2020 Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior review

IN A NUTSHELL: The Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior is a big improvement to the look and off-road ability of Nissan’s popular dual-cab ute with a factory-approved conversion that adds big suspension and big tyres. Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior Pricing and Specs Price From $62,990 (man), $65,490 (auto) drive-away Warranty 5 years/unlimited km Engine 2.3L twin-turbo diesel Power 140kW at 3750rpm Torque 450Nm at 1500-2500rpm Transmission 6-speed manual or 7-speed auto Drive four-wheel-drive Body 5385mm (l); 1920mm (w); 1895mm (h) Kerb weight 2186kg Seats 5 Fuel tank 80 litres Spare Full size Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior review This is the most money you can spend on a Nissan ute and Nissan’s locally-engineered answer to the insatiable appetite for modified utes. Nissan has beefed up its Navara dual-cab to create a Ranger Raptor-hunting off-roader. Key to its appeal is a 40mm higher ride height and major suspension modifications that make it better suited to rough roads. How much does Navara N-Trek Warrior cost and what do you get? The Warrior starts life as a Navara N-Trek before it is sent to the Premcar factory on Melbourne’s northern fringe. There, it has its suspension replaced with softer Monroe springs and more aggressive Tenneco dampers. Wheels are replaced with unique 17-inch alloys wrapped in Cooper Discover AT3 all-terrain tyres. A new steel front bumper is included along with a Hella LED light bar. Standard kit includes partial leather trim, heated front seats, powered driver’s seat, sat-nav, smart key, dual-zone ventilation and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. There are also various black highlights, including the sports bar and mirror caps and the Warrior picks up a 3500kg tow pack. Priced from $62,990 (or $64,490 for an auto) drive-away it’s some $6500 more expensive than the regular N-Trek, representing excellent value for the engineering work that makes for a tougher truck. There are only three colours – white, black and grey – each with orange highlights. NEXT: INTERIOR AND INFOTAINMENT Go to: Pricing and Spec Go to: Interior and Infotainment Go to: Engine, Ride and Handling, and Safety Go to: Rivals and Review Score Nissan Navara Warrior Interior and Infotainment Review What's the Nissan Navara Warrior interior like? Other than minor touches such as headrests embroidered with a Warrior logo it’s identical to the Navara N-Trek. The Warrior’s cabin is identical to any other Navara in its key dimensions and basic dash layout. It’s only available with the dual-cab layout, which means four doors and seating for five. That translates to a functional and welcoming cabin that isn’t wildly removed from Nissan passenger cars with the controls and instrumentation. Storage is respectable and there are air vents in the rear to feed fresh air aft. The seat base in the rear is a fraction high, but there’s otherwise adult-welcoming space. The front seats could do with more lateral support and there’s no reach adjustment to the steering wheel, but elsewhere the Warrior is very accommodating. Orange highlights on the seats liven the look. What’s the Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior infotainment like? It centres around an 8.0-inch touchscreen that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto included. That’s handy for getting access to your apps to access various streaming music services, make phone calls or access independent navigation apps. There’s also sat-nav embedded in the screen. And navigating the screen is easy enough, with menu buttons and dials to adjust things such as volume. Combined with buttons on the steering wheel it’s identical to other Nissan passenger vehicles in the way everything operates. NEXT: ENGINE, RIDE AND HANDLING, AND SAFETY Go to: Pricing and Spec Go to: Interior and Infotainment Go to: Engine, Ride and Handling, and Safety Go to: Rivals and Review Score Nissan Navara Warrior Engine, Ride and Handling, and Safety Review What’s the Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior engine like? The 2.3-litre twin-turbo engine is unchanged compared with the regular Navara. It’s a sequential turbo setup whereby a smaller turbo spins up quickly to provide boost lower in the rev range before a larger one chimes in for an additional punch. There’s a modest 140kW but it’s the 450Nm of torque doing most of the work. It’s very accessible and flexible and makes for solid acceleration. We only tested the seven-speed automatic (there’s also a six-speed manual) and it’s honest but uninspiring. That said, it’s slightly slower than a regular Navara. Blame that on the additional 193kg of extra bits (steel bulbar, 3mm steel bash plate, larger tyres, etc) and what is effectively taller gearing. While the gear ratios are unchanged, the circumference of the tyres is larger, so with each rotation, they go further. So you’ll be travelling fractionally quicker in each gear. That slight drop in performance is more noticeable when on bitumen; once you’re on gravel roads and four-wheel-driving there’s ample torque to get the job done. Nissan Navara Warrior fuel economy It’s also worth noting the Navara is one of the most economical dual-cab utes on the market; while in the real world the Warrior will likely use a fraction more diesel than other Navaras, the official fuel consumption claim remains at 7.0 litres per 100km on the combined cycle for the automatic transmission. What’s The Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior like to drive? The suspension is the big drawcard with the Warrior. As with the regular Navara there are coil springs front and rear, each of which has been raised 15mm. Combined with the larger diameter tyres the overall ride height is increased by 40mm, increasing claimed ground clearance to 268mm. The Cooper tyres also play an integral role in the way the car behaves. Engineers took into account the added sidewall flex of the tyres, something that reduces initial load impacts into the suspension system. They also chose softer springs that make for better comfort over larger bumps, something noticeable on rough roads. That said, the jagged rocks common in the Victorian High Country (where our drive took place) still jiggle things around. But it’s the extra control that characterises the Navara Warrior. Even on paved roads, it sits flatter in corners with added confidence. Just keep in mind that the tyres will start to squeal a tad sooner due to lower grip levels compared with the more on-road focused hoops on regular Navaras. Impressively, though, the Cooper rubber doesn’t significantly increase tyre noise at freeway speeds. That’s important given the big kays you often need to travel between off-road adventures. But it’s off-road where the Warrior does its best work. Those tyres not only provide extra reassurance against punctures but also better claw rocks and dirt for added traction. Additional ground clearance helps with sneaking over tough obstacles without scraping the underside. If you do, though, there’s a solid 3mm-thick stainless steel bash plate up front to fend off any big hits. The core of the Navara is also enhanced by the Warrior’s tyres and suspension. Locking centre and rear diffs provide excellent traction for ascending steep, challenging climbs. All the modifications to the Warrior add 193kg of weight, which must be subtracted off the payload. That makes it about 724kg. You’ve also got to keep that in mind with loading a trailer, too. While the Navara is rated to tow 3500kg, if you have a towball download of 300kg Nissan says you must subtract 410kg from the payload. So that leaves a little over 300kg for luggage and people. How safe is the Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior? The Warrior should be just as safe as a regular Navara, which received a five-star ANCAP rating in 2015 (when active safety features such as autonomous emergency braking weren’t required for the top rating). However, that ANCAP rating doesn’t officially translate to the Warrior because of its metal front bumper. Still, you’re protected by seven airbags (including a driver’s knee airbag and full length curtain airbags for head protection in each of the outer positions). NEXT: ALTERNATIVES AND SCORE Go to: Pricing and Spec Go to: Interior and Infotainment Go to: Engine, Ride and Handling, and Safety Go to: Rivals and Review Score Nissan Navara Warrior Rivals and Review Score What are the Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior alternatives? It’s a broad and diverse lineup that incorporates a range of the more expensive utes on the market. The most direct rivals are the Holden Colorado Sportscat and more expensive Ford Ranger Raptor. Other contenders include the Toyota Hilux Rugged X, Ford Ranger Wildtrak and Holden Colorado Z71 Xtreme. It’s conceivable that those chasing some additional style could cross-shop a Mercedes-Benz X-Class and those wanting big and brash might look at a Ram 1500. [review] Get new car reviews like this and more delivered to you without lifting a finger. Simply join our Facebook page or subscribe to our weekly newsletter (it’s free).

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