Nissan unveils fifth-generation Navara

Nissan has taken the wraps of its fifth-generation Navara ute which, for the first time, has been co-developed with Mitsubishi and based on the Triton ute as part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.

Like the Triton, the new model will initially be available exclusively as a turbodiesel powered 4x4 dual-cab ute with an automatic transmission, but unlike Mitsubishi which added additional body styles after launch, Nissan says this will be it for the new Navara which will also not offer a 4x2 variant.

Nissan Oceania Managing Director Andrew Humberstone CEO said the decision to ignore the additional body styles and a 4x2 drivetrain was driven by the fact 90% of Navara sales over the past 12 months had been dual-cab 4x4s.

New Navara is based on Mitsubishi’s Triton

The Navara is one of Australia’s longest running ute nameplates, having first gone on sale here in 1986 with the D21 series, with this fourth-generation model the first to share its platform and mechanical underpinnings with the Mitsubishi Triton.

The so-called ‘New-Gen’ Triton launched here in early 2024 with Nissan executives suggesting at the Navara’s global launch in Adelaide that they could have brought their co-developed model to market sooner but opted instead to spend the time crafting a distinctively Nissan look and feel to their mechanically identical vehicle, and to develop a locally tuned suspension.

The local suspension tune is the only notable technical departure from the Triton, with Melbourne-based engineering and secondary manufacturing specialist Premcar spending 12 months of testing and developing a range of specific Australian-made twin-tube shock absorbers for the Navara, including on Queensland’s rugged Birdsville Track and Plenty Highway.

Australia and New Zealand are the only markets slated to receive the new Navara at launch, although other markets may be confirmed later, with a small contingent of journalists invited to sample the new model at a preview event in Adelaide, ahead of the official launch next year.

The mid-spec Navara ST-X.

What Navara variants will be available?

Journalists, including your correspondent, were able to briefly sample the mid-spec Navara ST-X on an off-road course in the Adelaide Hills, as well as viewing the more lifestyle-oriented Navara PRO-4X in a static reveal, and a prototype of the locally developed PRO-4X Warrior.

The more aggressively styled and off-road capable PRO-4X Warrior has once again been designed and engineered by Premcar, which has been working closely with Nissan on developing modified Navara and Patrol Warrior variants since 2019.

The vehicle was presented as a prototype but looks a near certainty to go into production at Premcar’s Melbourne secondary manufacturing facility, where fully built-up Navara’s are stripped and modified.

While Nissan was happy to show off its higher-grade Navara variants, details of the entry-level model remain under wraps as does pricing, with Nissan indicating it won’t release this information until closer to the new model’s local launch in the first quarter of 2026.

What about the new Navara’s exterior styling?

What we can say from looking at the Navara ST-X and PRO-4X in the metal is that designer Ken Lee and his team have done a good job of crafting a unique look for the Navara, despite the vehicle’s sheet metal being identical to the Triton.

Lee, who is also responsible for the current Y62 and forthcoming Y63 Patrol 4x4 wagon, as well as the outgoing D23 Navara, said the design team focused on crafting a bespoke grille and front-end look, along with new wheel designs, taillights, badging and decals to differentiate Navara from Triton.

Describing the Navara’s styling as “very trucky and bold”, he pointed to the front-end as defining the vehicle’s tough and capable personality with its powerful rendition of Nissan’s signature V-strut grille, which in this case is flanked by strut-like pillars inspired by bull-bar’s Lee has seen fitted to Australian utes and 4x4s.

Immediately above the grille the designers have added a neat little nod to Nissan’s heritage by adopting the three-slot design motif made famous by the first-generation D21 Navara and Pathfinder SUV.

Either side of the grille are distinctive C-shaped headlamps that echo the Patrol, and which are apparently inspired by Japanese woodworking clamps, with Lee referencing the ute’s Japanese DNA and the country’s renowned attention to detail and craftmanship.

This is also evident, he says, in the grille pattern itself which is made up of a series of interlinked miniaturised versions of the V-Strut motif.

While the Navara ST-X is a handsome enough ute, Lee’s design work is best appreciated on the sporty PRO-4X variants with its unique styling cues including Lava Red accents om the grille, wheelarch flares and tailgate, plus a black sports bar, and black 17-inch alloy wheels with 265/65R17 all-terrain tyres.

The lifestyle-oriented Navara Pro-4X.

What’s the interior of the new Navara like?

The interior of the new Navara is roomier than its predecessor, with Nissan claiming more headroom, shoulder room and rear seat legroom than the outgoing model.

There’s a larger tub as well and it’s more hi-tech, with a 9.0-inch colour touchscreen available across the range running Android Auto, Wireless Apple CarPlay, DAB radio and a 360-degree surround view monitor.

Ahead of the driver is a 7.0-inch colour TFT dash display and the new Navara also now features Connected Services technology, allowing owners to remotely lock and unlock the vehicle, adjust the cabin temperature, locate the vehicle, and contact emergency services if necessary.

As with the exterior, the interior design and layout mimics the Mitsubishi Triton, meaning quality finishes and sound ergonomics, the latter including a row of physical buttons below the main touch screen for frequently used features like HVAC and audio controls.

The front bucket seats of the ST-X appear comfortable and supportive while the rear seat is impressively roomy, with less of an upright seatback than its predecessor, although the seat base and back are fixed with no adjustments.

The PRO-4X has the same basic design and layout but looks sportier with the liberal use of ‘Lava Red’ accents on the seats, doors and dash, with embossed logos, and high contrast stitching.

Fans of the old D23 Navara will note that it’s unusual sliding electric rear windscreen port is gone, but in its place is an excellent overhead ventilation system, as per the Triton.

There are also seatback map pockets, B-pillar mounted grab handles, large door bins, a 12-volt accessory socket and USB charging ports

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What’s under the bonnet?

Despite Nissan having an excellent reputation for the quality of its engine, the Alliance collaboration means the Navara is powered by the same Mitsubishi sourced 2.4-litre four-cylinder bi-turbo diesel as the Triton, driving through a six-speed automatic where the old Navara boasted seven-cogs.

The engine develops category-competitive outputs of 150kW/470Nm, an increase of 10kW/20Nm over the outgoing model and consumes 7.7L/100km on the combined cycle test, an improvement of 0.2L/100km.

However, the engine requires AdBlue additive to manage its exhaust emissions.

How does it drive?

The limited off-road only test drive didn’t provide the opportunity to stretch the Navara’s legs, but we know from the Triton that the engine is smooth and responsive, and that the automatic transmission is well calibrated to extract the engine’s best.

We likewise could not seriously assess the benefits of Premcar’s suspension changes at speed, with most of the preview drive done at speeds below 50km/h on rough 4x4 tracks in high and low range.

But the suspension did seem to offer a decent level of compliance over heavily corrugated surfaces, with the vehicle well insulated from noise, vibration and harshness.

Premcar’s Bernie Quinn said the team’s main focus was on developing a suspension tune that worked well across the wide usage profile that modern 4x4 utes are subject to, including off-road driving, heavy-duty towing, long distance touring and urban commuting.

The goal, according to Quinn, was on having a vehicle that is capable of work and play but which is also enjoyable to drive. This entailed improving steering response for a more linear feel and creating a better balance between primary and secondary ride control.

Surprisingly, this is claimed to have been achieved by focusing exclusively on the dampers, with the original spring package retained, comprising double wishbone with coil springs and stabiliser bar up front and leaf springs at the rear.

It will be interesting to see how the new Navara performs at speed out on the open road, given that the old model featured a more sophisticated coil spring independent rear suspension.

What’s it like off-road?

This is one question we can answer with a reasonable degree of confidence, given that the preview drive was conducted exclusively on rough 4x4 tracks and trails, which the Navara navigated confidently.

The new model will be offered with two different Mitsubishi developed 4x4 systems, with the base model adopting a conventional part-time 4x4 system with high and low range, the latter requiring the centre differential to be locked. An electronic rear differential lock is standard for improved off-road traction.

Stepping up to the ST-X and PRO-4X grades brings Mitsubishi’s proven and well regarded ‘Super Select’ 4WD system which Nissan has rebranded ‘Super 4WD’. It offers an additional full-time all-wheel drive mode in high-range courtesy of a Torsen Limited Slip centre differential.

The upmarket Navara grades also feature a multi-terrain mode traction system with seven different terrain modes – Normal, Eco, Gravel, Snow, Mud, Sand, and Rock – which helps ensure the vehicle’s electronic traction control systems can respond to changing terrain and conditions.

The new Navara also has more ground clearance than its predecessor, a slightly higher approach angle and a slighter lower departure angle, so all-in-all is well equipped to deal with demanding off-road work.

The presence of the standard-fit 360-degree camera proved handy in a number of the tighter pinches during the off-road test, notably when navigating blind crests and tight bends where the camera views helped us position the car. 

How safe is the new Nissan Navara?

The Navara carries a freshly minted five-star ANCAP safety rating and comes comprehensively equipped with a range of active and passive safety features.

This includes eight airbags, comprising dual front, side chest-protecting, side head-protecting (curtain), and a driver's knee airbag, plus a centre airbag for front seat occupants.

Its comprehensive suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) includes:

• Emergency lane assist
• Traffic sign recognition
• Emergency assist for pedal misapplication
• LED headlamps and taillights
• Lane departure warning with emergency lane assist
• Blind spot warning with lane change assist
• Front and rear cross-traffic alert
• High beam assist
• Intelligent speed limiter
• Driver monitoring system
• Available adaptive cruise control.

Navara Pro-4X dashboard.

So, is the new Navara any good?

Despite Ken Lee’s finesse on the styling front, Premcar’s suspension tuning, and the marketing team’s best efforts, there’s simply no escaping the fact that this new Navara is much more of a Mitsubishi product than a Nissan one.

The automotive world is no stranger to the idea of platform sharing, with key rival Ford sharing its Ranger platform and mechanicals with the Volkswagen Amarok, and the Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 doing likewise.

However, both Mazda and Volkswagen have gone to greater lengths to differentiate their utes from the donor vehicle, with dedicated styling, features and in some cases powertrains that offer more differentiation than what Nissan has delivered with the Navara.

No doubt the cost savings in sharing the hefty development costs of an all-new vehicle platform, not to mention mechanicals and body pressings are considerable, and one can’t knock Nissan or Mitsubishi for doing so.

It does feel that Nissan has chosen an expedient path of making the least possible changes to its model, which may come back to bite in the showroom if buyers compare Triton with Navara, given that Mitsubishi products are typically priced below rival Nissan products.

Fortunately, Ken Lee’s styling efforts do provide some differentiation and the PRO-4X in particular is a better-looking vehicle than anything in the Triton stable. Mitsubishi also has no direct rival for the PRO-4X Warrior, so Nissan may find come clean air there to operate in. 

But the fact that Nissan finds itself launching an all-new model that is not very different to the vehicle a key rival launched a year ago, and at a time when competition in the ute segment has never been hotter, may mean the road ahead for Navara is a challenging one.

On the plus side, there is nothing wrong with the product, and Nissan has a strong brand, extensive dealer network and a compelling 10-year warranty offer (when serviced with Nissan), all of which are key strengths to be leveraged in the battle against Triton and other competitors.

There are also the potential dynamic advantages provided by Premcar’s local suspension development, which may provide a further tangible advantage for Navara.

Ultimately, the Navara’s success will come down to its pricing and Nissan may have some leverage here, given the vast sums of money presumably saved by collaborating with Mitsubishi.

We’ll know more about that, along with details of the entry level variant and potentially confirmation of the PRO-4X Warrior, closer to the Navara’s Q1 2026 launch date.