Nissan Navara D.Cab 2.3 dCi 4x4 in the long-term test

M Men can't have feelings speak, do you mean, ladies? Oh yes: Because, dear, when a long-term test car goes, we often only have memories that slowly fade over time. Not so with the Nissan Navara. The fact that the gap that the truck leaves is much larger than the 9.8 square meters of its floor space is due to the fact that the world is full of wonderful things and opportunities - only surprisingly rarely where you are. The firewood was once a tree in the forest, the motorcycle in Schleiz and the beach chair on Sylt. Now everything is here, also as tangible memories that the Nissan Navara over 100,000 km and two years expanded the possibilities not only of transporting bulky goods, but also of life.

Now we can admit that we received the Nissan Navara with euphoria at the start. The fact that the question of the usefulness of a 5.33 meter long golden pickup never arises, especially for middle-aged men, is something psychologists will blame on our childhood socialization through “a Colt for all cases”. Pah, psycho nonsense, would counter the buzz, the Lingner, the Renz and others. It is due to our increased sensitivity to the promises in life, which can only really be fulfilled with a truck.

Numerous transport tasks

We use the Nissan Navara for many stories: Clemens transports Motorcycles, Jens pulls ten-meter caravans through the country, Thiemo clears a forest and puts it on the loading area, where another time a beach chair is moored and chauffeured from Sylt to Stuttgart. The pickup also made a name for itself as a range extender for electric cars. We don't want to name any names, but sometimes the Stromer reach the end of their battery reserves before their goal. Then the test department sends the truck with a trailer to bring the e-mobile home. Watt also happens, you can rely on the Nissan Navara - except for once, more on that later.

Hans-Dieter Seufert

'Best prospects in Navara - therefore you can get along with him in the city '- Jonas Greiner, photo editor

First of all, it is important to point out that even those who do not immediately meet the Nissan Navara with enthusiasm, quickly get along with it. In terms of its size and bulk, it may be somewhat skeptical of old towns and parking garages. But because of the good all-round view from a lofty height and the clever parking camera - if your lens is not dirty - it can be cranked into surprisingly tight gaps with a little routine. He also appears in festive Tekna outfits, with a not exactly modern infotainment and assistance department and leather-covered, but not overly comfortable seats. They create a mild degree of comfort without compromising the basic rusticity of the interior.

Tight rear

This also applies to comfort in the rear. As much as we like to recommend the five-seater double cab as a family car, it sits tight in the tight rear. It is better used to store luggage that should not slide around on the loading area. This is only covered by a hinged lid, which - due to the nature of the system - cannot be closed when transporting higher loads. So we will soon convert to the stiff, but much more practical roller blind.

Sebastian Renz

The hinged lid was rather clumsy for transport, much better: the retrofitted roller blind.

This takes you on long journeys that take place in resolute comfort in the Nissan Navara - with springs, the rear axle only starts with a load of a few hundredweight. The front axle succeeds in doing this more easily, but the 2.3-liter turbodiesel always presses on it. With 190 hp and 450 Newton meters, it pushes the 2.2-ton Nissan Navara powerfully, even with a trailerahead, kindly assisted by the automatic. It carefully chooses from its seven levels, without ever succumbing to the dynamic. Quite fitting, after all, the Nissan Navara maneuvers around corners with a heavy body roll, but slight precision in the steering. Everything is great in terms of traction, even if the truck is purely rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive and the optional differential lock on the rear axle may only be activated on slippery surfaces. Then the pickup digs through even the most desolate areas, even the north of Schorndorf.

Weak point brakes

But despite all the enthusiasm for the truck, which does not work with the brakes: They slow down weak - from 100 km /h he needs 40 meters without a load with a cold system. Plus the high level of wear: after 30,000 kilometers the front pads are down, after 70,000 discs plus pads at the front. On the rear axle, the Nissan Navara decelerates with drums, only since the facelift in July 2019 has it had windows all around.

They should now cope better with more committed motorway journeys. Incidentally, the Euro 6b emission-free engine courageously approves of AdBlue. It needs 179 liters of AdBlue over 100,000 kilometers - around twice as much as other diesels. After all, it is easy to fill up using its own filler neck and, at 80 cents /liter, is not a high cost factor. In general, this big, heavy, aerodynamically unambitious car is careful with its finances.

Stefan Cerchez

And when do you have to refuel? Usually every 700 kilometers - the diesel is filled on the left and AdBlue on the right.

This also explains the 10.1 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers that the truck is often on the move quickly, with a trailer, a lot of payload or everything together. 8.2 liters /100 kilometers are sufficient without rushing, hanging around or ballast. The costs for the three inspections and the replacement of the brakes are 2.034 euros at a reasonable 2.0 cents /kilometer. Only 2.3 liters of engine oil have to be refilled between the fixed workshop appointments. However, the truck makes three unplanned pit stops: At 51,067 kilometers, cooling water splashes from a chafed hose, the Nissan Navaramust be towed to the workshop. Around 25,000 kilometers later, oil drips through a cracked charge air pipe - back into the workshop. And at the odometer reading 79,434 again, because the front radar fails again and is replaced under warranty.

We don't really have it on our radar that the Nissan Navara is already finished with the endurance test a few weeks later and is simply picked up. Who asks us: 'Well, vara good?', We answer: 'Yes, but sometimes a bit too crazy.'