often the school run is its intended use. For a more conventional pick - up load, the Nissan Navara 2.5 diesel engine gives a drive 190 bhp and a torque of 450Nm at 2000 revs. This pulling power rivals Land Rover, and is highly impressive especially as the 31.4 mpg beats the Land Rover on fuel consumption too.

The Nissan Navara has a payload of 1110kg which is similar to many panel vans. Like all pick - ups it feels the bumps and lumps of urban roads, and its bouncy drive can be a little unsettling. Nissan have done a fair job however of keeping the suspension in check and when compared to other pick - ups, the Nissan Navara's drive is as smooth as any other.

As the Nissan Navara is designed to take the children to school as well as the materials to the building site, it has by commercial vehicle standards a luxury interior. The 6 multi - changer CD stereo can be accessed via the controls on the steering column. The Nissan Navara comes with ABS, EBD, brake assist and ESP traction control. All good for off road drives as well as negotiating busy urban streets. Both a driver and passenger airbags have been fitted together with side impact airbags, which is unusual in many commercial vehicles. Just to round it off curtain airbags have been fitted too. Electric windows complete the luxury.

The Nissan Navara represents a good attempt and design at providing a crossover of a practical commercial vehicle and the comfort and drive of a standard saloon. If the nature of the role of the pick - up is to take loads off road and to take little Tommy to school, then it is difficult to think of a better model than the Nissan Navara.