The What Van? Road Test: Nissan Navara (2019)

Date: Friday, January 17, 2020   |   Author: Steve Banner

 

Nisnav Rear 3:4

Operating

A generous five-year/100,000-mile warranty helps to hold down running costs while service intervals are set at two years/12,500 miles.

Admittedly that’s on the short side, but not unreasonably so if your truck spends most of its working life bouncing about off-road, and potentially ending up with suspension and steering damage.

Nissan Navara Tekna 4x4 Double-Cab pick-up

Price (ex VAT)    £28,525
Price range (ex VAT)     £22,150-£31,125
Gross payload     1,150kg
Load length     1,585mm
Load width (min/max)     1,130/1,560mm
Load bay height     474mm
Loading height      815mm
Gross vehicle weight     3,250kg
Braked trailer towing weight     3,500kg
Residual value     25.1%*
Cost per mile      58.6p
Engine size/power    2,298cc, 190hp @ 3,750rpm
Torque     450Nm @ 1,500rpm
Gearbox     6spd manual
Fuel economy    31.7mpg**        
Fuel tank     73 litres
CO2      235g/km**
Warranty     5yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals     2yrs/12,500mls
Insurance group     40E
Price as tested      £29,025

* after 4yrs/80,000mls; Source: KwikCarcost
** WLTP combined phase

Options Fitted

Metallic paint     £500

Rivals

Ford Ranger
Price (ex VAT) £20,845-£39,895
Gross payload    1,059-1,307kg
Engines     130hp, 170hp, 213hp 2.0 diesel

Verdict: Recently extensively revised, the Ranger is attracting even more interest than it did previously, thanks largely to the extraordinary looking top-of-the-range Raptor. A 10-speed automatic gearbox is offered as an option – multi-speed auto boxes are becoming more common on light commercials – and Ford is not neglecting safety, with intelligent speed limiter and pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection listed as standard features.

Isuzu D-Max
Price (ex VAT) £16,094-£35,334
Gross payload    1,091-1,282kg
Engines     164hp 1.9 diesel

Verdict: A solidly constructed, no-nonsense workhorse, the Isuzu D-Max, What Van?’s Pick-Up of the Year for 2019, handles and rides competently and is offered with a wide choice of specifications. It’s good to see that the manufacturer sells two-door single-cab and extended-cab variants alongside the double-cab version given that so many pick-up manufacturers are concentrating solely on the double-cab market these days.

Ssangyong Musso
Price (ex VAT) £20,680-£28,930
Gross payload 1,085-1,095kg
Engines 181hp 2.2 diesel

Verdict: The cargo bed is on the short side, but all in all the Ssangyong Musso is an attractive package offered at a far more sensible price than some of its rivals. The positives include exemplary handling, a decent level of equipment and a generous warranty, but like most purpose-built pick-ups its unladen ride is not its strong suit. Fuel consumption, too, could be better.

The Final Verdict

Design

8/10

Can be a load-shifter Mon-Fri and for personal use at weekends.

Cabin

8/10

Heated front seats help create comfortable working environment.

Ride

5/10

Unladen ride is poor, but improves markedly once over half fill.

Refinement

6/10

Noise levels are under control, but unladen ride disturbs the calm.

Load area

8/10

Like the moveable tie-down points, and payload is respectable.

Handling/performance

8/10

Both of a high standard, with the former particularly impressive.

Engine/transmission

8/10

A well-matched package.

Standard equipment

9/10

Pick Tekna and get pretty much every extra you’re likely to need.

Operating costs

7/10

Generous warranty. Short service intervals make sense.

What Van? subjective rating

7/10

Unladen ride isn’t great, but balance it against all the plus points.

Overall Rating = 74/100



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