The Nissan Navara replaced Nissan’s outdated ‘pick up’ and was a breath of fresh air. Designed alongside the Pathfinder SUV, the Navara benefits from plenty of car-like qualities as a result. To appeal to worldwide markets, the Navara is much bigger than its predecessor you can fit in plenty of people and still have room for some load.
The appearance of the front of the Navara has been updated for the 2010 model and now includes Nissan’s trademark grille.
INCREASED DIMENSIONS
The larger cabins and load beds are reflected in increased overall dimensions. Navara is 5296mm long, 1848mm wide and between 1783 and 1905mm tall. The wheelbase is 3200mm, 347mm longer than Pathfinder.
The Navara is available in two different formats: the King Cab which can seat two adults in the front and has two occasional seats in the back of the cabin; and the Double cab with its enlarged cabin and 60:40 split three-seater rear bench, providing ample room for five.
Since overall vehicle length and wheelbase are increased compared to the previous Pickup range, passenger and load bed space are enhanced in both models. Thus in the King Cab there is an extra 114mm from the back of the front seats to the cabin’s rearmost panel. As a result, Navara now has more comfortable forward facing rear seats in the King Cab as well as the Double Cab, rather than side facing seats.
Lots of thought has also gone into providing genuinely useful storage areas for smaller items. Two glove boxes ahead of the front passenger offer a total of 6.4-litres of space, and there’s a further 6.0-litre storage box within the centre console and a small storage area on top of the dashboard. Coin, cup and card holders can also be found in the centre console, while overhead there’s a sunglasses holder in a practical console in the roof, and the door linings feature deep pockets.
Two snazzy, detachable storage boxes with a net covering can be found in the rear of Navara’s cabin, located beneath the seats. On the King Cab these are of equal size, reflecting the two identical seats; and logically enough, the two boxes on the Double Cab – standard on Tekna – are of different sizes to match the 60:40 seat split.
Among the standard features, Navara has full carpeting throughout the cabin. The instrument panel is shared with Pathfinder and features a soft-touch finish on the centre console which houses controls for the dual zone climate control and audio systems. There’s a radio/single CD with Bluetooth phone integration on Acenta models and a 6CD autochanger and steering wheel controls on Tekna.
KING CAB
Access to King Cab’s rear seats is a piece of cake thanks to the pillarless four-door configuration, with rear-hinged ‘half’ doors that open almost to 90 degrees allowing back seat passengers the easiest of access. This innovative design solution combined with the lack of a central B-pillar, creates the widest possible opening.
When not in use, the two identically-sized rear seat squabs can be flipped up individually to provide extra storage space within the cabin. In total, there are no fewer than eight different seating/cargo configurations. This gives a segment-leading level of adaptability and convenience inside that might be familiar to SUV and MPV drivers, but certainly not something pick-up drivers are used to.
LOTS OF SPACE AND PRACTICAL WITH IT
The Navara offers best-in-class load space in its market segment. Careful design of the wheel housings means the distance between them is 1130 mm, the largest minimum bed width in the class. Bed length at floor level is 1861mm. So, King Cab can easily swallow a typical quad bike, let alone mountain bikes and off-road motorcycles. And for those with more practical matters to contend with, the King Cab will even carry a number of 4ft x 8ft sheets of plywood with the tailgate open.
And in terms of weight rather than volume, Navara will accommodate well over a tonne’s worth of cargo ranging from 1125kg for the manual Double Cab to 1110kg for the automatic Double Cab.
DOUBLE CAB
The Navara Double Cab features a three-seater rear bench in an enlarged cabin, providing ample room for five. The Double Cab shares King Cab’s long list of interior storage areas, while its rear seats also flip up – on a 60/40 split – to create extra storage space behind the front seats. Again, there are eight different seating/cargo configurations.
With its larger passenger compartment, the Double Cab naturally has a shorter bed, but still provides best in class load capacity. Sharing a minimum width dimension between the wheel housings of 1130mm with King Cab, it has an internal bed length of 1511mm. This extends to 2066mm with the tailgate lowered so it, too, can carry a quad bike and other bulky items that competitors with shorter beds cannot contemplate.
C-CHANNEL CONVENIENT, SAFE AND SIMPLE
Securing loads safely and more quickly is what Nissan’s and innovative C-Channel system is all about. Self locking cleats provide fixed points for securing ropes and these are placed in a series of rails around the load bay: two along the length of the bed plus one on each of the three fixed sides of the pick-up bed.
SAFETY & SECURITY
All Navaras are fitted with front driver and passenger airbags, side and curtain airbags, three point seatbelts on all seats, with pretensioners for front seatbelts and active front headrests. and two ISOFIX anchorage points on the rear seats (Double Cab only).
Navara has a reassuring level of security, too. Standard fit on all models are remote control central locking, superlocking, a NATS immobiliser and alarm, and a locking tailgate.
PROVEN TECHNOLOGY: four-wheel drive
By using tried and trusted chassis technology, Navara carries on the ‘go anywhere, do anything’ qualities of its predecessor, ensuring the requisite durability and reliability continue from one generation to the next. The part-time four-wheel drive system is easy to use, yet highly effective no matter how tricky the conditions.
LADDER-FRAME CHASSIS
Like Pathfinder, Navara features a rugged ladder-frame chassis onto which the body is securely fixed. The frame has been designed with safety uppermost and features cross members at critical points, ensuring maximum strength and stability when heavily loaded. The inherent safety of the ladder frame concept with in-built crushable zones and the similar crumple zones of the separate body give occupants dual zone protection.
Navara also follows Pathfinder’s lead when it comes to its independent front suspension, which features double wishbones and coil springs. But the two vehicles differ at the rear, Navara favouring a sturdy rigid axle and over slung leaf springs. It’s a system perfect for a working vehicle such as a pick-up, designed to provide the best possible payload levels without adversely affecting handling or comfort.
PROVEN FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE
The Nissan Navara is also an extremely capable off-roader and uses Nissan’s proven and tough part-time four-wheel drive system that’s driver selectable via a rotary switch on the centre console and confirmed by a dashboard mode indicator – replacing the auxiliary lever to the left of the gearshift in Pickup. In 2WD, drive is delivered to the rear wheels, but once four-wheel drive (4H) is electrically engaged, torque is split on a 50/50 basis between the front and rear axles to cope with slippery conditions.
Navara, unlike some ‘soft roader’ 4×4s, features a low ratio transfer ‘box and for serious off-road forays then it’s time to select 4L; Navara’s crawl ratio (2.625) is one of the best in class, allowing the driver to deploy maximum engine output while travelling at a very low speed, which greatly increases wheel traction and the likelihood of getting through extreme conditions. Navara thus provides outstanding levels of traction over slippery surfaces, especially on tricky hill descents and ascents where the driver can retain full control of the vehicle.
Navara’s off-road ability is further enhanced by its standard 17in wheels and tyres, generous minimum ground clearance figure of 228mm, and approach and departure angles of 30 deg and 24 deg respectively.
The ‘ramp over’ angle – the maximum sharpness of a ridge that the Nissan Navara can pass over without grounding out the underside – is 22 deg. Its maximum lateral inclination – in other words how far it can lean over sideways – is almost 50 degrees, by which time most drivers will surely have sought an alternative route…..
It can also wade through water at a depth of up to 450mm, and the maximum climbable gradient is an impressive 39 degrees.
PROVEN TECHNOLOGY: four-wheel drive
Steering is a power-assisted rack and pinion system while the braking system has ventilated discs at the front and efficient drums behind. ABS with EBD and Brake Assist is a standard feature. ESP stability control is now fitted to all Navara models.
POWERTRAIN: all torque
Navara is offered with a potent, yet refined, 2.5-litre turbo diesel which has been substantially revised for the 2010 model year. The common rail engine is available with a six-speed manual on Acenta and Tekna models or, in Tekna Double Cab form, a five-speed automatic transmission.
In its latest guise Nissan’s highly acclaimed ‘YD’ engine boasts better performance, better economy, lower emissions and greater refinement. It features twin overhead camshafts with 16 valves, common rail direct fuel injection and displaces 2,488cc. Turbocharged and intercooled, power rises from 171PS to 190 PS and torque now peaks at 450Nm (332lb ft) at a low 2,000rpm, up from 403Nm (297lb ft), ensuring Navara always has ample pulling power whether on or off road.
The changes include a new direct injection system which operates at 2000 bar, up from 1800 bar. This increase in pressure means the fuel spray is atomised to an even finer degree resulting in more complete combustion. A new cylinder head with parallel ports increases the swirl efficiency of the combustion process, smoothing the intake and exhaust flow, while a new variable nozzle turbo (VNT) with electric control rather than the previous hydraulic system for quicker responses, has also been adopted.
These improvements not only raise power, but also lower fuel consumption and emissions. The latter are also reduced thanks to the fitment of a by-pass valve in the Exhaust Gas Recycling cooling system, allowing it to warm up more quickly from a cold start, cutting emissions of hydrocarbons and soot still further.
Combined fuel consumption is now 33.2/31.4mpg manual/auto compared with 28.8/27.7mpg for the previous Navara models, while CO2 emissions have fallen by 40g/km to 224 g/km (manual) and by 38g/km to 238 g/km (automatic).
Refinement is enhanced by the use of flexible tubing at the turbocharger outlet. A small bellows-type joint helps to absorb excess vibration, promoting smoother engine performance whether idling or under acceleration.
TOWING
The huge levels of torque generated at low engine speeds translates directly into superb drivability and strong towing ability – Navara can tow a 2.7 tonne trailer (King Cab) or a 2.6 tonne trailer (Double Cab). Outright performance for both manual and automatic versions sees a top speed of 112mph while the 0-62mph time is just 10.7 seconds for the Tekna Double Cab automatic.
SIX-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION
So flat is YD25’s torque ‘curve’ that it has been matched with a slick six-speed manual transmission as standard: Navara’s current rivals are only available with five speed transmissions. Five close-ratio lower gears (fifth is direct) are topped by a ‘long’ overdrive sixth gear for higher speed cruising. The resulting lower engine speeds translate into better economy and less noise.
The new transmission has a light, easy shift action and incorporates double and triple cone synchronisers on the four lower ratios (double on first, third and fourth, triple on second) to achieve this. Single cone, iron sintered baulk rings have been adopted on fifth, sixth and reverse.
Gear shifts follow a conventional ‘double H’ pattern with reverse situated next to sixth and accessed after first pushing down on the lever to avoid accidental selection.
FIVE-SPEED AUTOMATIC
The Tekna Double Cab is also available with a smooth five-speed automatic transmission. Compatible with the high levels of torque developed by the YD25 engine, the electronically controlled transmission has been given wider ratios and has been tuned to provide excellent performance and fuel economy, together with exemplary shift action.
SERVICING, WARRANTY & INSURANCE
WIDE SERVICE INTERVALS
A new oil level sensor in Navara’s 2.5-litre turbo diesel means that service intervals have been stretched to two years or 18,000 miles between oil changes, dramatically reducing downtime for working vehicles.
As with Nissan’s passenger cars, the Navara range is covered by a three-year/60,000-mile European-wide warranty. There’s also a 12-year anti-perforation and three-year paint warranty.
COMPETITIVE INSURANCE RATINGS
And insuring the Nissan Navara is also particularly competitive, with Acenta King Cab and Double Cab models attracting an insurance group rating of 11E, Tekna Double Cab models 12E.
Tags: Acenta, double cab, king cab, navara, Nissan Navara, Tekna
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