SA Roadtests
South Africa
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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Most, but not all, the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.
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Posted 1 November 2018
The numbers
Price: R510 900
Engine: 2298 cc, four-cylinder, twin-turbo diesel
Power: 140 kW at 3750 rpm
Torque: 450 Nm between 1500 and 2500 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: About 10.8 seconds
Maximum speed: About 180 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 9.0 l/100 km
Tank: 80 litres
Turning circle: 12.4 metres
Ground clearance: 226 mm
Tyre size: 255/65R16 M+S
Warranty: 6 years / 150 000 km
Roadside assistance: All Nissans, all day, everyday
Service plan: 3 years / 90 000 km at 15 000 km intervals
The facts: Seven models, one engine, dual cab only, two trim levels, two gearboxes, 4x2 or 4x4. A lower-powered, single-turbo version of the 2.3-litre diesel engine will arrive later, along with other cab formats. Some workhorse models will have leaf springs at the back.
Our test unit was almost entry-level; a 4x2 automatic in lower, SE, trim. Equipment across the range includes alloy wheels, ABS brakes with brake assist and EBD, traction control, vehicle dynamic control, seven airbags, ISOFix mountings, reversing camera (surround view on LE), auto-on LED projector headlights, LED running lights, side steps, front fog lamps and lockable bin.
Manually adjustable cloth seats, cruise control, single channel air conditioning, powered windows and mirrors, automatically dipping interior mirror, six-speaker sound system with touch screen, Bluetooth hands-free and streaming, remote buttons on the steering wheel (vertical adjustment only) and satellite navigation are standard on “basic” SE models. LE adds leather seats with power adjustments, automatic air conditioning, pushbutton starter and various other bits and pieces.
Sophisticated double wishbone and stabiliser bar front suspension is mated with five links and coil springs at the rear to keep the ride comfortable and handling tight. Proofing the pudding is that this particular model is rated to carry 1065 kg in its 1111-litre bin and tow up to 3500 kg; that’s for a trailer with over-run brakes, of course.
Other thoughtful items include climb-in handles at all passenger doors, repeater vents for the rear passengers, touch-up mirrors on both sunvisors, three 12-volt power sockets inside and one in the bin, a sliding panel in the rear cab window and back seat cushions that can lift to enable stowage of bulky items inside.
The experience: Out at a local game park, we ended up next to an Isuzu, so a quick comparison of double-cab roominess was practically compulsory. Head, knee and foot space was almost identical but we had to concede that the Nissan’s back seat cushion is a bit lower, resulting in slightly bent knees and possible extended-trip discomfort for long-legged passengers.
An apparent oversight on 4x2 Navaras is that there is no sign of a diff lock although 4x4 models are fitted with an electronic item. But not all is lost; Nissan installed a jawbreaker called brake limited slip differential, or BLSD for short. This forms part of the traction control system and uses brake intervention to stop a wheel spinning in order to transfer power to the other side. You are probably familiar with this kind of thing on all-wheel drive cars but in this instance (4x2) it works on the back wheels only. And unlike some others, it works quickly.
We don’t expect you to place much faith in this claim because we didn’t either, so it was off to our local obstacle course. It’s middlingly cruel as these things go, but it regularly humiliates 4x2 pickups without lockers. The Navara sailed through without noticing. Score one for the jawbreaker.
On-road performance feels “big and easy.” There’s plenty of power, it loafs along at about 2200 rpm at 120 km/h in seventh and the gearbox works almost intuitively. Fit and finish is very close to what would be expected of the Teutonic copy, so why spend more on that? Nissan parts are probably more affordable too. See the 2017 Kinsey Report on www.kinseyreports.co.za for a hint.
Test unit from Nissan SA press fleet
We drove a 4x4 LE in 2017. Read about it here
Pics are representative only. Details may vary
This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.
Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.
I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.
If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.
Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles. And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.
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SA Roadtests
South Africa
ctjag8