Road Test review: Nissan Navara ST-X

Monday, 19 July 2021

Meet the new face of the Navara.

NISSAN NAVARA ST-X
Base price: $67,490
Powertrain and economy: 2.3-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder, 140kW/450Nm, 7-speed automatic, 4WD, combined economy 7.9L/100km, CO2 206g/km (source: RightCar).

Nissan brings Titan looks to the Navara for its latest update. And they work very well indeed.

Vital statistics: 5255mm long, 1850mm wide, 1830mm high, 3150mm wheelbase, 18-inch alloy wheels.
We like: New truck-like looks, added safety kit across the range, LED headlights are brilliant, still one of the better riding utes.

There’s a lot more “Navara” on the outside now too – there’s another along the top of the grille too, even if you don’t go for the optional bonnet protector.

We don't like: Hefty price, ageing interior.

One of the quiet achievers in the New Zealand ute segment has been the Nissan Navara – it is a constant feature of the top ten monthly sellers in the country and, while overshadowed by the superstars in the segment – the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and, to a lesser extent, the Mitsubishi Triton – has been a strong seller for Nissan. So, of course, when a new one arrives it is a big deal for the company, even if it is just a mid-life refresh.

No leaf springs here – the double cab Navara ST-X gets coil springs for better ride and handling, but it can still carry the same amount.

Is that your way of saying the Navara has had a mid-life refresh?

Absolutely. And it is both an extensive refresh and a not very extensive one, depending on where you look. On the outside the Navara has had a fairly extensive overhaul, with an entirely new face consisting of a new bonnet, headlights, front bumper and grille, bringing a handsome, big truck look that is similar to the US-market Titan pick up.

The 2.3-litre turbo diesel engine remains and pumps out 140kW/450Nm.

The Navara’s new LED headlights are a standout feature, even if they are overshadowed by that big grille.

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It’s pretty much business as usual in here – little has changed from the last model.

The back end has also been extensively revamped, with a new wellside tub design with a 25mm increase in bed height, while a new tailgate, rear bumper and LED taillights also transform the rear end.

Inside, however, things are far less extensive, with the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system now featuring across all grades, while a new steering wheel and driver assist display are about it as far as new interior bits go.

For the standard range, that is; the top-spec Pro-4X gets some fancy exclusive trim, but our test vehicle was a one-from-the-top ST-X 4WD double cab that, in all honesty, didn’t feel very different from the last model from the inside.

The updated Navara cuts a handsome, truck-like figure in the ute segment.

What about on (or, indeed off) the road though?

Again, it will feel very familiar to anyone who has driven a recent model D23 NP300 Navara from the last few years.

Or, indeed, a Mercedes-Benz X250d, because while that particular experiment went nowhere for Mercedes, the Navara benefited from a number of the suspension mods that the German manufacturer developed for the platform the two shared. So that means a composed ride with predictable handling on road (aided by the double cab Navara’s coil spring rear suspension) and impressively capable off-road abilities.

And, yep, that means the engine is the same 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel that both shared as well (it’s shame Nissan couldn’t get their hands of the brilliant 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 Mercedes jammed into the X350d though…).

It still makes 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque, but also remains a pleasantly tractable and largely unobtrusive powerplant, while the seven-speed automatic transmission is a nice, if unspectacular shifter.

What is new are the added driver assist safety systems that now include blind spot and lane departure intervention systems that are nicely calibrated and never overly intrusive or excessively naggy, unlike a lot of systems in modern utes.

Sounds like you aren’t particularly impressed by the facelift?

Yeah, I get that, but it shouldn’t – because I do still like the Navara a lot. Even if I think it is too expensive.

The new look is brilliant, bringing some big truck-like attitude (that has served the Ford Ranger so well) to the Navara, while retaining its excellent ride and handling qualities.

There is wisdom to the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and Nissan has very much stuck to that with the Navara’s update. They didn’t tinker with the bits that worked well and made it safer, quieter (there’s extra noise insulation throughout), better looking and added extra kit, which is something everyone likes.

It remains a pleasant ute to drive, offering up no real irritations in terms of ride quality and impressing with its agility and responsiveness on the open road. Despite the extra noise insulation, road noise is still quite noticeable in the ST-X, but not necessarily worse than the competition.

So is it worth upgrading if you have a Navara then?

If you bought one recently, but just like the new looks, then probably not. That depends on just how much you like the new looks, of course, but you’d have to really like them, because the rest of the updates are still quite minimal.

Still, for anyone looking to trade up from an older D23, or a D22, then there is enough here to make it worthwhile. The added safety kit and big-rig looks alone are a big upgrade there.

Any other cars I should consider?

Well, yeah, there are probably quite a few. And quite a few that are better-priced too.

While it might be obvious to suggest the Ford Ranger, it could pay to wait a bit there, as an all-singing, all-dancing new version isn’t too far off, that will go above and beyond in terms of toughness and tech simply because it has to.

The Toyota Hilux is likewise only a year or two away from replacement, with the current model being an extensive refresh itself that offers strongly compelling value for money. And absolutely kicks the Navara all over the place when it comes to that as well, with a top-spec SR5 Cruiser 4x4 double cab coming in more than $6,000 less than the ST-X.

But it is probably the Mitsubishi Triton that is the most closely comparable to the Navara, even if just in terms of it being an older platform under a swoopy new body. Either way, most ute purchases tend to run along the lines of brand loyalty, so if that older Navara has done you well, then the new one will please you very much indeed.