WE DROVE IT: NISSAN NAVARA 2.5 PRO-2X DOUBLE CAB IS ONE SEXY BEAST

There is no doubt that test-driving a bakkie in South Africa and providing some thoughts on it, can be equivalent to opening a can of worms, or in Sandton terms, a can of caviar. However, few bakkies have drawn the type of attention from passers-by as the Nissan Navara 2.5 PRO-2X Double Cab.

The Nissan Navara Double Cab is priced from R479’000.
The PRO-2X style package has an energetic athletic design with roof racks, as well as 17- and 18-inch black alloy wheels.
The Nissan Navara also offers a unique 7 AT and 4-wheel drive with differential lock for easy off-road driving.
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Nissan has made attempts to capture the South African market but this latest release takes no prisoners and delivers on so many levels, including price. After a week of test-driving the Nissan Navara 2.5 PRO-2X Double Cab, The Sandton Times team was hesitant to hand it back to the manufacturer.

The 2.5-liter turbo diesel engine on the Nissan Nivara delivers a great driving experience through its seven-speed automatic transmission. There is an ever so slight delay from hitting the start button to purr which is made up by the speed by which the Bluetooth picks up your phone and subsequent iTunes playlist.

Nissan Navara 2.5 PRO-2X — With its bold masculine design, the new Nissan Navara offers customers good value-for-money, has low running costs, competitive parts pricing, and competitive fuel efficiency. Image: The Sandton Times

The design is bold and muscular but oh so sexy, with many onlookers on the test-drive offering to purchase the car or at most, felt the black car with the red Nissan logo looked like a force to be reconned with. The locally-produced Nissan Navara 2.5 PRO-2X Double Cab is comfortable on all road surfaces, with some noticeably good suspension. It’s a premium drive, with leather seats, well-positioned cup holders and charging spaces, a somewhat small center console storage space, and suitable controls on the steering wheel – but no mute button?

Having said that, the sound system delivers with an onboard 8-inch touchscreen with NissanConnect (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible) is easy to navigate, delivering a good user experience.

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE:

With a car this size, it’s great to have all the little features that make parking and navigation easier like a Blind Spot Warning and an Around View Monitor.
The Nissan Navara 2.5 PRO-2X Double Cab design and look is one that turns heads.
The drive quality is notable and places it ahead of similar competitor models in the market.

WHAT YOU WON’T:

Without a secured canopy or lockable after-market solution, there isn’t really an ideal space to place luggage (except the backseat) when heading out of town for a weekend away.
A radio mute button on the steering wheel would be a great addition to the already comprehensive functionality.

Part workhorse part quality drive, the Nissan Navara 2.5 PRO-2X Double Cab ticks a lot of boxes. With the production of the Nissan Navara 2.5 PRO-2X Double Cab on our doorstep, there is no doubt a lot of South African factors have influenced this release, for the better. Nissan has announced it will round out the range with the launch of the Navara Single Cabs available from October 2021 in South Africa.

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