WE South Africans love our bakkies. Daily workhorses are often transformed into weekend transport and in many cases perform the role of family transport as well. If you are a manufacturer or importer and want to be a volume player in South Africa, it would appear that you simply have to have a double-cab model in your line-up. Two, of course, are even better… that’s why Nissan offers the NP300 line-up for the daily grind and the more modern Navara range for play time.

Navara may not share the same level of popularity as the Toyota Hilux, but it does have a loyal following among Nissan die-hards and those looking for a more leisure-oriented quasi-SUV. For the power-hungry bakkie buyer, Nissan has just launched the Navara 3,0 dCi 4x4 LE AT + Satnav – quite a mouthful! Touted as SA’s most powerful double-cab, the new range leader boasts the company’s eagerly-anticipated V9X turbodiesel V6 engine, which is a first for the LCV segment.

Featuring four valves per cylinder and high-pressure direct injection, the engine produces maximum power of 170 kW at 3 750 r/min. A massive 550 N.m of twist effort is developed at 1 750 r/min with 500 N.m on tap from 1 500. Power is not produced at the expense of refinement, however; in fact, the V9X powerplant is extremely smooth and displays very undiesel-like traits in terms of idle and rev-ability. Engine idle speed is a low 650 r/min and the unit seems unfussed to spin to 5 000. Unsurprisingly, we learnt that the engine was developed by the Nissan- Renault Alliance for use in luxury passenger cars, such as the Renault Laguna and several US-market Infiniti models.

This engine is mated with a seven-speed automatic transmission, which is also a first for the segment. On dry asphalt power is easily transferred to the road. With very little effort the 2,3-ton vehicle made good on Nissan’s claimed acceleration fi gure when it covered the zero-to-100 km/h dash in 9,3 seconds, which should leave some hot hatch drivers wide-eyed. Top speed is 195 km/h.

Fuel consumption is calculated at 11,4 litres/100 km, which is impressive when one considers the level of power on tap. Drivers can expect just over 700 km from a full tank of diesel. That power output can only really be exploited in a straight line, though, as the Navara is still a bakkie at its core. Double wishbones up front and a solid axle with leaf springs at the rear are mounted to a ladder frame chassis. Along with a slow-reacting steering rack – 3,8 turns lock-tolock – it means one cannot get over-eager on the twisty stuff.

Safety is well addressed in this model: there are six airbags to protect occupants, as well as ISOFIX child seat anchor points on the rear bench – an uncommon feature on a bakkie. The ABS-modulated braking system stopped the hefty Navara from 100 km/h in an excellent average of 3,05 seconds.

Should drivers wish to venture off the black top, they can choose between rear- and all-wheel drive. And if the going gets really tough there is also a low-range transfer case. The approach angle of 30 degrees and departure angle of 24 are on par with other double-cabs in the class. The breakover angle of 161 degrees is slighty reduced by the side steps. Ground clearance is a decent 230 mm on the standard 17-inch footwear. There isn’t a diff lock of any sort, but it does have Nissan’s electronic Active Brake Limited Slip (ABLS) system. ABLS applies braking force to any wheel that loses traction and redirects power to the slowest-spinning wheel, whether in 2WD or 4WD models.

Off the beaten path, this Navara V6 diesel holds its own. With plenty of grunt and the 4WD system in play, there are few obstacles that provide too great a challenge. One aspect that isn’t ideal is the lack of compression braking on steep descents. One needs to use the brakes rather than the engine speed to crawl down steep and tricky slopes.

In terms of appearance, there is an updated front end that incorporates a chunkier bumper as well as a resculpted bonnet. The changes complement the Navara’s trademark butch looks. The cabin also remains fairly unchanged. There is plenty of space for a full house of adults and the rear quarters have ample legroom and three 3-point safety belts. Conveniently, the rear seats also flip up to create additional storage/carrying space inside the cabin.

There is, however, one major difference that sets the flagship Navara apart from its rivals, and that is the inclusion of a multi-media info-tainment system, including satellite navigation, another first for the segment. The touch-screen interface is easy to use and the system features a hard drive on which to store your favourite music. MP3 files are also supported either via the CD player or a USB socket located under the centre armrest: tunes are delivered by a powerful Bose sound system. A large full-colour screen displays images from the rear-mounted camera. Bluetooth streaming and telephony are standard.

For all the impressive standard specification, the Navara’s steering column does not offer adjustment for reach and we would have expected an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. From behind the wheel, the Navara does a good impression of a passenger car, though. Dark fabrics, tactile materials and good fit and finish do well to hide this model’s bakkie origins.

TEST SUMMARY
Nissan’s new Navara flagship comes across as very car-like in some instances, but a jiggly ride over fine ridges is more noticeable than in rival models such as the newly-launched VW Amarok. Then we have to ask: does a double-cab really need 170 kW?

Range leaders from VW’s Amarok and Toyota’s Hilux lineups may have lower specification and much less power but they are over R100 000 cheaper.

View other Nissan road tests.

Original article from Car