Nissan confirms launch of radically redesigned Navara
South African bakkie enthusiasts get a glimpse of the updated D23 Navara and revised cabin ahead of its official local premiere.
Nissan South Africa has confirmed a launch date for the facelift D23 Navara after previewing its revised interior last month, reports the Citizen.
Line-up
Confirmed to be imported from the Samut Prakan facility in Thailand, the so-called “evolved” D23 will retain the 140kW/450Nm 2.5-litre YD25DDTI turbodiesel engine, but in a streamlined line-up of three variants.
Announced on the sidelines of the Tekton launch in September, buyers will have a choice of three trim levels, SE Plus, LE Plus and Pro-4X, with the XE, SE, limited run Stealth, Pro-2X and Pro-4X Warrior all falling away.
So far, Nissan has only approved the seven-speed automatic gearbox and a double cab bodystyle, suggesting the six-speed manual and single cab have both been dropped.
This it?
Set to be offered in both Latin America as the Frontier – unrelated from the North American model – and as the preferred Navara over the Mitsubishi Triton-based D27 sold in Australasia in most Asian markets, the latest finding involves a spy image allegedly showing the D23’s exterior.
Uncovered by Autocar Philippines, the supposed image shows the D23 with a radically redesigned front-end comparable to both the Frontier and the D27, as well as the Chinese-made Navara/Frontier Pro.
Conforming to the single teaser image released in March last year, the D23 is shown as receiving a new grille with three slotted vents on top, a new bumper and lower air intake, restyled bonnet, more flared wheel arches and what appears to be a new loadbox.
The biggest giveaway from the spy image to the official teaser are the light clusters, which feature segmented graphics in an E-shape. No rear-end pictures were published.
As such, this negates the believe that the exterior was to remain unchanged as hinted at by the pictures shown at the Tekton launch.
It, therefore, stands to reason that while the refreshed interior was shown, the images of a completely untouched exterior could have been for “illustrative purposes only”.
New interior
Announced at the time of the teaser image’s release that the D23 will bring “an evolved design, enhanced infotainment and impressive suite of advanced driver assist technologies”, the interior’s refresh will comprise a new infotainment display, climate control panel, centre console and gear lever.
For South Africa, though, only the LE Plus and Pro-4X will receive the upgraded cab, leaving the SE Plus to make do with the existing layout.
“There will be some change to adapt it for our market, but we will still have in this final year,” Nissan South African Managing Director, Juan Wheeler, told The Citizen at the launch of the facelift X-Trail in July.
Almost here
No longer manufactured locally following Chery’s acquisition of its Rosslyn plant outside Pretoria earlier this year, the D23 Navara will make its South African premiere on 20 November, at which point price and specification details will be announced.
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