The third-generation ‘D23’ Nissan Navara is now a decade old, but there’s still some life in it yet. In fact, there are updates coming soon.
Nissan Oceania managing director Adam Paterson told CarExpert that while he couldn’t confirm when we might see a new generation of the brand’s dual-cab ute, there are enhancements coming to the current model imminently.
“You will see some announcements from us about some product actions to the current D23 in the coming months, to make sure it’s still fresh and competitive in the market,” Mr Paterson said.
When asked about the scale of the forthcoming changes, Mr Paterson added: “I don’t know what you consider an update, but yes, there will be some adjustments coming in.”
PRO-4X Warrior pictured
It’s unclear what exactly these changes could be, given there have been no major announcements for the Thai version.
Given the increasing amount of competitors with a full suite of safety systems from the base level, part of these enhancements could include bringing the Navara’s full suite of driver aids across the range.
Currently, entry-level SL versions get autonomous emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning and driver attention monitoring, though features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and lane-keep assist are reserved for the ST and up.
The Navara ST carries a circa-$5000 premium over the equivalent SL when comparing dual-cab models. The extra cash gets you other niceties like alloy wheels, LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, satellite navigation and a leather-accented steering wheel.
Compared to an increasing amount of competitors, the Navara still doesn’t offer features like adaptive cruise control or an active lane centring function, however.
While a decade old, it’s unclear when the fourth-generation Navara will debut, let alone arrive in Australia.
Nissan’s representatives are tight-lipped about the next iteration of the popular ute, and the brand is clearly not on the same product cycle timeline as Alliance partner Mitsubishi, which just released the latest version of its Triton ute.
Three years ago, the then-recently appointed CEO of Nissan, Makoto Uchida, said while there will be collaboration between the brands as well as some shared components, there will be clear differentiation between the two vehicles.
“The brand, the ‘Nissan-ness’, will be determined by the upper body. But if you look back, in relations with Renault, because we had the challenging volume task, each partner tried to minimise cannibalisation as much as possible,” he said.
Mitsubishi Triton
“As a result we looked for significant differentiation between the two and the result was less efficiency in investment. But it doesn’t mean we are [now] going to adopt identical upper bodies… that’s not our intention.
“… Differentiation will be attained [but] we can use existing assets, for example we look for adoption of common doors. There are other successful models where they adopt common doors but they look different.”
Nissan’s COO Ashwani Gupta also confirmed the partnership with Mitsubishi.
“We are working very closely with Mitsubishi to use common powertrain and transmissions, also common modules on the next Triton and Navara,” he said.
Navara SL
It’s worth noting the Navara didn’t get a proper mid-life facelift until 2020, which hit the Australian market in 2021.
Given the six-year period between the launch of the current generation and the facelift, it could be another year or two before the next generation debuts.
While it’s unclear when we’ll see the new Navara and what it will look like, the new Triton’s enhanced tech and safety suite are solid clues as to what to expect, as well as the Mitsubishi’s new 150kW/470Nm 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel engine, which serves as a logical progression from the Navara’s existing 140kW/450Nm 2.3-litre twin-turbo oiler.
Electrification plans remain unclear, though Mitsubishi has confirmed an all-electric pickup for launch in the coming years.
Navara ST
Despite its advancing age, the Navara is still selling well in Australia in 2024.
February saw Nissan’s ute achieve its best monthly figure since November 2021, with 1361 4x4s and 140 4x2s registered in the shortest month of the year – an improvement of 181 per cent over February 2023.
However, that still pales against the likes of the Ford Ranger (5353 units) and Toyota HiLux (4403 units).
Stay tuned to CarExpert for the latest.
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