Nissan has officially revealed its latest Australian-developed hero.
When the Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior will be with dealers isn’t locked in, but Nissan Australia boss Stephen Lester has previously told CarExpert it should be in showrooms before the end of 2021.
CarExpert understands the first cars could start arriving as early as September 2021.
When the Patrol Warrior that’s set to follow the Navara will be revealed isn’t yet clear.
Like the first Warrior, the 2021 model has been developed for the Australian market by Premcar in Epping, Victoria, with a tougher look and more off-road ability than the factory-developed flagship.
Up front, the Warrior wears a new hoop-less bull bar and bespoke bash plate, and the bigger wheels sit beneath new fender flares.
As before, there are unique graphics along the side of the car, a sports bar in the tray, and side steps to help kids clamber into the taller cabin of the Warrior.
Nissan hasn’t revealed what’s going on under the skin, but the previous Navara Warrior was far more than a tarted-up accessories special.
The first Warrior featured new two-stage springs that were softer in their initial travel than stock, but had a stiffer secondary spring rate in an attempt to balance ride quality on the road and capability off it.
Ride height was up 40mm on stock, while the wheels helped shave weight and created a wider footprint on the road.
Nissan hasn’t confirmed if the new Warrior will follow the same path, but it’s unlikely it will take a step backwards.
Power in the last Warrior came from an unchanged version of the 2.3-litre twin-turbo-diesel engine used in the range-topping Navara.
Although Nissan would no doubt like more power, it’s likely the 2021 model will walk the same path and pack 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque.
Nissan has confirmed the standard equipment list will mimic that of the PRO-4X, which means the following will be standard:
- 7.0-inch trip computer display
- 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
- Satellite navigation
- DAB+ digital radio
- Leather seat trim
- Autonomous emergency braking
- LED headlights, daytime running lights, fog lights, turn signals, and tail lights
- Power-sliding rear window
- Auto-dimming internal rear-view mirror
- Auto power-folding, heated door mirrors
- Rain-sensing wipers
“We’ve taken everything we learned on the first Warrior, and the feedback we’ve received from customers and the media, to create a tough, capable, and refined vehicle that we think will be unrivalled in the dual-cab ute market in this country,” said Bernie Quinn, Premcar engineering director.
