Nissan Navara ST 4x4 Dual Cab review

What is it?

This is the updated Navara ST, with the Series II changes focused on improving the ride and handling of the unique coil-sprung rear suspension. The revisions amount to re-tuned front and rear shock absorbers, rear springs and revised rebound dampers, which Nissan claims offers a more refined ride with improved lateral stability, especially when carrying a load in the cargo area or towing.

How does it drive?

There are no changes to the Navara's drivetrain, which means the twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel maintains its performance and efficiency which are a match for some of its rivals. The engine is smooth and quiet at cruising speeds but becomes a little gruff under heavy acceleration and higher in the rev range.

The seven speed auto has smooth shifts, works well with the engine and knows what gear it should be in when left to its own devices while also offering a manual shift function if required.

The steering is unchanged too and noticeably slow - with 3.75 turns lock-to-lock, when compared to rivals in this class, but there is a positive side to that which we will get too.

As for the new suspension tune, to be honest it's really hard to tell if there is any difference at all without driving the old and new models back to back. If anything it feels a tad firmer in the rear but still has the same disconnected feel between the front and rear of the vehicle - it's like one group of engineers work on the front and one on the back and they never spoke to each other once.  The front is well sorted but the rear still gets jittery and unsettled on rough roads and mid corner bumps.

What's the interior like?

The interior of the Navara is a nice place to be, as it presents itself well with quality materials such as the piano black and aluminium highlights that add some class against the cheaper-looking satin finishes on other parts of the cabin.

The seats are covered in a nice cloth material and are very comfortable with good support. However, the ST only offers height adjustment on the seat base (no tilting) and no lumbar adjustment. Some convenient features include adjustable height seat belts, vanity mirrors, sunglasses holder and auto dimming revision mirror with compass.

The entertainment system has a seven inch colour touch screen with single CD, USB, Bluetooth and audio streaming but misses out on Apple CarPlay and Android auto.

The 4WD controls are easy to use and the dash illumination is easy to get to, but there is no headlight adjustment for when the vehicle is loaded at night - a must-have for this vehicle. There is plenty of cup holders but the centre console and the glove box are small.

What's the payload and towing capacity?

Payload for this model is 985kg. Towing capacity is 750kg unbraked and 3500kg braked. Towball download is up to 300kg.

What about load space dimensions and anchor points?

The cargo bed is 1503mm long, 1560mm wide, 1130mm between wheel arches and 474mm deep. There are four standard non adjustable tie-down points on the ST.

How does it perform under load?

Nissan hasn't addressed the biggest issue with the Navara, as it still feels unhappy with a load in the back. It doesn't look like its having a good time either, as the rear suspension is resting firmly onto its revised bump stops (Nissan calls them rebound dampers), which means that any dip in the road - even at low speeds - has the ute porpoising like a boat. Increasing speeds to 80km/h on a average country road and it gets uglier - much uglier - with more vigorous see-sawing and lateral movements from the rear.

Picture: The rear suspension maxing out sitting on rear bump stops under load. Photo: Mark Short

At these speeds, at least the slower steering actually works in its favour as you do not want sharper inputs to unsettle the vehicle further.

The weight also makes the front and rear of the vehicle feel even more disconnected from each other. On some roads, we actually had the stability control activate after hitting a mid-corner bump, something no other ute has done to us at this speed with this load, which is not very confidence inspiring stuff especially when it can take several attempts before it settles.

Picture: Navara suspension without load. Photo: Mark Short

The engine itself handles the weight relatively well but did strain at times and was noticeably noisier under load. The seven speed transmission was also a little indecisive of which gear it needed to be in, giving you the feeling like it had one too many gears to choose from with the weight.

Any criticisms?

First of all, it doesn't appear as though Nissan has solved the Navara's suspension issues. We tested two dual-cab models in the same week and both had a vibration  - best described as a hum throughout the whole vehicle and felt through the seats - whichs was evident from 80km/h and gets worse at highway speeds with and without weight in the vehicle.

The steering wheel also has a horn pad that extends to the bottom of the wheel, which is not great as you find yourself constantly beeping the horn when twirling it in parking lots - attracting unwanted attention of other motorists.

How does the warranty and servicing costs rate?

Warranty coverage is for three years or 100,000kms, whichever occurs first. Service intervals are every 20,000kms or twelve months whichever occurs first. Under Nissan's Service Certainty program, fixed price servicing is available up to six years or 120,000kms and will cost $3688 plus brake fluid flushes. The first three services up to 60,000 will cost $1832 plus one brake fluid flush.

What else should I consider?

The Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux are at the top of the dual-cab tree, but Mazda's BT-50, Isuzu's D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton are all worthy to be on your list to check out.

Verdict

The suspension changes to the Series II Navara simply haven't worked, which is disappointing because the concept of a more car-like character is appealing and the rest of the package is right up there with its rivals. But the suspension's capabilities are crucial for the duties most customers will expect their vehicle to cope with, especially if they are towing regularly or using it as a work vehicle during the week.

Buyers have so much choice in this segment and other brands are nailing the work and play concept better than the Navara.

The Checklist

0-60km/h time: 5.5 seconds (unladen), 7 seconds (loaded)

0-80km/h time: 7.8 seconds (unladen), 10.9 seconds (loaded)

0-100km/h time: 11 seconds (unladen), 16.1 seconds (loaded)

Load testing weight: 650kg

Safety rating: 5 star ANCAP

2017 Nissan Navara ST 4x4 Dual Cab Price and Specifications

Price: $49,990 plus on roads

On sale: Now

Engine: 2.3-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel

Power: 140kW

Torque: 450Nm 

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic, Four-wheel drive

Fuel usage: 7L/100km (we averaged 9.7L/100km)