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The Nissan Navara has proved that it's one pickup that's just as happy on the road as it is off-road.
Page 63
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Sometinnes, a vehicle comes along that's so complete in what it does, you know it's going to be a while before the rest of the competition will make a dent in its reputation.
Vauxhall's Vivaro is one example of such a phenomenon, and now you can add Nissan's Navara to that small but esteemed list. As a CM long-termer, a vehicle will be called upon for all sorts of duties, whether it's an overnight blast up to Merseyside, a house move or even a congestion-ridden jaunt through London.
The Navara has been put through all these cases and more, and has obliged with not as much as a murmur, taking on what's been thrown at it without complaint.
You see, unlike previous pickups, its not a chore to drive on the road, so you can move along without working around any of the traditional character traits, such as a snatching drivel ine or woolly steering.
At the core of this ability is an advanced ladder-frame chassis, which keeps the Navara firmly planted on the road, even in the wet. Yet it remains compliant enough to handle a full load when placed in its natural habitat: off-road.
Switch to four-wheel drive using the electronic dash-mounted switch, and there's plenty of grip to get you through the slippery conditions, particularly in low-ratio.
However, although the engine produces a class-leading 172hp. and 403Nm of
torque is available at 2,000rpm, it takes time for the engine to wind up, displaying a lack of low-end, lazy grunt that would allow you to moderate the clutch even when you need all the twist action you can get.
Although it's a little peaky for a turbodiesel, once the powerplant builds up the revs, acceleration is in a class of its own, pulling with real verve up to the red line.
The second 'however' concerns the Navara's dimensions. The market-leading Mitsubishi L200's height and width, for example, are 5,000x1,800mm, while the Navara measures 5,220x1,850mm so check your parking space!
But on the upside, the increased size results in a spacious cabin that can accommodate three people in the rear. The control layout is simple yet stylish, with decent storage and a good driving position. The build quality is excellent, keeping occupants impressively insulated from the outside world, to such an extent that it creates a new standard for the sector.
THE LOWDOWN
Once again Nissan's Navara has won our respect with its all-round ability, proving that you don't need to compromise on driving dynamics if you are running a pickup as an everyday vehicle.
Granted, it is a big machine and this may be a particular negative for some. But for us, its size is a small matter that fails to affect our respect for the vehicle. We'll get back to you when we find something to complain about.