Model tested: Nissan Navara 3.0 V6
Price: £33,862
Date tested: May 2010
Road tester: Martin Gurdon

Nissan's Navara pickup is a niche product with staying power. Although a single-cab version is offered, Nissan doesn't promote it, instead going for four-door, King and double-cab variants, which have attracted both lifestyle and business buyers.

Now the Navara has been revised, with rounded off wings, bonnet and lamp clusters to refine rather than change a successful look. Inside there's a fresh, user-friendly dash and console, while the interior trim is improved too.

Most buyers will opt for the upgraded 2.5-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel, claimed to now average 33.2mpg. The 10.8 sec 0-60 acceleration is a second less than previously, and top speed is now 112mph. Torque now stands at a useful 332lb/ft while it's 15 per cent cleaner, now emitting 224g/km of CO2.

Most buyers will opt for the six-speed manual gearbox, although a five-speed auto is offered. In manual guise the vehicle is unstressed, and once it's rolling, it can be left in the higher gears most of the time.

On paper the Navara should have the dynamics of a bread van, but it corners surprisingly tidily, holding its line in bends without undue hopping about from the rear wheels. Its steering is fluid and accurate too.

With stiff rear springs (intended not to sag if the load bay, with its clever range of fixing points, is filled with heavy gear), the Navara's ride proved un-jittery when semi-loaded. Nissan filled an optional lockable box in the load area with bags of stones, so we can't report on it in un-laden guise, but suspect the ride would be harder, but not unpleasantly so.

---

---

Our off road experience was limited, but the Navara would be more than capable of taking its occupants into hostile terrain without getting stuck.

This sense of toughness was enhanced by the vehicle being unobtrusively well made, both inside and out, with a lot of carefully thought out design details.

For those who like even more power, there's a 3.0-litre V6 diesel in the Navara for the first time. The result has a smoothness approaching that of some big German diesel executive saloons, and provides effortless grunt, making this a pickup capable 0-62mph in less than nine seconds and a 121mph top speed.

This urge is abetted by 405lb/ft of torque, delivered at just 1,750 revs. In the process the V6 emits 246g/km of CO2 and Nissan claims just over 30mpg combined.

This engine is mated to a smooth, rapid-fire seven-speed auto box, which kicks down quickly when called to do so.

The V6 Navara's mix of high seating position and low-key, projectile acceleration is slightly addictive, but it's expected to cost £8,000 over the 2.5 when sales get underway this summer; business users, who don't pay VAT on pickups, enjoy useful savings.

The higher price perhaps explains why Nissan is looking to sell only 250 V6 pickups annually, but owners are likely to have a good time, and anyone going for the four-cylinder 2.5 litre Navara is unlikely to be disappointed either.