The Nissan Navara has a long and strong history in Australia, where the trusty ute has gained a loyal following since the D21-series was launched here in 1986.
Four decades on, and the all-new ‘D27’ Navara now shares its ladder-frame platform with the latest Mitsubishi Triton launched in 2023, thanks to the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.
But it’s not just a platform sharing arrangement, with the latest Navara being little more than a Triton in a lightly pressed Nissan suit. It has a new nose, new badges, and other minor styling changes – but the same body, interior, technology, and powertrains as the Mitsubishi.
However, there is one major difference. In order to help differentiate the Navara from its non-identical twin, Nissan brought in Premcar – the engineering firm that was born from Ford Performance Vehicles, and which has been responsible for developing hardcore Warrior versions of the Navara and Patrol off-roaders on behalf of the Japanese automaker.
This time, Premcar was tasked with refining the steering and suspension for all new Navaras, completing 18,500km over 12 months to develop three different local chassis tunes for the four variants.
The SL and ST – which have heavy-duty four-leaf rear springs – get one tune, while both the more premium ST-X and Pro-4X each get their own tune, on account of the 18- and 17-inch wheel packages respectively, following testing of 37 different damper codes and over 550 internal damper shims, plus electric power steering revisions.
Interestingly, those Premcar-specified twin-tube Monroe shock absorbers are manufactured in South Australia and sent to local dealerships to be retro-fitted to the ute prior to delivery – which goes some way to explaining the price premiums over the equivalent Triton variants.
While our man James Wong was treated to a preview drive of the new-generation Navara back in November 2025, at this month’s national launch Nissan gave us opportunities to experience each ute variant both on-road and off – with a short stint of towing thrown in for good measure.
Has Nissan done enough to differentiate the Navara from its star-badged sibling and to justify its price hike?
How much does the Nissan Navara cost?
There are significantly fewer grades available with the 2026 Nissan Navara lineup, with the Japanese brand axing single-cab, extra-cab, and cab/chassis bodies (for now, anyway), while 4×2 and manual versions are also no longer available.
| Model | Price before on-road costs |
|---|---|
| 2026 Nissan Navara SL dual-cab pickup 4×4 auto | $53,348 |
| 2026 Nissan Navara ST dual-cab pickup 4×4 auto | $56,765 |
| 2026 Nissan Navara ST-X dual-cab pickup 4×4 auto | $63,177 |
| 2026 Nissan Navara Pro-4X dual-cab pickup 4×4 auto | $68,418 |
This leaves just four dual-cab 4×4 automatic pickup variants: the base SL, the ST, the ST-X, and the range-topping Pro-4X – on which a new Navara Warrior will be based when it’s released by the end of this year.
While the Navara is more expensive than the Triton, each variant gets a suspension setup tested, designed, manufactured and fitted in Australia, along with a rear locking differential as standard across the range.
Full details of the new-generation Navara can be found in our pricing and specifications story here.
To see how the Nissan Navara lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
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What is the Nissan Navara like on the inside?
There’s a lot to like about the new Navara’s cabin.
While it is a carbon copy of the Triton’s – with a few very minor differences you would be hard-pressed to call out – that’s no bad thing, particularly considering just how out-of-date the previous Navara’s interior was.
There are certainly fancier interiors out there, but the Navara will appeal to a lot of people who want predictability, durability, and comfort.
Unlike many cars nowadays, the Nav gets a standard automatic PRND shifter with manual control and a handbrake lever. It’s like shaking hands with an old friend.
The base model gets single-zone climate control, upgraded to dual-zone climate control for higher grades. But thanks to large buttons and a legible LCD screen, the system is very easy to use, and there’s no diving into multiple screens on the infotainment system just to make a minor adjustment to the cabin environment.
Below the climate control unit are USB-A and USB-C ports, a 12-volt socket, and a cubby with wireless phone charging for the ST-X and Pro-4X.
Owners can also access many of the ute’s features using a smartphone app, including remote un/locking, vehicle locator, and emergency calling in case of an accident.
A 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen does the job, with an easy-to-navigate menu, quick loading, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – and it does a good job of mobile projection. Though the physical shortcut buttons below the screen are appreciated, it does mean there isn’t a firm ledge to steady your hand on while using the system.
The upside is there is a real volume controller next to the screen, which is wonderful, even if it does feel a bit cheap. However, while it gets the job done, the stereo is a little lacklustre.
Continuing the theme are real analogue dials, allowing the vehicle’s speed to be read at a quick glance. A novel concept in 2026.
Ergonomics are quite good, with the steering wheel equipped with generous reach and rake adjustment, allowing the driver to find their ideal position quickly.
Old-school buttons on the steering wheel also mean finding volume and cruise control are a breeze, but the perforated upholstery feels like it will be a good collection device for dirt and grease – so maybe grab a steering wheel cover from Supercheap if dirty hands are a consequence of your day job.
The seats also have a decent amount of bolstering to them, with the ST-X and Pro-4X both getting leather trim (or something close to it), elevating the experience a few notches.
Like the Triton, Nissan has an open space on the dash in front of the passenger in the base models, which turns into a second glovebox for the ST-X and Pro-4X. The higher grades also get brushed aluminium trims inside, which, frankly, makes them look a bit like cars released in the 2000s.
But any thought that you’re driving an older vehicle is quickly dismissed when the car starts telling you off for taking your eyes off the road for the shortest time. This was also a problem with early current Tritons, but Mitsubishi updated the technology so it wasn’t as quick to judge – though I’m wondering if Mitsubishi gave Nissan the original software, because this thing was annoying as hell.
The range-topping Pro-4X does feel like a big step up in both style and quality, thanks to the red and orange highlights throughout, but it was the Navara ST that we gravitated towards the most. It gets the same lovely fabric seat trim as the base SL, but also gets carpet and a leather-accented steering wheel – along with some other goodies.
We did have some adult passengers in the rear seats for a decent amount of time, and aside from one or two big potholes on a country backroad, there weren’t really any complaints.
Overall, the new Navara’s interior is a significant step forward compared to the outgoing model, both in terms of comfort and materials, but also technology.
| Dimensions | Nissan Navara |
|---|---|
| Length | 5320mm |
| Width(excl. mirrors) | 1865mm (1930mm in Pro-4X) |
| Height | 1795mm (1815mm in Pro-4X) |
| Wheelbase | 3130mm |
| Tub length | 1555mm |
| Tub width | 1545mm |
| Tub width between wheel arches | 1135mm |
| Tub depth | 525mm |
| Ground clearance | 228mm |
| Approach angle | 30.4° |
| Departure angle | 22.8° |
| Breakover angle | 23.4° |
To see how the Nissan Navara lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What’s under the bonnet?
Powering the Navara is a 2.4-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine making 150kW of power and 470Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed torque-converter automatic as standard.
| Specifications | Nissan Navara |
|---|---|
| Engine | 2.4L bi-turbo 4cyl diesel |
| Power | 150kW @ 3500rpm |
| Torque | 470Nm @ 1500rpm |
| Transmission | 6-speed auto |
| Drive type | Four-wheel drive |
| Fuel economy (claimed) | 7.7L/100km |
| CO2 emissions (claimed) | 203g/km |
| Fuel tankcapacity | 75L |
| AdBlue tank capacity | 17L |
| Kerb weight | SL: 2126kg ST: 2143kg ST-X: 2171kg Pro-4X: 2226kg |
| Payload | SL: 1064kg ST: 1047kg ST-X: 1019kg Pro-4X: 964kg |
| Braked towing capacity | 3500kg |
| Gross vehicle mass (GVM) | 3190kg |
| Gross combination mass (GCM) | 6250kg |
Being Euro-6 compliant, the Navara uses AdBlue additive to help with emissions, and an idle stop/start system that kills the engine when the vehicle is stationary.
Driving the rear wheels in 2H, the driver can select full-time four-wheel drive on the fly (4H), or low-range four-wheel drive (4L) in the Navara SL and ST.
Along with additional driving modes, the ST-X and Pro-4X get 4HLC for high-range four-wheel drive with a locked centre differential, and 4LLC for low-range with a locked centre diff for when the going gets tough.
Nissan claims combined fuel consumption of 7.7L/100km, but we actually did a little better with 7.1L/100km – no doubt helped by a six-hour stint down the Hume Freeway.
To see how the Nissan Navara lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How does the Nissan Navara drive?
Despite being new, there’s definitely some old-school flavour about the Navara.
The engine has enough performance to get things going, and while its six gear ratios are well matched, the transmission does come across as a little clunky and unrefined at times.
We spent a small amount of time driving the base SL with a 2.3-tonne caravan hitched on the back, and while it got the job done, stamping the throttle at freeway speeds resulted in raised revs and increased noise, but not much forward momentum.
For the majority of grey nomads looking to cruise around this great land in a light caravan, the Navara will be plenty enough – but others looking to do heavy towing may find it falls a little short.
It’s not underpowered, but there aren’t a lot of ponies left in the back pocket for when you need them. The rest of the time, the powertrain met pretty much any challenge thrown at it, even with 300kg in the tub or with four adults on board.
Off-road, the ute proved surprisingly capable – including the ST-X, which was fitted with road-oriented Nitto tyres, rather than the all-terrain Toyo Open Country rubber on the rest of the range.
Nissan actually had us on some proper four-wheel drive tracks, which I’d consider to be maybe medium difficulty, and the Nav didn’t break a sweat. While the rear locking differential wasn’t called for at any point, it is standard across the range – and a point of differentiation with the Triton – and would make the Nissan virtually unstoppable, especially if coupled with some more aggressive off-road tyres.
Speaking of stopping, the Navara’s brakes aren’t anything special. Of course, they pull the vehicle up when needed, but from higher speeds or with the caravan on the back, they didn’t quite offer the same level of confidence that we’ve come to expect from dual-cab 4×4 utes – maybe due to its rear drum brakes.
It’s worth remembering that while the Navara and Triton used to be direct competitors to the likes of the HiLux and Ranger, the Toyota and Ford are now in a higher price bracket – with a bit of overlap – meaning there are naturally going to be some compromises compared to the segment leaders.
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But the real story here is the suspension tuning by Premcar. With the ST-X and Pro-4X particularly, there’s a noticeable improvement in ride quality compared to the Triton, along with better turn-in and general cornering stability. It gets around a bend pretty well for a ute weighing as much as 2140kg, and does a decent job of soaking up bumps.
This was especially noticeable driving at a good clip on pockmarked and corrugated gravel roads, where the Navara offered an admirable degree of roadholding and cornering grip.
Be aware though, the Navara is still a ladder-frame ute designed for carrying loads and hitting bush tracks, so there’s only so much that can be done. And it’s not the stiffest chassis, so there’s a hint of an ‘echo’ through the body after a big bump. In other words, don’t expect to keep up with a hot hatch on a mountain pass just because its shock absorbers have better damping.
The steering isn’t too light, as seems to be the trend nowadays, though the front axle does seem to be lacking caster, which is generally the preference for off-roading, but means the tiller doesn’t naturally want to return to centre – however, it’s nowhere near as egregious or noticeable as in the Jeep Wrangler.
While the Navara ST-X and Pro-4X offer more refined ride and handling characteristics, the difference wasn’t quite as noticeable on the SL and ST – which both use the same heavy-duty suspension.
We were only able to experience the SL during our caravan towing test, but spent a good amount of time in the ST, both on and off road. Nissan was smart enough to drop 300kg into the tub – strapped down near the cabin bulkhead – which helped load the suspension and provide some extra stability over the rear wheels.
Some may think this is them gaming the system, but the reality is most of these lower Navara variants will be used as workhorses, fitted with canopies and with tools and other things weighing down the rear-end, so it helps to know the ute can perform to expectations with a few kilos in the back.
It’s also worth mentioning that our recent review of the latest HiLux revealed some poor suspension characteristics on crappy roads, which may have been mitigated with a bit of weight in the back to pre-load its heavy-duty suspension – so it would be hypocritical to browbeat Nissan for doing exactly that.
Speaking of, while the Navara might not top the charts for ride comfort across the board, it does punch above its weight – and may even deliver a superior suspension tune than the more expensive HiLux.
Though the SL and ST performed well on the road, Premcar’s efforts can be more appreciated in the ST-X and Pro-4X, with the three-leaf rear suspension delivering a comfortable ride and admirable handling, all while retaining its impressive off-road capabilities.
The Navara’s advanced driver assistance system – better known as ADAS – isn’t especially sophisticated, however. We were lucky enough to spend around six hours in the ST-X, transporting it across state lines, and were able to get well acquainted with the vehicle.
Adaptive cruise control works well, holding its speed on hills, but the vehicle appears to use an older style of lane-keep assist, which grabs the brakes on the opposite side of the car to help veer the ute back into its lane. We can only assume it was a cost decision, as the vehicle has electric power steering and should be capable of semi-autonomous steering.
But the real bugbear was the driver attention monitoring system – basically a little camera on the steering column that’s constantly checking to make sure you’re watching the road. It might be just the thing for someone who finds it hard not to look at their phone while driving, but spend more than three seconds adjusting the climate control or finding a podcast on the infotainment screen, and the car will have a whinge – even if you’re glancing up at the road while doing it.
After four hours of it, the camera got covered up with foil from my sandwich. How I survived the next two hours of driving without being reminded to look at the road, I’ll never know, but it was nice being able to glance at the side mirrors and perform a head-check without being told off.
Overall though, the road trip was a pleasant one, with the vehicle being comfortable enough to allow a non-stop drive from Holbrook to the Dandenongs via Yea – a leg of approximately 400km.
To see how the Nissan Navara lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What do you get?
Despite Nissan slimming down the Navara lineup, there is still a good spread of options among the four variants.
2026 Nissan Navara SL standard equipment highlights:
- 17-inch steel wheels with 265/65R17 all-terrain tyres
- Full-size matching spare
- Black grained mirror caps, door handles
- Front and rear mud guards
- Tailgate assist, lock
- 4 x cargo bed tie-down hooks
- Automatic LED headlights
- Automatic high-beam
- Rain-sensing wipers
- 7.0-inch instrument cluster screen
- 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto
- Satellite navigation
- DAB+ digital radio
- 4-speaker sound system
- Climate control air-conditioning with second-row air vents
- Tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment
- Urethane steering wheel
- Black fabric upholstery
- 6-way manually adjustable driver’s seat with 2-way power lumbar
- 4-way manually adjustable passenger seat
- 1 x USB-C outlet (front)
- 1 x USB-A outlet (front)
- 2 x 12V outlets (1 x front, 1 x rear)
- Sunglasses holder
- 2 x glove boxes (1 x open, 1 x with door)
- Rear centre armrest with two cup holders
- Vinyl floors
- Grey headliner and A-pillar trim
- Urethane shifter with PVC boot
The ST adds:
- LED front fog lights
- Side steps
- Polished sports bar
- Boulder grey mirror caps, door handles
- Leather-accented steering wheel
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
- Power-folding, heated exterior mirrors
- Rear privacy glass
- 1 x USB-C outlet (rear)
- 1 x USB-A outlet (rear)
- Carpeted floors
The ST-X adds:
- 18-inch gunmetal alloy wheels with 265/60R18 highway-terrain tyres
- Hill descent control
- Selectable Normal, Eco, Gravel, Snow, Mud, Sand and Rock drive modes
- Body-colour lower front bumper
- Silver-accented grille
- Tub liner
- Proximity entry with push-button start
- Dual-zone climate control
- Heated front seats
- Black leather-accented upholstery
- 8-way power driver’s seat with 2-way power lumbar
- 6-speaker sound system
- Carpet floor mats
- Sunvisor vanity mirrors
- 2 x glove boxes with lids
- Leather-accented shifter with PVC boot
- PVC centre console lid
The Pro-4X adds:
- 17-inch matte black alloy wheels with 265/65R17 all-terrain tyres
- Tow bar
- Red-accented grille
- Gloss black mirror caps, door handles, roof rails
- Black sports bar
- Black wheel-arch flares with red accents
- Black leather-accented upholstery with red accents
- Leather-accented steering wheel with orange stitching
- Black headliner and A-pillar trim
- PVC centre console lid with orange stitching
To see how the Nissan Navara lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
Is the Nissan Navara safe?
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program – better known as ANCAP – has awarded the Nissan Navara a full five-star safety rating, based on 2024 crash tests conducted of the Triton.
| Category | Nissan Navara |
|---|---|
| Adult occupant protection | 86 per cent |
| Child occupant protection | 89 per cent |
| Vulnerable road user protection | 74 per cent |
| Safety assist | 70 per cent |
Across the four scoring sections, the Navara did particularly well with adult and child occupant protection, and matched the likes of the Ranger and Kia Tasman for vulnerable road user protection, but did quite poorly for safety assist – with the Ranger, Tasman, and HiLux all above 80 per cent.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Driver attention monitoring
- Front cross-traffic alert
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane-keep assist
- Emergency lane-keep assist
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Multi-collision braking
- Surround-view camera
- Traffic sign recognition
- Trailer sway control
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- 8 airbags
- Front
- Front side
- Front centre
- Driver’s knee
- Curtain
To see how the Nissan Navara lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How much does the Nissan Navara cost to run?
Nissan offers the Navara with a factory-backed 10-year, 300,000km warranty, together with roadside assistance – the best in the industry – however, this is conditional on the vehicle being serviced on time through Nissan’s dealer network.
| Servicing and Warranty | Nissan Navara |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 10 years, 300,000km (conditional) |
| Roadside assistance | 10 years, 300,000km (conditional) |
| Service intervals | 12 months, 15,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | 5 years |
| Average annual service cost | $499 |
| Total capped-price service cost | $2495 |
For those who choose to service their vehicle elsewhere, the warranty reverts to five years of coverage, with no limit on mileage.
As with the outgoing model, Nissan offers capped-price servicing at $499 for each of the first five services, which are spaced every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first.
To see how the Nissan Navara lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
CarExpert’s Take on the Nissan Navara
The new-generation Nissan Navara is a big step forward for the nameplate, but ultimately offers no-nonsense motoring with solid build quality and a good list of equipment.
The engine and transmission aren’t going to blow anyone away – especially in the noise department, with arguably one of the least inspiring soundtracks around – but for a diesel workhorse that can tackle some rough off-road terrain, there really aren’t any major complaints.
There is a price premium over the Triton on which it’s based, but the Navara also offers a more pleasant ride and improved dynamics – particularly when it comes to the ST-X and Pro-4X variants – giving it an edge over its Mitsubishi counterpart. Whether it’s worth it really depends on the buyer. Ultimately, they’ll have to decide whether they’d rather have the money in their pocket, or improved comfort and handling.
But it’s the interior that is one of the biggest selling points, with the Navara offering a good mix of high-quality materials, along with a decent array of switchgear, comfortable ergonomics, and technology that is easy to use.
For anyone needing a ute to do actual ute things, and also moonlight as a family car, the Navara ST feels like the sweet spot at less than $60,000. For those planning to hit the bush or beach, it might be worth waiting for the Navara Warrior.
While the automatic isn’t the most refined unit we’ve used, our only real bugbear is the driver monitoring system, which we feel needs to be updated so you don’t constantly feel like you’re a bad student at a Catholic school in the 1950s.
The D27 Navara isn’t presenting itself as a revolutionary new ute, and it’s not changing the game in any meaningful way – but that’s also its strongest selling point.
For those who need a new ute but don’t like how most new cars drive, how much they cost, or how they force-feed you technology, the new Nissan Navara is a compelling option.
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