Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1150145
namic. However, the automatic gearbox works a bit slowly – it unneces- sarily extends individual gears and kick down reduction lasts a bit too long. The solution is delivered by the manual, sequential gear shifting with blades near the steering wheel, which increases the dynamics a bit. When it comes to fuel consumption, manufacturer's data are probably strictly based on laboratory tests. In the city, with four people on board, Nis- san consumed 11.6 l/100 km (value in the catalogue is 8.7). On a highway – 10.2 l at speed within 140-150 km/h (value in the catalogue – 5.9 l). The new Navara is equipped with cruise control with a speed limiting device and automatic emergency braking. Off we go! Crates with guns loaded onto the bed, we switch the gear stick into D position and off we go... Despite the size of the car, driving is very good. The steering system is very precise and power steering is unobtrusive, so you can feel it very well. You go around corners without any major effort. Thanks to the reconstructed rear suspension, you drive the Nissan smooth- ly, comfortably, and predictably (even without five bags of cement on the bed, which was a necessity in the previous model, if you wanted to have stable steering). Even if you drive in deep rut that you may encounter here and there on Polish roads, it is no big deal for the new Navara. You do not feel the speed. If you are driving on a highway at speed of 140–150 km/h, you will think it is only 100. What is more, the car operates very quietly at speed over 100 km/h. The way Navara looks is very tempting to test it on a more difficult ter- rain. After the first kilometers of off-road driving will convince the driver that this is what Navara was constructed for. On light terrain, it performs perfectly with rear-wheel drive. It is supported by an electronic limited slip differential. The hill descent control helps us when we are descending from a highly inclined terrain, while protection systems ensure that the speed and the driving line are maintained. The hill start system also performs well on a lighter terrain. When on a more difficult terrain, it is better to start 4x4 drive, so that the car may deal with mud and loose sand. If the terrain appears to be too difficult, you always have 4x4 drive with a reduction gear and rear differential work. Then, you can "go bananas" and overcome really difficult obstacles, even with the car strongly tilted to the side (in such situations, weaklings usually grab on inner handles and start thinking of which window they should escape through). If someone still needs more adrenaline, he or she may order an additional OFF-ROADER AT32 package. It includes a specially reinforced suspension that increases the clearance by 20 mm, full protection of main subassemblies of the chassis, and larger 32-inch tires. You may also order the option of a high air inlet duct (so-called snorkel), in- creasing the depth of wading, so that we maximize our off-road capabilities. The huge bed allows packing a lot of stuff, but you must remember about two things. If you do not order an additional cover for the bed, you must properly secure the load. Otherwise, there is a huge risk that you will lose your luggage while driving off the road. Fortunately, there are fixation points for protective straps inside the bed. Another thing – you must not use an automatic car wash if the trunk cover is open. Sorry, this is how the world works – if you drive under a brush when the pickup is open, the brush will destroy your back cover, damaging itself as well, and there will be trouble. Summing up The new Navara is most certainly one of the best pickups available on the European market. High travel comfort on hard roads, good performance driving off the beaten track, high loading capacity. This car, depending on the purchaser's needs, can be a luxurious vehicle for traveling, a capacious workhorse, a regular daily car (but only for enthusiasts of such beasts), or a car to be used for "playing in the dirt" in the weekend. www.fragoutmag.com www.fragoutmag.com