Nissan Navara (Frontier) King Cab since 2005 Pickup

Fifth Element

In the gamut of Nissan SUVs, the Navara sports and ulytric pickup pickup became the fifth element, thus closing the 4x4 cycle. There is nothing, however, there is no mystical here ... It’s just that now Nissan offers in Russia all -wheel drive cars of almost all categories, except perhaps luxury, but this, judging by the intentions of the Russian representative office of the company, will still talk.

The pickup market in Russia does not grow too fast. World car manufacturers still doubt that Russians need light all-wheel drive trucks of 20-30 thousand dollars. It seems to them that these machines are practical only in certain operating conditions, and obviously not in a large city where there is money. However, concerns greatly underestimate the adaptability of our citizens to the realities of life. Yes, sitting in an office with air conditioned air, we can say that the pickup is too large, hard, badly controlled by a strictly utilitarian purpose. But try to declare this in the face of those who maneuver in a dashing maneuver in traffic jams on a written off army UAZ, without any problems make his way to Hummer H2 on the crooked metropolitan alleys and are ready to load seven friends with wives, children and dogs to their Suburban in order to note this matter Human, at the fire. And if you say such that the pickup is ten less than the SUV built on its platform, the priorities will be placed for sure.

In the end, because even the Chinese are grabbed with us as scalded! Nevertheless, manufacturers doubt. During the dynamic presentation of Pathfinder, I argued a little on this subject with Torah Saito, a smart and attentive person, the head of the Nissan representative office in Russia. Examples of Mitsu-Bishi, Ford and Mazda, which have been successfully implementing their pickups for several years, have not convinced him too much, although Navara just presented to think. In a word, we agreed that a couple of dozens of such cars for a sample to Russia should be brought, and there, they say, completely in Russian, waving his hand, said Sito-san, let's see. After returning to Moscow, I once again asked him about the prospects for the appearance of Nissan pickups in us and received an in general forecast: for the next year, supply is not planned. It was in the spring ... I believe that the decision to bring Navara to Russia was not easy. However, everything in order!

Everyone knows that Nissan released Navara, accompanying it with an abbreviation SUT - a sports and out -of -power truck. It is not difficult to reveal the meaning: comfort and decoration of the cab, equipment, behavior on the asphalt and outside it should not be inferior to the level of the SUV, in this case, Pathfinder. The style solutions of all elements are important, those trusting emotions that they cause. Well, the emphasis is not on the capacity of the body. In general, only versions with full-sized, 4-door 5-seater cabins are delivered to Russia. With such a salon, the body becomes a practical square - 1511 by 1560 mm. These figures mean that an all -wheel drive ATV, water scooter or cross bike will enter there only with a folded booth. Usually, however, it happens.

For absolute fans, ready to put up with a single cab or having two cars, there is a version with a body of 1861 by 1560 mm. As for the cargo space, which we were able to evaluate with their own eyes, all kinds of athletes - frame -nuclear kayaks, skiing, snowboarding and bicycles - will enter it as many places in the cabin, or even more. For fastening, say, bikes with the help of delay, co-label coachines are provided on the standard canvas of the body. Separate praise deserves the style of the cargo compartment cover. The inclined glass is not sprayed as quickly as vertical, although it takes away a couple of dozen cubic centimeters from a useful volume. But who thinks them when such beauty?!

WELCOME TO PARADISE!

We will leave a report on the city trips to the snack, we will talk about the off -road nuances of the operation of the Nissan Navara and its technical potential. Being assembled on the same base with Pathfinder, the pickup is still different from it. First of the head - overall dimensions. From below, a powerful insert is clearly visible, welded into a frame that increases the wheelbase by 350 mm. Navara can transport half a ton of cargo plus two riders. This is more than Pathfinder - presumably, thanks to the spring rear suspension. The equipped mass of pickups is two tons with a tail, which is not so much. It is worse that the empty Navara has a weight, as befits trucks, shifted to the nose. On a slippery road and off -road, this is not the best option. I happened to test the charms of a displaced center of gravity when we flew into a viscous clay area of \u200b\u200ba quarry. When trying to turn the wheels, they got into the hole, slipped, instantly buried and left more deeply from the buildup, the rear ones almost did not help them, grinding the sticky dirt. They saved only the blocking of the rear differential, the composure of our photographer and my perseverance. If not for the lock, I would slap on the slurry to the nearest tug or dig a small pit.

Navara all-wheel drive is connected uniquely, according to the scheme of the part-time. The fears that the rear -wheel drive will put a pig on the asphalt covered with ice were not confirmed. It was slippery in places, but the wheelbase of such a length provides some balance of behavior if the pickup is not provoked. The tendency to demolition is compensated by the system of dynamic stabilization, almost not reacting to drifts. Does the electronics interfere with the off -road? Not at all. Turning on all -wheel drive, reduced and locking turns off everything, even ABS.

Surverse of modes, by the way, is carried out by buttons and is clearly and confident. If something has not turned off, say, blocking, then you need to repeat it again, but correctly: neutral, button, rotary handle control, drive. If you make a mistake in the sequence, then the indicator will never go out. By the way, I want to warn Nissan dealers that when admitting them to them Navara with a folded semi -ox, you should not be kept on the assurance that everything was, they say, in the parking lot in sunlight, sober mind and solid memory. But the fact that the lock was not turned off correctly - for sure ...

The geometric parameters of the patency of the pickupa are worse than that of Pathfinder. Critical dots are, of course, spins. In addition, the differential of the rear axle, protruding under the bottom, ate a couple of centimeters at the clearance. Nevertheless, the Navara road clearance with tires of 255/65 R17 is quite worthy of 235 mm. The rear overhang, by the way, has never become a problem on crossed terrain, but we struck a belly and in hogram more than once. But there, in the center of the base, there is a gas tank, and a slightly proximity. But the pallet of the engine and its surroundings are covered from below to conscience. Nevertheless, the overall impression of crossing the crossed terrain does not allow to build rainbow prospects for partisan march-cuts on abandoned clearings, although the transmission will allow this. As for articulation, it is small. Here, a differential blocking helps out again, which, however, should be turned on in advance, as well as to switch to a reduced gear of a handout. The motor, for obvious reasons, becomes very easy and good from such a maneuver. Tyage and flexibility are the most important trump cards of the new Nissan diesel, which, in combination with an automatic box, turns into an obvious advantage on off -road, where soft strength and smooth craving are needed. Another thing is on the asphalt ...

Rushing slowly

The city riding for Navara would be much more pleasant if it were not for its dimensions and nasty visibility. But if the dimensions interfere for the most part in parking lots, then you need to get used to freight visibility on the road. You can only inspect on the side mirrors, since the intra-sulfate mirror operates ten percent due to three in a row of tinted cabins of the cab and body superstructure. Turning your head is almost useless, because the rear racks for the sake of style are very thick, and the casing closes everything else. In a word, you need to maneuver carefully. And the controllability of the pickupa is such that sometimes you want to also tackle and curtain.

It is especially great on Navara to arrange a controlled skid on an even and slippery asphalt of the turn viewed. A long base, a light rear axle, responsive to the accelerator pedal - what else is needed to experience the joy of a truck launched by a fan. A comfortable salon with almost in sporting gesture chairs dulls vigilance, and only sharp unplanned maneuvers cool the driver. Yes, Navara is easy to enter, even seems to be too much. True, it is equally simple. I must say that we had a version with an automatic box that has some natural inhibition of reactions. It will be even more fun with the mechanics to control the pickup, and if you imagine one and a half car ...

Navara is also easy to demolish if you connect the front. In this case, I do not recommend sorting out with gas in this case - it will demolish, and you won’t have time to blink an eye. Although Navara shows all these features of behavior only with the steering wheel and gas too sharply. During human circulation, pickups are sweet and flexible. His suspension is very comfortable, the rear bridge does not jump on the bedridle police. But only such obstacles to the passage are not possible to take such obstacles - the car noticeably rearranges. Alas, this is a fee for carrying capacity and endurance of a dependent spring suspension. And the radius of the turn is also unpleasant. After two stripes, it is not possible to change the direction of movement by 180 degrees at a time. And in dense covered parking, the trouble is at all ...

What are we arguing for?

There is no point in painting the salon, it is indistinguishable from the interior Nissan Pathfinder, which we have repeatedly represented you repeatedly and with pleasure. I only emphasize once again the most positive impression from the excellent decoration materials, a competent combination of colors and a thorough assembly of all elements. Ergonomics of controls - on the top five. That's just the side support of the seats could be better, and the length of the pillows is larger. The legs for the legs are less than the rear passengers than we would like, but more than in the rest of the pickups presented in our market. Yes, here's another thing: I didn’t like the climate control of the climate control on the axis - and you won’t really grab it, and you can’t change the temperature several degrees at once. However, these are trifles.

Positive potential

But what is worth it to stop on is the market potential of the new Nissan car. And in order to understand what our dispute with Mr. Saito was based on and what was hidden in his doubts, we must carefully familiarize yourself with the recently released pricing policy against Navara. At first this: I believe that a pickup in Russia should not cost more than 30-35 thousand dollars. Nissan Navara in the basic version of SE with a 6-speed manual transmission will cost $ 36,790.

The standard equipment of this version includes alloyed wheels, steps, separate climate control, a radio with a six-disk CD changer, a cruise control, leather steering wheel and a gearbox lever, frontal airbags and side inflatable curtains, ABS, EBD, an emergency system Nissan Brake Assist braking. The same SE, but with an automaton it will cost $ 38,490, and the top version of the Navara 2.5D LE with 17-inch wheels, glasses with a darling, rain sensor, the pharmacy sensor, front fog lights and rails on the roof will cost $ 42,690 .. These prices are quite consistent with the level of the car, but are too unusual for our unusable consumer of pickups. For such money, you can find more than a decent packed Korean in a regular, passenger body or, say, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. Incorrect comparison? Well, from the very beginning, we warned that in Russia the main motive for buying a pickupa is a relatively low price. If you draw parallels with its current competitors-picaps, which are all as one in the tables about the classes lower, it turns out that at a starting price of 20 thousand dollars more or less acceptably equipped versions are already about 27 thousand, and If you add a branded kung, then all thirty. In the pluses of Nissan Navara, if we take our version, a decent dynamics, an automatic transmission, and a high level of safety, and blocking, finally. Well, is the difference great? However, whether Nissan will succeed in succeeding with the removal of its fifth element to a stable market orbit, I still won’t take it ...

Text: Igor Gubar
 

Source: Magazine 4x4 [January/2006]