New Nissan Navara NP300 loads up

The new Mitsubishi L200 might be our Pick-up Of The Year, but it’ll have a fight on its hands with this, Nissan’s new Navara.

Now dubbed the ‘Navara NP300’, the redesigned truck has made its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. As well as the revised exterior and interior design, there’s a brand new engine, a raft of new tech and an overhauled chassis.

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The rugged and boxy body of the previous Navara has been replaced by a softer, more distinctive design. Nissan’s ‘V-motion’ grille is part of a bolder front end, while new doors and angled side windows modernise the look. The load bed is 67mm longer with a class-best load length of 1,578mm for the Double Cab and 1,788mm in the King Cab.

The cabin has also received a makeover, with a curvier dash designed to increase passenger space and give a more upmarket feel. Nissan’s Around View Monitor is also available, while dual-zone climate control and new seats improve comfort – along with a sector-first five-link non-leaf spring rear suspension set-up for Double Cab models.

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Under the skin, the NP300 debuts a 2.3-litre dCi diesel engine, available in single-turbo 158bhp and twin-turbo 187bhp outputs. Nissan claims both are up to 24 per cent more efficient than before – and the cleanest in this sector.

The new Navara is available with two or four-wheel drive and a choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed auto gearboxes. Payload ratings are now in excess of one tonne across the range, and the towing capacity is 3,500kg.

Read the rest of our Frankfurt Motor Show news on our round-up page.