The tough new face of the 2021 Nissan Navara has been outed online.
Images published on Headlight Magazine reveal a more upright, aggressive nose clearly inspired by the North American Titan pickup truck.
The grille is much larger and squarer than the current unit, although the creases along the car’s flanks and its window line remain unchanged – as is common in mid-life updates.
The updated Navara is expected to launch late in 2020 or early in 2021, although an exact date hasn’t been locked in. Expect the current turbo-diesel four-cylinder engines to carry over, along with most of the car’s mechanicals.
The facelifted Navara 
The current Navara
Launched in 2014, the Navara has been treated to a number of incremental updates to its equipment and mechanicals.
A refresh for 2020 brought a tweaked look and fresh interior technology, after the 2018 Series III brought significant changes to the suspension as Nissan attempted to improve its load-lugging ability.
That followed a Series II version in 2017, itself with a tweaked suspension to address criticism of the car at its launch in 2016.
The current Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior
The updated Navara will arrive as competition in Australia’s lucrative ute market becomes even more frenzied.
The 20 per cent of Australian new vehicle buyers who opt for a ute such as a Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, or Mitsubishi Triton will be spoilt for choice over the next few years, as updates, new-generation models, and previously unknown nameplates hit local dealers.
Along with the all-new 2021 Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50, it will face off with the Great Wall Ute, Jeep Gladiator, a facelifted Toyota HiLux, and the FordPass Connect-enabled Ford Ranger.
An all-new Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok are due to be revealed in the next 12-18 months or so, both sharing common underpinnings, while China’s LDV is due to reveal an all-new dual-cab ute in the second half of 2020.
