Also read: New pickups for 2015 and 2016.
Following on from last year’s story that Nissan was testing the 2016 Navara in Thailand, Nissan UK has officially released images of the next generation pickup. The Navara will be powered by a Euro-5 2.3-litre, tuned to 158bhp and 188bhp, with Euro-6 engines arriving in September 2016.
There have been a whole host of changes, including the name. The ‘NP300′ bit signifies ‘Nissan Pickup; 3t GVW’, and it reflects Nissan’s increasingly globalised approach to LCVs. For the first time, the Nissan Navara will also be badged as a Renault and a Mercedes-Benz from 2018 onwards too.
“Since we built our first Pick-Up in 1935, over 14 million customers in 180 countries around the globe have come to depend on Nissan pick-ups to transport their families, colleagues and cargo, sometimes in the toughest of circumstances”, Ponz Pandikuthira, Director of Light Commercial Vehicles for Nissan Europe commented.
“Now in its 12th generation, we’ve harnessed this experience and our customer feedback to develop the new Nissan NP300 Navara which sets a new benchmark for performance, refinement, convenience and running costs in the sector”.
In the cab
Inspired by the crossover range, the interior of the Nissan NP300 Navara is both stylish, and has been designed to give a more open feel. Comfort is also a key area for improvement, with new ‘Spinal Support’ front seats, dual-zone digital climate control and rear cab ventilation.
New driver assist systems include Cruise Control, Hill Descent Control (HDC) and Hill Start Assist (HSA), all of which have been developed to meet the specific demands of NP300 Navara owners, as well as keyless entry, rear-view camera and parking sensors.
In terms of safety, the new Nissan NP300 Navara receives Around View Monitor and Forward Emergency Braking (FEB); both of which are derived from Nissan’s crossovers and will be unique to the pickup sector.
Productivity
Despite replacing heavy-duty leaf spring suspension for the more refined five-link design (king cab retains the leaf), this double-cab Nissan Navara is still able to manage a payload of one tonne, although it is unlikely to be over 1,100kg like most others in the segment.
The towing capacity has been increased from 2.6t to the legal limit of 3.5t, although there have been questions raised about the long-term impact of heavy-duty towing on multilink suspension. The Double Cab’s load bed is 67mm longer than the previous model, with a sector-best load bed length of 1,578mm – or 1,788mm long on King Cab.
Engine
Renault-Nissan’s 2.3-litre diesel, which was developed specifically for commercial vehicle usage, is the engine of choice and is tuned to power ratings of either 158bhp or 188bhp. Nissan claim it is 24 percent more efficient than the outgoing 2.5-litre dCi, and CO2 emissions have been ‘substantially’ reduced.
This engine is currently used in the Nissan NV400, Renault Master and Vauxhall Movano and has so far proved to be durable and reliable. The latest generation model will launch with the choice of two or four-wheel drive and the option of a standard six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic gearbox.
Summary
The Nissan NP300 Navara is expected to arrive in UK dealerships in early January 2016 with prices expected to start from between £18,500 and £19,500, and this includes a new five-year, 100,000-mile warranty. Before then though, we’ll covering its European unveil at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
