Chris Riley tests the 2024 Nissan Navara PRO-4X 4WD crew cab ute with pricing, specs, ride and handling, safety, verdict and everything the over-50 driver needs to know.
Summary: Despite some surprising omissions from the standard (or even optional!) equipment list, the Nissan Navara PRO-4X is a very acceptable all-round package. We’d feel better, though, if it came with an ANCAP safety rating.
2024 Nissan Navara PRO-4X 4WD crew cab ute
Price: $63,955 (manual, driveaway), $66,921 (auto, driveaway)
Warranty: Five-years, unlimited km, five-years roadside assist
Safety: not tested
Build location: Thailand
Engine: 2.3-litre twin turbo intercooled direct injection diesel
Power: 450kW @ 3750rpm
Torque: 199Nm @ 1500-2500rpm
Transmission: seven-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Body: 5311mm (long); 1875mm (wide); 1855mm (high)
Payload: 1013kg (manual), 1004 (auto)
Kerb weight: 2146kg
Ground clearance: 220mm
Wading depth: 600mm
Braked towing capacity: 3500kg
Wheels: 17-inch alloy
Tyres: 255/65 R17, Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain
Spare wheel: full-size steel
Turning circle: 12.5m
Fuel tank: 80 litres
Official consumption: 8.1L/100km (diesel fuel)
Consumption on test: 8.2L/100km (800km)
seniordriver consumption on test: not tested
[review]
Okay. Now I’m confused.
The Nissan Navara PRO-4X was replaced by the PRO-4X Warrior which in turn has recently been replaced by the much-hyped PRO-4X Warrior by Premcar.
Premcar had a hand in some or all of them, but here’s the thing … the PRO-4X is back.
Take your eye off the ball and look what happens.
What’s more, there’s now an SL Warrior by Premcar too.
Who will be top dog?
What’s it cost?
To give Navara and the PRO-4X some context, there’s a new one due soon.
That’s a good thing because the current Navara has been with us for 10 years and despite a makeover, it is starting to show.
They do say, however, that the last of the line is always the best one because by then they’ve managed to iron out the bugs.
That makes the only real decision here whether to get the PRO-4X or the PRO-4X Warrior by Premcar.
They might look similar, but they’re actually two very different vehicles.
PRO-4X is all about show, a flashy package designed with the city driver in mind.
Nissan describes it as a style package aimed at adventure lovers and travellers craving an escape from their daily routine.
The Warrior, as its name suggests, has been assembled to take on the elements, targeted at the driver who’s not afraid to get their car dirty and maybe scraped with some serious low-range action.
Prices for Pro-4X start from $63,955 for the manual or $66,921 for the auto; both figures driveaway.
The Premcar version is $74,255 for the manual or $76,830 with an auto – over $10K more and that’s a huge difference.
The former darling ST-X is $55,945
Interestingly, they’re all powered by the same 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel – some with single turbos, some with twin turbos.
The latest version looks the goods, dressed in black, with red decoration and PRO-4X decals.
There are black 17-inch alloys and all terrain Yokohama rubber, along with a black interlock grille, black sports bar, rear step for ease of access and a tailgate embossed with the Navara name.
The makeover includes privacy glass, together with black roof rails, door handles, door mirrors and side steps.
Inside, there’s two-zone climate air, heated, part-leather, red-stitched, embroidered front seats with the PRO-4X logo and a power-adjust driver seat.
There’s also a fancy chrome transmission surround, rear air outlets, and of course that odd little sliding rear window that has been a part of the Navara experience for so long.
Standard features include push-button start, cruise control (but not adaptive cruise), quad LED headlights and LED tail lights, auto high beam, auto lights and wipers, auto dimming rear-view mirror, rear parking sensors, floor mats, tow bar and tub liner.
It appears a tonneau cover is optional although the test vehicle was supplied with one.
Spare is a full-size steel wheel located out of the way under the rear.
The instrument cluster features old style analogue dials left and right, separated by a centre digital driver information screen with the ability to display a digital speedo.
Infotainment consists of an 8.0-inch touchscreen with six-speaker audio, Bluetooth, and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
While the original PRO-4X included satnav and digital radio, they are conspicuously absent from the current offering.
There’s a single USB-Type A socket in the front console, another Type A and Type C socket in the centre console and a charge-only Type A socket at the rear of the centre console.
Safety extends to seven airbags, including a driver’s knee bag, Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Emergency Braking, Intelligent Driver Alertness, Lane Departure Warning, Intelligent Lane Intervention, Blind Spot Warning and an Intelligent Around View Monitor, including an off-road monitor, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
Autonomous emergency braking (City and Interurban) is now standard on all variants, but does not detect pedestrians and cyclists.
PRO-4X is covered by a 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty, with service intervals set at 12 months or 15,000km.
What’s it go like?
At more than 5.3 metres in length and with a 12.5 metre turning circle, Navara can be tricky to park.
Or it would be if not for rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera with guidelines and 360-degree overhead monitor to help.
Side steps are fitted but getting in would be easier if the driver was provided with a grab handle like other occupants.
It would also be so much easier to find the ideal driving position if the steering wheel was reach adjustable – which it is not.
On a more positive note, the driver’s seat is power adjustable which helps to get it just right.
The back seats are large enough and comfortable enough to accommodate adults, but legroom is limited so we would not like to spend too much time back there.
They lift up to reveal extra storage.
Of note, the child seat anchor points in this car feature cloth loops which are located on the top edge of the seat.
The idea is to pass the tether through the closest loop and then continue to the next one along where you attach the snap shackle.
Can’t say we’ve encountered this setup before and forewarned is forearmed because the loop may not be large enough to accommodate the tether buckle.
In terms of grunt, the twin turbo 2.3-litre four-cylinder diesel puts out 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque, the latter from a low 1500 through to 2500 rpm.
These are good figures because torque is the stuff that provides low-end grunt, and makes it more accessible.
The turbo-diesel comes with a choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed auto transmission.
The auto includes Navara’s Drive Mode Selector, with Sport, Off-Road, Tow and Normal modes.
Ground clearance is a big factor when it comes to off-road ability. The PRO-4X offers what we regard as a rather a less-than satisfactory 220mm – the bare minimum really.
This climbs to 260mm in the off-road focused Premcar model.
Wading depth for both is 600mm.
There’s a part-time dual range 4×4 and rear diff lock, which means the essentials are there; we just wouldn’t be tackling anything too extreme.
While a front bash plate is fitted, the part you can see under the bumper is plastic and easily damaged.
Suspension is double wishbone at the front and five-point, multi-link at the rear, as opposed to the old-fashioned leaf springs offered by most utes.
A strengthened rear axle and additional load volume make the vehicle ready for work or play.
PRO-4X pulls strongly just off idle, but tends to run out of puff if you start to push hard.
The ride on the other hand is surprisingly supple, on well-formed roads at least.
Once you hit the back roads it soon deteriorates, becoming brittle and unforgiving.
The steering is a bit vague, but it goes where you point without too much complaint.
Gear changes from the seven-speed box are smooth and timely. You can change gears manually using the shifter, but we miss gear change paddles.
Of note Navara, like most utes, is still fitted with rear drum brakes, but the on-road experience is generally good overall.
Rather than thrash it, the PRO-4X is at its best cruising in the left lane, where it purrs along, quietly and smoothly and using little fuel for its size.
In four-wheel drive mode, Navara activates its Active Brake Limited Slip Differential system (ABLS), which manages power delivery and wheel braking between the front and rear axles and between the left and right of the vehicle, depending on traction and speed.
Working with the Vehicle Dynamic Control system (VDC) and ABS brakes, this system enables drivers to be more confident and feel secure when towing large payloads and driving through muddy terrain with less acceleration and brake operation.
Our test vehicle was fitted with Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain rubber, which tends to be good in the dry but terrible on wet roads, so the rear end is apt to become unstable in two-wheel (a.k.a. rear-wheel) drive.
PRO-4X can tow a 3500kg braked load and payload of 1013kg (manual) or 1004kg (auto).
The new trailer sway control system helps the vehicle to maintain stability on the road when towing a trailer.
The tub is equipped with a tray liner and flap-type, tie-down hook to secure both large and small objects.
But as mentioned, a tonneau cover is optional and there is no 12 volt outlet in the tray for a fridge.
Fuel consumption for this model is a claimed 8.1L/100km from an 80-litre tank.
We were getting pretty close to that at 8.2L/100km after almost 800km.
What we like
- Looks flash
- New one due soon
- Nice road manners
- Rear air vents
- Good fuel consumption
What we don’t like
- No satnav
- Brittle ride quality
- Geolandar tyres
- No gear change paddles
- No grab handle for driver
- No reach adjustment for steering wheel
- Outdated instrument cluster
- Adaptive cruise control missing
What over-50 drivers need to know
PRO-4X is an eye-catching ute, that’s for sure.
But whether you want or need a ute in your life is subjective.
Just remember, they ride and handle very differently to a sedan or even an SUV.
They also sit high off the ground and in the case of this particular ute, the driver does not get a grab handle to help with entry or exit.
Still, many people find them appealing judging from the sales figures and the Nissan PRO-4X represents pretty good value.
That is, apart from a couple of items missing from the features list and we really can’t condone the removal of satnav and digital radio.
Your call.
seniordriver comments
We have commented before that we don’t understand the current infatuation with large, unwieldy, basically commercial utes by people who want to use them daily and mostly in and around town.
But we bow to your opinion, and if you’re in the market for a well-priced and well-equipped ute, the Nissan Navara PRO-4X may very well suit your needs. It’s a looker, and priced competitively against the most obvious competitors, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak 2-litre ute ($69,390 plus on road costs) and the Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain 3-litre ute ($67,500 plus on road costs). Despite the larger (3-litre) engine, the Isuzu figures are identical to the Nissan at 140kW/450Nm while the Wildtrak claims 154kW and 500Nm, and it’s a little larger across width, length and height.
Of course, if it’s bragging rights you’re after (and better off-road credentials), you’ll be looking at the Navara PRO-4X Warrior by Premcar. It also boosts ground clearance by a useful 40mm, but neither sits high enough to satisfy serious off-roaders.
We don’t understand the omission of digital radio and satnav in the PRO-4X, and we’re slightly concerned by the lack of an ANCAP rating (the last one was in 2015, so well and truly expired by now).
Older drivers may find entry and exit more difficult than it needs to be, thanks to the omission of a grab handle – would it really have added too much to the price? Ditto for the absence of a reach-adjustable steering wheel. And the tonneau cover that you’ll apparently pay extra for (we were unable to find a price for it).