2015 Nissan Navara REVIEW – NP300 ST-X, Workboots And A Smart Suit
The skinny: Nissan’s new NP300 Navara takes a slightly different tack: the coil-sprung rear suspension, neat lines and SUV-like interior dresses it up in a smarter, classier suit.
But it’s still the worker. With a segment-matching 3.5 tonne tow rating (braked trailer), a stout 2.3 litre diesel punching out 450Nm of torque, and a hard-working 4X4 system down below, it can still wield a shovel when asked.
Vehicle style: Dual-cab 4X4 Ute
Price: $54,490
Engine/trans: 2.3 litre intercooled twin turbo diesel, DOHC | 7spd Automatic
Power: 140kW @ 3750rpm | Torque: 450Nm @ 1500-2500rpm
Fuel Consumption (Claimed): 7.0 l/100km (Automatic) | (Tested): 9.1 l/100km
OVERVIEW
Unless you have been living under a rock you would know Australia is experiencing a commercial vehicle boom: three in the top ten models in July 2015 being utility vehicles, all built in Thailand.
Nissan is seated at that party with its new NP300 Navara, built in – you guessed it – a brand new Thailand plant.
Officially the D23 Navara, Nissan has confusingly decided to name it the NP300 Navara in Australia.
This introduces a name long used in other markets, and quite likely a subtle move by Nissan Australia to distance it from the previous D22 and Spanish-built D40 offerings.