An SUV based on pick-up underpinnings is quite familiar ground – Mitsubishi has its Pajero Sport, Ford its Everest, and there’s the Toyota Fortuner as well as the likes of the Chevrolet Trailblazer up and about. Nissan had it too, in the form of the previous-gen Pathfinder.
Now that the current fourth-generation R52 Pathfinder has moved away from a truck-based, body-on-frame layout for a unibody one, there’s an obvious gap in the automaker’s portfolio, and an offering based on the new NP300 Navara would provide the necessary solution.
Two months ago, during the NP300 launch in Thailand, Nissan chief planning officer Andy Palmer did hint of the possibility of such a spin-off being developed, but there was no official indication that plans were in place for this.
Now, it has been reported that the automaker has said it has begun development on an SUV based on the NP300. No details have emerged, but powertrain choices shouldn’t differ from that offered on the truck, these being the new YS23 2.3 litre and updated YS25 2.5 litre, with a seven-speed auto being the primary transmission pick.
In case you missed it earlier, rendering wiz Theophilus Chin’s depiction of what a Navara-based SUV could shape up like shows a rather buff vehicle, with plenty of bulges fore and aft. Will the real deal be more muscular than this?
We’ve of course driven the Nissan NP300 Navara – read our Thai test drive report of the truck.
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Good .. !!
Santa Fe & Sorento can tapao already…muahahaha
Theophilus’ rendition looks very nice. Hope it does turn out looking like that.
Pesaing terhampir Toyota Fortuner…huhu
HP & torque produced by 2.5 liter diesel engine might be sufficient for a pick-up truck, but heavier pick-up based SUV maybe be required a 3.0 liter diesel engine to climb Kimanis to Keningau steep slope road.
yup..agree
gonna be very intersted with this
will it be a large sized SU? bigger than Fortuner & Pajero Sport since the Navara is wider than both Hilux & Triton
will choose either the new x-trail or this NP300 based suv to replace the ageing, but spacious X-Trail T30
Hilux vs Navara vs Triton (Malaysia)
Length 5,260 mm 5,230 mm 5,295 mm
Width 1,835 mm 1,850 mm 1,800 mm
Height 1,850 mm 1,780 mm 1,780 mm
Wheelbase 3,085 mm 3,200 mm 3,000 mm
source:http://www.carbase.my/car-comparison?id=2qK48PJmmf,5TSasyRY7i,4HQsjSenOI,
Navara is merely 15mm or say 1.5cm wider than Hilux.
Make it 1950mm width will be ideal.
do you have the cabin inside measurements?
for example, the x-trail t30 is smaller than the pajero sport, but the cabin is more spacious (?)
Different vehicle segment lah.
The Pejero sport is a ladder frame truck, the X Trail is a car based, unibody design.
Of course the Xtrail has better interior packaging. The floor is much lower as it does not need to sit on top of a frame.
About time, Nissan!
makes economic sence ,and the chassis will be fully utilized , but if its gonna be sold worldwide it needs a big petrol engine for the middle east…navara there very popular bt it comes with a 2.5cc petrol…
For Urban and big family usage its a good catch..Turbodiesel perform well in city driving..but problem is how much is the road tax?
Kia are not Junk the only thing this cars was not handle by right management. when you buy everything can claim because of 5 years warranty. When you face the problem the management give you F reason that this is due to worn and tear .. How can a car seat damage ( Koyak) ? if they use a good material from Korean this will not happen they not admit their material from local assembly have problem.
So the problem with KIA give wrong company to HANDLE the good car.
So as long KIA still under this company PLEASE don’t buy. You owner will regret.
Awesome! Will get it if really look this way.