Nissan Navara 2018 Philippines Review: An insight into the Sport Edition

The current-generation Nissan Navara made its global appearance in 2014 before officially hitting our shores in early 2015. One year later, the Japanese carmaker added a new variant to the lineup dubbed as Navara Sport Edition. Up to now, the existing Navara has been around for almost 4 years and we know some are eagerly waiting for an announcement from Nissan for an updated Navara.

The current Navara is in its third year since its global debut

While waiting for the next-gen Navara to surface, let’s look through our Nissan Navara 2018 review on Philkotse.com for a better understanding of the newest member of the range – the special Sport Edition. This particular review will focus on the top-spec Nissan Navara Sport Edition 4x4 VL 7AT.

Tough. Smart. The All-new Nissan NP300 Navara conquers Ilocos Norte.

By giving the vehicle the “Sport” moniker, the Japanese car brand indicates that there will be a number of revisions on the outside. And yes, just as how its name suggests, the Nissan Navara 2018 clearly owns a sporty appearance with an all new grille, a massive set of 18-inch wheels, new front skirt, not to mention the color-matched sports roll bar.

The exterior makeover on the Nissan Navara is completed with the newly-added bed-liner, which even further sharpens the rugged look for the popular pickup.

The pickup owns a sporty look as its moniker suggests

Speaking of overall dimension, the Navara Sport measures 5,255 mm x 1,850 mm x 1,840 mm (L x W x H) with a wheelbase of 3,150 mm and a decent ground clearance of 245 cm.

There is also a newly-added bed-liner for the Sport Edition

Moving on to the inside, the difference seems not to be vast compared to its non-Sport counterparts, except for a few refinements including:

• Revised steering wheel with leather cover;
• Center console box lid;
• Shift knob.

It is interesting to notice many SUV-like features inside the Navara Sport

It is a pity that the seats didn’t go full leather while the primary controls are all wrapped in leather. Worth mentioning here is that the Sport Edition is offered with many interesting SUV-like features such as:

• Quite a few cup holders with six counted for the front;
• The presence of trays below and above the dashboard;
• ‘Zero Gravity’ front seats;
• Multiple power ports.

Although not being covered in leather, the driver seat still feels nice thanks to high-quality fabric which is said to be very durable and breathable as well. Setting the wheel and finding a comfortable driving position is easy as the steering type is tilt and telescopic adjust. Last but not least, we also appreciate the rear-view camera which helps a lot when it comes to parking, especially with large-sized vehicles.

The interior of the Sport Edition is almost similar to its non-Sport counterparts’

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4.1. Output figures & Fuel consumption

There is no change in terms of mechanics, and we found it totally fine with the already-good performance of the current Navara.

Underneath the car’s hood is a 2.5L turbo diesel engine which is capable of churning out 190 PS at 3,600rpm and 450 Nm of torque at 2000 rpm. All this is hooked up to a 7-speed automatic transmission.

Under the hood of the pickup is a 2.5L turbo diesel engine

It’s worth pointing out that this Sport Edition comes equipped with a multi-link rear suspension with coil springs in lieu of leaf spring suspension, which brings improved stability and far better comfort for the pickup truck.

Speaking of the Nissan Navara 2018 fuel consumption, it delivers an average of 8 - 9km/L in Manila traffic, while driving on the highway can improve fuel efficiency to 11  -12km/L. These figures can even further improved with more conscientious drivers.

Average fuel consumption in Manila traffic is 8 - 9km/L

4.2. Acceleration & payload capacity

Acceleration and cruising are both excellent, particularly when compared to other pickups in its segment. We also notice that the Navara handles noise, vibration, and harshness surprisingly well, which is not usually known as strength of such big-sized vehicles as trucks.

Regarding payload capacity, the pickup is also known as a capable hauler. Contrary to popular belief that the Navara is not as powerful as its competitors in terms of payload capacity as it is equipped with coil springs, the pickup truck, in fact, is able to carry 1000 lbs in the back with ease. Moreover, the rear suspension is also said to handle the same amount of goods while still ensure a level ride.

Nissan Navara Sport Edition 2018 Review

4.3. Off-road performance

When it comes to fast off-roading, the Navara manages to perform very well in maintaining speed as well as enhancing the confidence of the driver behind the wheel. As for slower off-roading, the Nissan’s popular pickup is also claimed to easily surpass most obstacles on the road.

>>> Get to our review section for pickup trucks from all car brands

All things considered, have you come up with any semi-final decision? It is always a difficult choice when it comes to which variant to go for and which features to give up so as to lower down the cost. However, what we would like to insist in our conclusion for this Nissan Navara 2018 Review is that this vehicle is truly a good deal in its class, even with the basic level of equipment. Therefore, whichever variant you go for, we believe it would surely be a reliable partner to spend the next few years of your life with.

In the Philippines, the Navara goes head-to-head with the Ford Ranger, the Isuzu D-Max and the Toyota Hilux. To obtain better comparison of these vehicles, look through the following full-scale reviews:

• Ford Ranger 2018 Review
• Isuzu D-Max 2018 Review
• Toyota Hilux 2018 Review