2020 Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior: Private Fleet Car Review
This Car Review Is About: Nissan’s Navara and its partnership with Premcar. This joint partnership has given Premcar the opportunity to work with Nissan and provide an Australian engineered alternative to Ford’s Ranger Raptor and the former contender from Holden and HSV, the Sportscat.
What Does It Cost?: A not inconsiderable $67,290 on a drive-away basis. However it’s close to $9K cheaper than a Raptor and around $2K cheaper than a Wildtrak X with 2.0L bi-turbo diesel.
Under The Bonnet Is: A 2.3L twin turbo diesel. Power is 140kW at a high, for a diesel, 3,750rpm. Peak torque is the critical figure and that’s 450Nm between 1,500rpm and 2,500rpm. In comparison, the Raptor’s 2.0L diesel has 157kW and 500Nm (1,750rpm to 2,000rpm). There is a choice of a six speed manual or a seven speed auto, driving two or four wheels via an electronic selector and a switch to lock the rear diff. Nissan quotes 7.0L per 100km on the combined cycle. We finished at 9.4L/100km on our 70/30 urban to highway cycle. Tank size is 80.0L.
On The Outside It’s: Clad in White Diamond (choices are Slate Grey and Cosmic Black), our test car, which highlights the orange hued pieces of trim spread around the outside edges of the steps, mirrors, and front driving lights. There is a blacked-out decal along the flanks that declares the car to be an N-Trek Warrior, and sits nicely between the big tyres fitted. They’re from renowned off-road tyre supplier, Cooper, and are 275/70/17s from the Discoverer AT3 range.
For the tray, there is a tub liner, a blacked out roll-bar, a Navara decal on the tailgate, a black rear step-bumper, and a towbar attachment. Heavy duty flared guard attachments add a muscular, no-nonsense, look, with that same take-everything-on ideal up front with a heavier looking front bar complete with LED light strip, and blacked out trim for the grille.
Underneath is increased ride height for the body, and plenty of sheetmetal (3mm thick 302 standard stainless steel) for protecting the engine’s sump, transmission, and vital cables. This is necessary given the angles the N-Trek Warrior can find itself at: approach is up to 35 degrees and break-over of 27.5 degrees. Departure angle isn’t great at just 19 degrees.
Overall, the N-Trek Warrior stands 1,895mm tall, rolls on a wheelbase of 3,150mm inside a total length of 5,385mm, and the total width of 1,920 (sans mirrors) adds to the shoulder room inside. Inside the tub is a 1,503mm floor length, and between the rear wheel arches is 1,130mm with extra space either side at 1,560mm on the floor. Depth is 474mm. Payload is 724kg and braked towing is 3.5 tonnes.
On The Inside It’s: Aging. Gracefully, but aging. Nissan says a new Navara is on the way for 2021. What it has for now is a dash with an elegant sweep in the style, a bad reflection into the windscreen, a non-DAB tuner (disappointing), fine grains to the plastic on the dash, and a dated use of alloy hued plastics on the tiller, console, and touchscreen surrounds. The seats could use more side bolstering in supporting the body, with a sensation of sitting on but not in them. However the look and trim is high in quality for a mixed material pew.
The headrests are embossed with the orange stitched N-Trek Warrior logo that complements the same colour stitching in the floor mats, the rear vision mirror has a simple N/S/E/W style compass, and the upper centre console has a small storage locker with a 12V socket. Down near the gear selector is a solitary USB port. There is no port for the rear seat passengers but there are a pair of vents. 
On The Road It’s: Surprisingly…heavy. In our drive it felt leaden, weighed down, lacklustre even. Surprising given the amount of torque available as acceleration was ok without being outstanding, both from a standing start and in rolling acceleration. Steering was rubbery in feel on centre but tightened up to be communicative, partly due to the thick off-road tyres, but there is effort needed at low speeds. Body movement in comparison demonstrated the work put in, with a taut ride on tarmac, that “just right” amount of suspension give, even allowing for sidewall flex. The brakes are spot on, in comparison, with an intuitive travel. The auto itself is a solid worker, putting in a performance that was competent if unspectacular.
Off-road, it’s a different beast and performed admirably. There is a rear diff lock, a rotary dial for 4WD high and low range, and the fettled suspension has plenty of articulation. The Cooper tyres display why they’re the chosen brand for getting dirty grip, clambering over and through the various surfaces on our test track without a niggle. 
It’s this environment where the engine’s torque range really works, and the increased ride height (40mm over standard) provided secure and safe driving. Nissan’s paperwork says the N-Trek Warrior’s suspension team spent several months testing various combinations of springs, dampers, and bump stops, and off-road it shows. 
What About Safety?: Reverse camera is standard and in high definition on the touchscreen. Seven airbags, including driver’s kneebag, are standard, however Nissan’s spec sheet don’t list AEB, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and the like.
What About Warranty And Service?: Five years and unlimited kilometres plus five years roadside assist. Capped price servicing is also available and pricing is model dependent.
At The End Of the Drive. It was with mixed feelings that the Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior was handed back to the office. It’s undoubtedly good as an off-roader, but for our tastes it was not entirely suitable for every day tarmac use. And that’s the perplexing part given the background it’s come from and the partnership formed to build it. It leaves the N-Trek Warrior in a peculiar place, and that’s where expectations weren’t met yet should have been.
Info on the 2020 Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior can be found here.
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