Developed right here in Australia, the new Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior
is battle-ready from the get-go. We're talking jack suspension,
a new front bar, under-body protection, and all-terrain tyres. And they're just a few of
the upgrades on this factory-backed ute. Yes, this is more than just a sticky kit.
Created by Melbourne auto engineering firm Premcar, this is the second Warrior model,
and it's based on the updated Navara PRO-4X. It takes learnings from the original Warrior
to evolve the big beast, and it should be on sale from around September 2021.
Designed to take on other locally-built tough trucks like the Toyota HiLux Rugged X,
the new Warrior has this updated front end, and it integrates really nicely with the headlights, and
it almost gives it a bit of a Nissan Titan bigger truck look and feel. But this new front end is
not just about eye candy. The so-called safari bar is now compatible with a winch, and also improves
the ute's approach angle to attack steeper inclines, improved from 32 to 36 degrees now.
Front-wheel clearance is also better on the outside edges, plus there's a built-in LED light
bar from local supplier Hella. A custom steel bash plate with Navara lettering provides extra
battle armour, and Premcar has also installed a 3-millimetre steel, second stage underbody
protection plate behind this to further protect the vehicle's undercarriage on rough terrain.
Two of the most important upgrades on the new Warrior are the tyres and suspension here.
We've got Cooper Discoverer all-terrain tyres, and check out the depth of the tread, these are proper
mud-plugging tyres. And the suspension in here, we've got new Monroe dampers and shockers, which
have been specifically tuned and heavily tested for this vehicle. Ground clearance rises from
220 to 260 millimetres, and the unique suspension setup has been developed specifically for Aussie
conditions, and it's not just a recalibration of the standard suspension like some rivals.
The Cooper tyres add an extra dimension to the Nissan's off-road skill set too. The tread pattern
splits 70% for road and sand, and 30% for dirt and mud. No changes have been made to the dual range
4x4 system, nor the twin-turbo diesel engine, and towing remains the same at 3500 kilograms.
However, the new springs and shockers and updated jounce bumpers increase vehicle payload
from around 724 to 952 kilograms, following customer feedback for increased load-lugging.
Two features missing on this car include a snorkel at the front and a fancy tonneau
cover at the back, but Nissan says these are the sort of features that customers prefer to choose
themselves. However, two things that are very important on this vehicle include the tow bar,
which has been lowered to accommodate the extra 40 mils of ride height. The other
thing is a speedo correction device, because if you don't have it, these bigger tyres will
give you a false reading on your speedo, and you don't wanna get speeding fines.
Other additions to Nissan's latest tough truck include wheel arch extensions,
which together with the fatter tyres increase vehicle width by 30 millimetres, providing the
Warrior with a bit more stability off-road. Oh, did I mention there's a Warrior sticker kit too?
Sitting in the cabin you definitely get a sense of being much higher than the regular Navara.
This is a big truck. But overall the interior hasn't changed from the PRO-4X model. You've
still got these nice leather seats and you will get some Warrior embroidery up here eventually,
8 inch touchscreen, 7 inch instrument display, it's a nice setup.
If the first Warrior was any indication, this enhanced version should be the real deal. And
Nissan is quick to point out this vehicle was developed and engineered in Australia,
by Australians, for Aussie conditions. So how much will you pay for this locally assembled
mud-plugger? Well, we have it under good authority, it'll undercut the $70,000
HiLux Rugged X, but will cost more than the previous automatic Warrior, which was $65,990.
It's really great to see what Nissan and Premcar are doing here, getting some really impressive
Aussie engineering talent from the likes of Holden, Toyota and Ford, and working on something
really exciting that Aussie customers want. Around 1500 of these will be built each year, and
I reckon they're gonna sell every single one of them. And I tell you what, it's gonna be fun when
we actually get to drive this off-road. It should be an absolute blast. So stay tuned for that.