Nissan wants to convince us that the new Navara is not just a Mitsubishi Triton with a different skin
Nissan has finally lifted the curtain on one of several new Navara pickup trucks it’s preparing for different markets around the world. Revealed in Australia, the latest generation adopts a tougher, more dynamic design while sharing much of its underlying engineering with the Mitsubishi Triton.
The company is banking on distinct styling cues and locally tuned suspension – with the help of Australian engineering firm Premcar – to give the Navara its own identity, setting it apart from its close relative while carving a stronger position in the fiercely contested midsize pickup market.
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The highlight of the exterior is the completely redesigned face. The boxy grille is flanked Patrol-style split LED headlights and a rugged bumper inspired by bull bars. The greenhouse and the sheet metal on the profile are largely carried over from the Mitsubishi Triton, but the taillights have gained Nissan-specific C-shaped LED graphics.
Nissan showed various trims of the new Navara, ranging from the base workhorse to the flagship Pro-4X. The latter has Lava Red accents, wide fender extensions, black six-spoke alloy wheels, and a sports bar. They also revealed a concept for the upcoming Navara Pro-4X Warrior by Premcar that will sit at the top of the range.
Collaborations between manufacturers are nothing new in this segment. Mechanical partnerships have turned the segment into a bit of a shared workshop, with the Ford Ranger and VW Amarok pairing up, and the Mazda BT-50 sharing its DNA with the Isuzu D-Max. Now, Nissan and Mitsubishi enter the mix, focusing on cutting development costs while broadening their global reach.
What is interesting is that the new pickup truck primarily bound for Australia and New Zealand is entirely distinct from the Navara sold in South America, the Frontier available in North America, and China’s Frontier Pro. Despite aiming for the same audience, each version has been developed independently, a reminder that regional needs still dictate how a pickup takes shape.
This is a developing story and will be updated…
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Thanos Pappas, a product design engineer by trade, has been wading through automotive journalism for… Read full bio

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