2026 Nissan Navara review: Can it claw back ground on the competition?

Nissan Australia has launched the D27 Navara ute and we’ve had our first taste of it on the backroads and tracks outside Canberra. 

Here, we were able to sample the top-of-the-range (for now) Pro-4X model, as well as the ST-X and ST variants. There is also an SL model on sale, but it wasn’t available on this launch drive. Nissan has confirmed that a Pro-4X Warrior model will be added to the range later, but it wouldn’t reveal when. As with the previous Warrior, it will benefit from a full suspension upgrade from Premcar, along with additional body protection and styling enhancements.

The D27 Navara is only being offered in a 4×4 double-cab body style with a ute tub. There are no other cab options or 4×2 variants in the new Navara range.

Nissan has expanded its relationship with Premcar, turning to the Melbourne engineering firm to refine the suspension across all new Navara models. This includes specific calibration of the shock absorbers to suit Australian conditions. The shocks are now a twin-tube design, improving durability on rough tracks.

Significantly, the front shocks now feature an internal rebound spring which, as the name suggests, absorbs and controls the damper through the full range of compression, delivering more controlled and compliant performance on rough terrain.

JUMP AHEAD

• What each model gets
• On- and off-road performance
• Powertrain and performance
• Safety and ownership
• Verdict
• Specifications
• Pricing

What each model gets

It’s no secret that the latest Navara shares plenty with Nissan’s alliance partner Mitsubishi and its Triton ute, but the Nissan team is keen to highlight its points of difference in both specification and price. 

Standard equipment on the SL includes an electronic locking rear differential (RDL), LED headlights and tail-lights, a 7-inch instrument display, and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. There’s also satellite navigation, cloth seats, vinyl flooring, tailgate assist for easier access to the tub, 17-inch steel wheels with all-terrain tyres, and Nissan’s Easy-Select dual-range transfer case, which misses out on the full-time 4×4 mode offered by the Super Select system.

The ST builds on the SL’s equipment list, adding 17-inch alloy wheels, carpet flooring, a leather-accented steering wheel, a rear USB outlet, privacy glass, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, heated exterior mirrors and a sports bar in the tub.

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The ST-X model gets the Super Select 4×4 system, offering full-time 4×4 as well as 2WD and dual-range 4×4. Drive modes include Normal, Eco, Gravel, Snow, Mud, Sand and Rock, along with hill descent control. The ST-X also steps up to 18-inch alloy wheels in place of the 17s on lower grades, adds power-fold exterior mirrors and features silver exterior highlights to distinguish it from the rest of the range. A cargo liner protects the tub and tailgate assist is standard.

Inside, the ST-X gets leather-accented seats with power adjustment for the driver, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, push-button engine start and a wireless phone charger. The multimedia screen remains 9-inch, but both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are now wireless.

The Pro-4X is the hero of the range for now and stands out with a distinctive grille surround featuring lava orange highlights, 17-inch matte black alloy wheels with 265/65R17 all-terrain tyres, wheel arch flares with orange accents, black roof rails and a tailgate badge. None of the new Navaras have a power outlet or lighting in the cargo tub, nor a tonneau cover as standard.

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Inside, Pro-4X owners get leather-accented seats with orange stitching and suede bolsters, a leather-accented steering wheel with matching stitching, and ‘PRO-4X’ logos embossed on the front seatbacks. There are also black-painted inner door handles and orange accents on the centre console and door trims. The Pro-4X comes standard with a towbar fitted, fully wired and ready to go. The towbar is optional on the lower grades.

The interior across all grades feels well laid out, comfortable and easy to operate. The 9-inch infotainment screen seemed adequate when it debuted in the Triton just a couple of years ago, but with newer models like the HiLux, Tasman and Shark now offering larger displays, it looks and feels small in the 2026 Navara. There’s nothing wrong with its operation, but it does appear dated by current trends.

On- and off-road performance

Our drive of the ST Navara included a particularly rough and rutted farm track, where the suspension exhibited excellent poise and control over even the most unsettling sections.

The ST and SL models employ a four-leaf rear spring pack designed for users likely to carry a constant load. The ST we drove had around 300kg of ballast in the tray and remained settled and composed on both sealed and unsealed roads.

The ST-X and Pro-4X Navaras use a lighter three-leaf rear spring pack to maintain passenger comfort when unladen, and we found it worked equally well both on- and off-road. There are different damper tunes for the two spring configurations, as well as for the 17- and 18-inch wheel specifications.  There is no longer a Navara with a coil-sprung rear axle, as there was in the previous D23 generation.

We spent most of our off-road driving in an ST-X Navara, tackling steep and rutted terrain that at times required low range on descents, but we didn’t need to engage the rear diff lock at all. The Navara proved up to the task without raising too much dust. From this drive, we felt the ST-X is the pick of the D27 range, offering all the comfort, convenience and driver-assist features available without the gaudy orange accents featured on the Pro-4X, inside and out.

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Powertrain and performance

All D27 Navaras are powered by Mitsubishi’s 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel engine, producing 150kW and 470Nm, with a claimed combined fuel consumption of 7.1L/100km. The engine is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, with no manual option offered. 

The transfer case in SL and ST grades delivers dual-range part-time 4×4, while the upper grades get Mitsubishi’s excellent Super Select system, which offers two- and four-wheel drive, high and low range, and full-time 4×4 for on-road driving.

The engine’s peak torque of 470Nm doesn’t tell the full story of the Navara’s performance. The key is where that torque is delivered, with a broad spread that gives the ute plenty of mid-range grunt where it’s most useful. This will be especially appreciated by those who tow or regularly carry loads, but it improves the driving experience in all scenarios.

All D27 Navaras have a 3500kg towing capacity. GVM is rated at 3190kg and GCM at 6250kg, giving payloads between 1064kg for the SL and 964kg for the Pro-4X.

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Safety and ownership

All models in the D27 Navara range, from SL to Pro-4X, share the same level of safety equipment.

This includes eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning with emergency lane assist, trailer sway control, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, blind spot warning, intelligent around-view monitor with moving object detection, driver monitoring, tyre pressure monitoring (TPMS), and front and rear cross-traffic alert. These features have earned the D27 a five-star safety rating, although this is based on 2024 testing.

The new Navara comes with Nissan’s service-activated warranty of up to 10 years/300,000km (otherwise five years/unlimited kilometres). It also includes up to 10 years/300,000km of service-activated roadside assist (otherwise one year/unlimited kilometres), along with a five-year flat-price service schedule, with services priced at $499.

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Verdict

The comment that the new Nissan’s infotainment makes it feel dated compared to newer utes like the HiLux, Shark and Tasman could just as easily be applied to the Navara as a whole. It will make a solid workhorse or family touring 4×4, but it won’t match those newer models for outright appeal, nor is it likely to challenge the popularity of the Ford Ranger.

Pricing and value for money will be key to Navara sales.

Specifications

Pricing