Nissan Navara custom builds: From city commuters to outback tourers

The Navara has carved out a solid reputation as a capable and versatile 4×4, with generations from the D40 through to the current NP300 proving popular with owners who want a ute that can work hard and play harder.

That versatility is clear across these builds. Some are set up for long-range touring with drawers, fridges, lithium batteries, solar and rooftop tents, while others lean heavily into off-road capability with big lifts, lockers, winches, upgraded bar work and 35-inch mud-terrain tyres.

These Navaras have also covered plenty of ground, from the Victorian High Country and Blue Mountains to Cape York, Shark Bay and the Old Telegraph Track. One even managed to pull two stuck Patrols out on the Telegraph Track, while others are still being built with big trips already in the works.

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2011 Nissan Navara STX-550

Submitted by Richard Skinner

Richard Skinner’s STX-550 is built for comfort and capability in equal measure, and the Victorian High Country has already put it to the test.

The Navara runs a two-inch suspension and body lift, full drawers, a 12-volt setup in the rear tub, a front-mounted rooftop tent, rear air lockers, and an upgraded aftermarket stereo. Richard’s first and best trip in the rig was through the Victorian High Country, taking in beautiful scenery and some genuinely challenging tracks.

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2009 Nissan Navara ST

Submitted by Daniel Lizzio

Just two months into ownership, Daniel Lizzio’s 340,000km ST proves a high-kilometre Navara still has plenty left in it.

Up front sits an ARB bull bar and rear bar with a snorkel, sitting above a two-inch suspension lift. A three-inch straight-pipe exhaust, front and rear cameras, and spotlights round out the exterior work, while inside there is a UHF, a three-drawer storage system, and a second battery setup with solar panels and a fridge in the rear. A front rack and 270-degree awning complete the touring fit-out.

It is Daniel’s first four-wheel drive, and in its short time with him it has already tackled a handful of 4×4 tracks around his part of New South Wales, as well as tracks through the Blue Mountains.

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Nissan Navara PRO-4X

Submitted by Michelle Warncken

Known as CPT JACK, Michelle Warncken’s PRO-4X does double duty as a family off-roader and a pirate-themed drawcard at South Australian ute musters.

The build, carried out by Kapunda 4×4, includes a two-inch lift kit from ARB, a genuine Nissan bull bar with an inbuilt LED light bar, and 17-inch wheels running 265/70R17 tyres. A 40-litre fridge, custom drawers, an ARB canopy, and a Front Runner rack with an added slimline LED bar handle storage and touring duties. Solar panels, a winch, and a side awning are next on the list.

CPT JACK is a regular at ute musters for kids to enjoy, and while it is yet to head properly off-road, it has already covered tracks around Kangaroo Island.

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2016 Nissan Navara

Submitted by Lucy Eaton

Lucy Eaton’s Navara has covered serious ground, headlined by a solo run up Cape York on the Old Telegraph Track.

Up front, a TJM Chaser Bar sits alongside an In-House Fabrication snorkel and airbox, with Blackhawk diff breathers protecting the diffs. Underneath, a Bilstein 3+2 lift kit works with Cooper 285/75R16 tyres and sliders by Legendex.

Recovery and power come from a Runva winch, a Redarc 12-volt system with a Redarc TowPro Elite, a 95-litre Waeco fridge, a UHF, and OCAM side mirrors. Out back, a Piranha Offroad alloy tray houses a TC Boxes gullwing dogbox, while a Stoney Creek Nugget rooftop tent rides on the trailer.

The standout moment came at Gunshot Creek on the Old Telegraph Track in May 2021, part of a solo trip that dragged the Nugget from Brisbane up to Cape York and home again through central Queensland, 8134km covered in 32 days.

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2012 Nissan Navara ST-X 550

Submitted by Simon Faulkner

Simon Faulkner’s retuned D40 has already out-performed his expectations, and a couple of Nissan Patrols along the way.

The 3.0-litre V6 diesel has been retuned and paired with a three-inch turbo-back exhaust for a crisper note. A TC Boxes tray and canopy setup and a 3.5-inch Superior remote-res lift sit above a fresh set of 33-inch Kenda Klever KR601 tyres.

The standout test came on the Old Telegraph Track, where the Navara surprised Simon, a driver with a background in Patrols and old Land Rovers, by pulling out two stuck Patrols on the same trip.

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2018 Nissan Navara NP300

Submitted by Neesh Truscott

Neesh Truscott’s NP300 blends serious off-road hardware with a fully personalised interior, and it gets used across Perth’s best-known tracks.

Underneath, the drivetrain has been freed up with a DPF delete and a PPD Performance three-inch turbo-back exhaust. Ride height comes from a four-inch Superior Engineering lift with remote-res shocks and a two-inch body lift, rolling on 35-inch Toyo Open Country muddies. Up front, an Ironman 4×4 Deluxe bull bar and Ironman winch are matched with a custom grille insert and Stedi Type X pros for lighting.

Inside, custom embroidered Superfit seat covers, an Extnix 10-inch head unit, an engraved gear shifter, and a tyre pressure monitoring system from OBD2 Australia finish the personalisation.

The NP300 is a regular on tracks including Julimar, Brunswick, the Mundaring power lines, Lancelin, Wilbinga, and Waroona Dam, but this year’s standout was a touring trip to Shark Bay, around to Steep Point and through the surrounding national parks.

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Nissan NP300 Navara

Submitted by Max Hill

Max Hill’s NP300 is the product of 12 months of planning and a three-month build, with the finishing touches now underway.

Under the bonnet, CRG Fab intercooler, exhaust and intake pipes work alongside a Fabulous Fabrications airbox and snorkel, backed by a long-range tank. Ride height and rolling stock come from a Dobinson lift with airbags and KMC Bully rims wrapped in KM3 285/70R17 tyres. A lithium starter battery and Stedi and Lightforce lighting cover power and visibility. For touring, the build carries a MITS Alloy tray and canopy, TJM bar work, a CampBoss 270-degree awning and shower tent, and a Darche rooftop tent.

Built to handle work and play in equal measure, the NP300 already has a 10-week trip in the planning once the build is finished.

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2023 Nissan Navara STX

Submitted by Jimmy Graham

Jimmy Graham’s STX has racked up serious interior Queensland kilometres, and it is still adding more.

The 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel provides the base for a build focused on long-range touring. Ride height comes from a 2-inch lift, Superior suspension and upper control arms, ROH alloys, and Falken Wildpeak A/T tyres. Power and recovery are covered by a Mits Alloy canopy tray with an Enerdrive lithium system, a 125Ah second battery, a 2000W inverter, and a Redarc brake controller. For touring, an 80-litre Bushman fridge, a 30-litre water tank, and a side awning round out the setup.

The STX has already taken Jimmy to Fraser Island (K’gari), Longreach, Winton, and Boomi, plus a major run through the interior of Queensland via Julia Creek and Carnarvon Gorge, back to Bundaberg and down the coast, with more trips planned.

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2017 Nissan Navara

Submitted by Toz Baker

Toz Baker’s Navara is set up as a practical, no-fuss tourer, built around a solid mix of protection and self-sufficiency.

Up front, an ARB bull bar and brush bars sit ahead of a Safari snorkel, with 285/70R17 Predator New Mutant tyres on steel rims handling the rough stuff. A three-inch front lift and two-inch rear lift kit from PSR sort out the suspension, while a Bronco tray carries the load out back.

A secondhand canopy with a solar panel on top keeps the fridge and other electronics charged, with the fridge, spotlights, and most electronics sourced from Kings and the control box from XTM, rounding out a rig built to run comfortably off-grid.

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