Beast
Beauty
118 caravanworld.com.au
It’sthirdtimeluckyforthe
SeriesIII NavaraasNissan
lookstoextenditstrusty
workute’sappealwith
addedfeaturesand
revisedsuspension
Words
Ged
BulmerOF THE
I
t’s a sign of the times as to just how
important dual cab utes have become to
many car makers, that upgrades which
once took years to appear are now coming
thick and fast.
In the case of Nissan’s workhorse Navara,
it seems like only yesterday the MY17 model
was released with upgrades that included
improved suspension damping. Then, early
last year Nissan followed up with a raft of
MY18 model upgrades, including further
changes to the suspension.
Unlike pretty much all of its rivals, Nissan
is differentiated in the top-tier of its dual cab
4X4 ute variants by the use of coil springs
on the rear suspension, instead of the more
common leafs fitted by rivals. Nissan’s
commitment to this undeniably more
comfortable and sophisticated suspension
configuration has, however, required it to
go back to the drawing board on a number
of occasions in a bid to get the balance right
between load lugging and ride comfort.
While the former is a given in pretty much
any ute, the latter often gets short shrift,
despite dual cabs such as this Navara ST-X
being used increasingly as a substitute for
family SUVs.
Enter the updated MY18 Navara Series
III, boasting a range of changes aimed at
improving the ute’s ride, handling and
steering, while also adding a number of
tech and safety enhancements, all aimed at
making the Navara “safer, easier to drive and
park, and more enjoyable to own,” according
to Nissan.Pics Nissan Australia