The name might change to Frontier and Navara, according to the country, but all of them will converge into what these pictures show: “a vehicle that is reliable, but also modern and stylish”, to quote Nissan’s Executive Design Director Mamoru Aoki. The company had to make some big strategy changes during the last decade, because the global tendency was to drop the rugged, pragmatic style offered until then in favor of following the entirely new cues debuted by Toyota Hilux. But since it also did not want to abandon what had built its reputation in the pick-up truck world, in the first place, the result was that the Japanese came up with an intermediate solution that has managed to work very well ever since.
Any purist enthusiasts will not have trouble labeling NP300 as soft, specially compared to its own predecessors until 1997 – they survived all those years with the creative name of “Pickup”. But to tell the truth, if you look the competitors under that light, you can really do worse. Nissan’s efforts were directed towards creating a modern version of that concept, rather than investing on complete changes. This is why the new vehicle manages to look modern and attractive without recurring to “glamorous” visual elements, such as aggressive creases, attempts of looking sporty or shapes trying to look as if the car is moving. Even the frontal V-motif was toned a little down, actually. The overall result manages to look solid and imponent based on nothing but simplicity.
Going into the cabin reveals that those concepts appear there too, and once again with great results. The overall intention was to make travelling with NP300 more pleasant. There are three-dimensional elements dedicated to increase the feeling of spaciousness, once again taking design inspiration from Sentra’s dashboard, while high-quality materials and the use of “aluminum-like” inserts and stitches in contrasting color helps the customer to feel this is a better car, too. The standard equipment list will be very different between each trim level because the initial ones are mostly focused on the commercial use, while the more expensive ones are dedicated to those who buy a pick-up almost as a luxury vehicle.
Another priority was the ergonomics, which is shown at well-positioned controls and “multiple easy-to-read dials”. Besides, the infotainment central concentrates the functions of audio system, fuel economy indicators, maintenance reminders, steering wheel settings and turn-by-turn navigation. All of them are controlled by a large TFT touchscreen, as usual, but some functions are still operated by physical buttons, which many people claim to be better for everyday use while driving. When it comes to work use, Nissan claims NP300’s new construction is capable of handling most tasks in easy and safe ways. The chassis takes benefit from the use of high-strength steel, while the cargo capacity varies with the options of single, extended and crew cab.
Speaking of options, there is a new shift-on-the-fly AWD system, which can be activated with the automobile in motion. This system works together with electronic safety controls, like Active Brake Limited Slip (ABLS), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Hill Descent Control (HDC) and Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), in order to improve the overall driving performance. The transmissions, in turn, can be a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic. While both received improvements dedicated to fuel efficiency, the first one was also tweaked in favor of “quick and effortless gear changes”, whereas the latter had its gear ratios expanded and, therefore, is claimed to offer both “smooth acceleration and shifting”.
According to the country on which it is sold, the new NP300 can offer two engines: both are four-cylinder 2.5L units, one using diesel and the other gasoline. The first one is turbocharged and can reach 165 or 190 cv, with most of it available at low revolution ranges, while the other one’s output was not revealed yet. Nissan states that both engines will have best-in-class fuel consumption and emissions ratings, with the first one improved by up to 11% compared to the previous model. The new pick-up’s first appearance will be made in Thailand, which has became a very important market for medium-sized trucks. After that, it will be taken to several markets America and Europe, competing with equally new models such as Chevrolet S10 and Ford Ranger.