Australian patrons completely love pickup vehicles, significantly ones that make a daring assertion on the highway. And, so far as statements go, the brand new Nissan Navara Professional-4X Warrior actually makes a really massive one.

This flagship variant of the facelifted Navara was unveiled by Nissan Australia in mid-2021 and serves because the alternative to the pre-facelift Navara N-Trek Warrior. It rivals the likes of the Toyota Hilux Rugged X and the Ford Ranger Raptor as a rough-and-ready automobile that’s simply as properly suited to freeway cruising as it’s blasting alongside a gravel highway or ascending a steep off-road path.

Just like the N-Trek Warrior that it replaces, the Navara Professional-4X Warrior doesn’t go away the manufacturing unit trying like this. As an alternative, it’s extensively modified by native engineering agency Premcar after which shipped to Nissan sellers.

A truck that’s laborious to disregard

Premcar’s upgrades begin underneath the pores and skin with new suspension parts, offering the Nissan with 40 mm (1.5-inches) of further floor clearance. Excessive-speed rebound and compression charges have additionally been elevated by 50 per cent and 100 per cent respectively. Nissan’s declare is that these adjustments lead to a softer and extra compliant trip.

Look past the altered suspension and you’ll discover black 17-inch wheels with 275/70 Cooper Uncover All Terrain AT3 tires. Premcar has additionally geared up the flagship Navara with a vibrant pink skid plate up entrance, underbody sprint plates, revised bump stops, and a winch-compatible bulbar.

Numerous exterior upgrades additionally catch the attention. These embrace the fitment of flared entrance and rear wheel arches, new mud flaps, aspect steps, ‘Twin Turbo’ decals on the rocker panels, and an overhauled entrance fascia with a brand new metal bumper and an integrated LED mild bar. All Navara Professional-4X Warrior fashions additionally sport a black sports activities bar, roof rails, and a tweaked tow bar.

In Australia’s market of rugged pickup vehicles like this, few make fairly the identical impression because the Warrior though the Hilux Rugged X, full with its snorkel, does come shut.

The cabin

In refreshing the Navara for the 2021 mannequin yr, Nissan did make a variety of welcome updates to the cabin. Nonetheless, it’s beginning to present some indicators of growing old.

Taking satisfaction of place within the middle of the dashboard is the automobile producer’s outgoing 8.0-inch infotainment system. This technique is identical as discovered throughout a lot of the Nissan vary however has been up to date in its newest era of autos, such because the Qashqai and X-Path / Rogue. Whereas the system works properly and is each straightforward to grasp and function, the touchscreen isn’t significantly responsive and the software program feels dated. We do just like the automaker’s choice to retain a wholesome variety of buttons and dials, nonetheless.

Nissan has given the facelifted Navara an up to date gauge cluster that retains two conventional dials however has a bigger central show that reveals key automobile capabilities. This setup is a particular enchancment over the pre-facelift mannequin. The presence of a brand new three-spoke steering wheel full with black plastic buttons and a black Nissan badge can be most welcome.

Learn Additionally: We Drive The 2020 Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior

In comparison with the pre-facelifted N-Trek Warrior that we examined two years in the past, this up to date mannequin additionally has a set of various seats trimmed in plusher leather-based and with out the overbearing orange seat facilities of the older mannequin. Curiously, the heated seats have been eliminated for this new mannequin, that means there are actually three clean switches on the transmission tunnel. One other disappointing a part of the inside is the low-resolution reversing digicam.

A well-recognized engine and expertise

No adjustments have been made to the brand new Warrior’s powertrain. As such, it sports activities the identical twin-turbo 2.3-liter diesel engine because the older mannequin, full with 140 kW (187 hp) and 331 lb-ft (450 Nm) of torque. This engine is coupled completely to a seven-speed automated transmission.

We spent per week with the Navara Professional-4X Warrior, testing it by way of metropolis streets, nation roads and highways, and alongside a variety of off-road trails. Very similar to the earlier mannequin, we had been left impressed.

The engine fits the Navara very properly. Certain, it’ll show to be no match for the latest-generation Ford Ranger Raptor with its twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 muscling out 292 kW (391 hp) and 583 Nm (430 lb-ft) of torque, however let’s be trustworthy, having that a lot energy in a truck of this measurement is overkill. On the freeway, the Navara’s engine has sufficient pulling energy to make overtaking a breeze, regardless that the transmission can really feel a bit of lazy at occasions. As if usually the case with diesels, the two.3-liter does begin to lose some steam because the revs construct.

The obvious distinction between the brand new Warrior and the ‘common’ Navara N-Trek that we examined final yr is the standard of the trip.

Make no mistake, the trip of the traditional Navara N-Trek is sweet. Nonetheless, the Warrior is noticeably extra snug and much much less harsh, making lengthy freeway jaunts that rather more pleasing. Premcar has additionally managed to make sure that the steering stays optimistic and sharp regardless of the elevated trip top.

And the way about off-roading?

The overwhelming majority of Navara Professional-4X Warrior fashions delivered in Australia will spend most of their time being pushed between worksites by the tradesmen that historically personal them. Nonetheless, for these courageous sufficient to go off the highway and alongside some troublesome trails, the Warrior feels proper at house there too.

Like lesser variants of the Navara, the Professional-4X may be pushed in 2WD, 4WD, and 4LO. It additionally provides a variety of completely different drive modes, one thing that the pre-facelift mannequin didn’t present.

We spent the day exploring Victoria’s lovely Toolangi State Forest and labored our method by way of some slim and treacherous trails to achieve Mount Despair. Deep and troublesome water crossings had been by no means a problem for the Warrior and the All-Terrain tires supplied wonderful traction on even probably the most troublesome of surfaces.

Certainly, the Navara feels so at house on off-road trails that it’s attainable to navigate throughout most terrain in rear-wheel drive mode with out ever switching to four-wheel drive, not to mention needing to place it into 4LO or locking the rear differential. With that being stated, there have been a few occasions once we did have to lock the rear diff to keep away from getting caught whereas making our method up one significantly slim and troublesome ascent. The highly effective LED mild bar additionally proved to be a lifesaver when the solar fell behind the horizon.

Those that decide up the keys to a Professional-4X Warrior will probably be happy to know that the automated mannequin has a payload of 952 kg (2,098 lbs) and a braked towing capability of three.5 tonnes (7,716 lbs).

Pricing and rivals

The 2022 Nissan Navara is obtainable in a plethora of specs in Australia. The vary kicks off from AU$39,100 ($28,042) driveway for the entry-level SL Single Cab Chassis. Different variants provided embrace the AU$43,664 ($31,315) SL Twin Cab, AU$45,653 ($32,742) SL King Cab Chassis, AU$51,728 ($37,099) SL Twin Cab Chassis, AU$51,992 ($37,288) SL King Cab, AU$52,182 ($37,424) ST Twin Cab, AU$55,847 ($40,053) ST-X Twin Cab, AU$63,197 ($45,324) ST-X King Cab, and the AU$63,052 ($45,220) Professional-4X Twin Cab. The flagship Navara Professional-4X Warrior is obtainable from AU$71,490 ($51,272) driveway for the guide and AU$73,990 ($53,065) for the automated.

Whereas paying over AU$70,000 ($50,204) for a pickup of this measurement could sound like so much, it’s roughly in step with its rivals. For instance, the HiLux Rugged X begins at AU$70,750 ($50,741) and the Mazda BT-50 Thunder is obtainable from AU$68,990 ($49,479). The all-new Ford Ranger Raptor is significantly dearer and can begin at AU$85,490 ($61,313) plus on-road prices.

Photograph Credit: Brad Anderson/CarScoops