Nissan SA will soon expand its locally built Navara double-cab bakkie range with new entry-level XE variants, which our info suggests will undercut the Hilux, Ranger and D-Max by some margin…
Nissan South Africa recently announced plans to expand its Rosslyn-built Navara double-cab bakkie portfolio to 14 variants. After some digging, we’ve managed to unearth pricing for the pair of new base XE derivatives, each of which will come standard with a 6-speed manual gearbox.
While official images of these new XE derivatives have yet to be released, our information suggests the Navara 2.5 DDTi XE DC 6MT 4×2 will be offered at R493 600, effectively dropping the Navara double-cab range’s starting price by R48 800. As a reminder, the Navara 2.5 DDTi SE DC 6MT 4×2 is the current entry point to the line-up, priced at R542 400.
For the record, the Toyota Hilux double-cab range currently starts at R528 800, while the most affordable dual-cab versions of the likewise locally built Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max cost R522 600 and R555 900 (or R538 100, if you count the Gen 6), respectively. In fact, the only double cabs priced below the soon-to-launch Navara 2.5 DDTi XE DC 6MT 4×2 are from Chinese brands (JAC, GWM, Foton and LDV) and Indian firm Mahindra.
The XE specification will also be offered in all-paw guise. It’s our understanding that the Navara 2.5 DDTi XE DC 6MT 4×4 will be priced from R567 000, which would make it a considerable R70 500 less expensive than the SE version (which is currently the most-affordable 4×4-endowed Navara double cab at R637 500).
The new XE-badged Navara double-cab derivatives will be powered by the Japanese firm’s familiar 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine, here offering 120 kW (at 3 600 rpm) and 403 Nm (from 2 000 rpm) rather than the full-fat 140 kW/450 Nm tune available in automatic-equipped variants.
Nissan SA has confirmed that the XE double cabs will feature leaf springs at the rear as opposed to the 5-link coil suspension set-up employed by other Navara variants. This will, according to the Japanese brand, result in an increased payload capacity of 1 148 kg (the loftiest in the Navara dual-cab range) for the 4×2 derivative and 1 067 kg for the 4×4 variant.
Incidentally, the XE trim level is already familiar from the Navara single-cab range, though it’s not yet clear whether the new double-cab version will feature the same black plastic front bumper. It will, however, surely ride on steel wheels.
According to Nissan, standard features for the XE grade will include central locking (with speed-sensing auto-locking), air conditioning, electric windows, electrically adjustable side mirrors, a sliding rear window (for access to the load bin), a Bluetooth-enabled audio system, steering wheel-mounted controls, dual front airbags, vehicle dynamic control, ABS with EBD, ISOfix child-seat anchors (rear outboard) and trailer-sway control.
Nissan South Africa is also set to launch fresh LE versions of the Navara double cab (and rename the current LE variants as “LE Plus”, from what we understand). On that note, we believe the Navara 2.5 DDTi LE DC 7AT 4×2 will be priced at R660 200, while the Navara 2.5 DDTi LE DC 7AT 4×4 should kick off at R744 200. All Navara derivatives will furthermore switch to the latest “Nissan” badge, pictured above.
The next-generation Navara – which is expected to share much with the new Mitsubishi Triton under the global Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance – seems likely to be revealed at some point in 2025. However, it’s not yet known if Nissan SA has secured the required investment to build this new bakkie at its Rosslyn facility, which incidentally ended production of the NP200 earlier this year.
How much will the Navara XE and LE double cabs cost?
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi XE DC 6MT 4×2 – R493 600
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi SE DC 6MT 4×2– R542 400
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi SE DC 7AT 4×2– R576 800
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi XE DC 6MT 4×4 – R567 000
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi SE Plus DC 6MT 4×2 – R591 000
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi SE Plus DC 7AT 4×2 – R614 200
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi SE DC 6MT 4×4 – R637 500
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi LE DC 7AT 4×2 – R660 200
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi SE Plus DC 6MT 4×4 – R674 000
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi LE Plus DC 7AT 4×2 – R703 800
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi LE DC 7AT 4×4 – R744 200
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi Pro-2X DC 7AT 4×2 – R782 200
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi LE Plus DC 7AT 4×4 – R785 700
Nissan Navara 2.5 DDTi Pro-4X DC 7AT 4×4 – R844 000
The prices above likely include Nissan’s 6-year/150 000 km warranty and a 6-year/90 000 km service plan.
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