Nissan Navara 2017 review

Only that the exterior design is entirely unchanged, which is testament to how right Nissan got the boxy look of the Dual Cab Navara in the first place. It's tough, but without trying too hard, and its combination of bulging guards, SUV-style front end and well proportioned dimensions give it a handsome road presence.

Every bit as practical as you might expect. For a start, the diesel-powered towing capacity is 3500kg - an impressive number - while payloads span 982kg to more than 1.1 tonne.

Inside, expect four cupholders, with room in the doors for bottles, along with a variety of cubby holes and storage compartments - including hiding places under the flip-up rear seats. Elsewhere, expect three power outlets, while a fourth lives in the tray of the pick-up models.

A strange oversight, though, is the lack of ISOFIX attachment points, with tether points deployed in the backseat instead. It's a strange omission (especially since some international models get them), but they're simply unavailable from the Thai factory. Expect that to change soon enough, though.

This Series II Navara is still available in a mind-bending 30-plus trim/gearbox combinations spanning Single, King and Dual Cab configurations across several trim levels, but this update is largely reserved for the Dual Cab models.

That range is available in five trim levels all of its own, the cheapest of which are the rear-wheel drive (RWD) models. It now kicks off with the RX ($32,990 manual, $35,490 automatic) before stepping up to the ST - which is now $1,000 more expensive at $39,900 (manual) and $42,490 (auto). Next is the ST-X, which is $44,990 (manual) or $47,490 (auto). The former entry level, petrol-powered DX model is under a cloud for the time being, and has been left off the specification sheet entirely.

Nissan then repeats that merry dance with the four-wheel drive (4WD) models, with the RX wearing a $38,490 sticker for the manual and $40,990 for the automatic if you opt for the cab chassis, and $39,990 and $42,990 respectively if you shoot for the pick-up.

Expect a diesel engine in two tunes that offer rich and plentiful torque low in the rev range.

Next up is an all-new grade for the Navara - and one intended to target fleet and company buyers - the SL, which is $43,990 for the manual and $46,490 for the automatic, and is only available with 4WD. Next, the ST model has increased by $1,000 to $46,990  (manual) and $49,490 (auto), before the Navara Dual-Cab range finally and mercifully tops out with the ST-X which will set you back $51,990 (manual) and $54,490 (auto).

Now, that's a swirling sea of numbers and trims, but it boils down to this: RX models still mark the entry point to the range, and you can expect a Bluetooth-equipped six-speaker stereo, cloth seats, halogen headlights and privacy glass. You'll also find 16-inch steel wheels, keyless entry, rear air-con vents and some chrome splashes on the exterior bodywork.

The new SL trim (4WD only) adds a rear-view camera, LED headlamps with DRLs, a 5.0-inch screen with phone integration (but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto) and a digital driver display. Step up to the ST and your 16-inch wheels are now alloys, your multimedia screen is now a 7.0-inch touchscreen and you get standard sat-nav, along with a leather-wrapped wheel and gear stick.

Finally, the ST-X adds a tub liner and roof rails, heated wing mirrors with integrated indicators and 18-inch alloy wheels. You also get carpet instead of vinyl flooring along with heated front seats which are now accented in leather. Dual-zone climate also makes an appearance, along with keyless entry and push-button start.

The engine options are carried over unchanged from the outgoing model, so expect a diesel engine in two tunes that offer rich and plentiful torque low in the rev range.

The 2.3-litre diesel is offered in both single (120kW at 3750rpm and 403Nm from 1500rpm) and twin-turbo (140kW at 3750 and 450Nm from 1500rpm). Both are paired with a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission.

Fuel consumption is pegged at a claimed/combined 6.4L/100km (man) and 6.9 litres (auto) in the RWD RX, which gets the single turbo engine, though those numbers climb to 6.6 and 7.1 respectively in the 4WD model. The ST and ST-X see those numbers climb to 6.3/6.8 (RWD) and 6.5/7.0 (4WD).

C02 Emissions start at 166g/km, and climb to 187g, depending on the engine size and driven wheels.

Almost all Dual Cab Navaras (excluding the 4WD cab chassis variant) feature revised dampers all around, along with revised springs, dampers and rebound dampers at the rear, in an effort to inject some firmness into what was a soft and billowing ride. So what does all that mean from behind the wheel?

The result is a car that feels stiffer at every wheel, with particular focus paid to the rear suspension. We spent our time carrying loads of about 350kg, which is really only enough to settle the suspension and not enough to put it under any kind of real pressure, so it's hard to declare a definitive verdict, but it certainly feels sorted under light loads.

Like most in its segment it performs best when there's something heavy in the tray.

But, there is a downside to all this new-found firmness, and that is that when you're carrying anything at all there's a new skittishness to the rear end, and it can skip around a bit on dodgy or corrugated roads, and can feel a little nervous on gravel or dirt roads.

The engine options are unchanged and, the diesels - particularly the  twin-turbo - offer a rich flow of torque early in the rev range, propelling the Navara forward at slow speeds. The delivery does slow up when you're travelling at speed, however (we roughly timed an eight-second climb from 80km/h to 100km/h travelling uphill), so freeway overtaking moves can take some planning.

Question marks remain over the steering, which feels slow and dead-weight heavy at walking pace, but does liven up at cruising speeds.

It's a hit-and-miss affair, unfortunately. For a start, a reversing camera is not standard across the range (it only appears on the SL trim and up), which is a miss, but there are also seven airbags as standard, including a driver's knee bag, which is a hit.

Every Navara gets VDC, ABS and EBD, while the ST-X adds reversing sensors, Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control, but advanced safety technology like AEB and Lane Assist are missing from the specification sheet altogether.

The Navara received the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating when crash tested in 2015.

Every Navara is covered by a three-year/100,00km warranty and requires servicing every 20,00km or 12 months.

The range is also covered by Nissan's menu of service pricing, with owners able to calculate parts and labour costs ahead of each scheduled service.