It’s a bit odd driving a diesel pickup in 2024, given everything else that’s new sports either a hybrid electric or a full battery electric set-up. But the Philippines is a Jurassic market. We worry, on a daily basis, about man-sized potholes, flash floods, and random Tyrannosaurus rex attacks. The rough and rugged diesel pickup truck is still the weapon of choice for many buyers.
As such, the Navara soldiers on, little changed from the last time I reviewed it. But can this Pro-4X model balance apocalypse-level survivability and Manila-level comfort well enough to entice the 21st Century buyer? Let’s find out.
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Styling
There’s not much to say about the styling that hasn’t been said before, as there’s very little different. It’s still a very attractive pickup, with big square shoulders and quad LED headlights. The Pro-4X package ramps things up with blacked out badges and trim, including roof rails, side mirrors and fender liners, which come with reflective markers. Though they really aren’t reflective—just decorative.
The Utili-track cargo rails and bed liner are more practical bits of dress-up. The biggest buff-ups here, though, are the giant 255/65 R17 Yokohama Geolander AT tires wrapped around blacked-out alloy wheels. It’s an attractive trim package and holds up well to more serious hardware like the Ranger Raptor and Hilux GR-Sport, even if it may lack the trick suspensions and equipment of its rivals.
Interior
While the exterior remains unchanged, the interior has undergone a minor overhaul that gives it a more modern look. Somewhat belatedly, Nissan has finally dumped the carried-over interior the 2022 model was saddled with and replaced it with the interior from the Terra.
This means a more modern, more modular interior design, with nicer interior materials, including contrast-stitched leatherette on the dashboard and doors—which finally match the contrast-stitched leatherette seat covers. The redesigned center console features a wider, more useful gadget shelf and a cleaner design, integrating rear AC vents and USB A/C ports . The rest remains largely unchanged. The generous though not exceptional interior space, the underseat bins for your tools—still without plastic liners or organizers. About the only minus here is the fact that that redesigned dashboard no longer has A/C vent cupholders. An egregious oversight on a work truck.
Engine performance
Thankfully, nothing has changed under the hood for the Navara. It still uses the same YD25DDTi engine with the same 187hp output and the same 10.9sec 0-100kph time, as tested on the last Pro-4X. The engine’s old-school character remains intact, as well. There’s a lot of slurring before the torque converter locks up, and shifts from the seven-speed automatic aren’t as crisp as in more modern competitors. The gears are tightly stacked for highway performance, though you won’t see seventh gear until you’re past 100kph.
Performance would likely be better with the more road-biased tires on the non-Pro-4X variant, but I wager owners will care more about off-roadability than outright performance. Those tires also hurt fuel economy a bit, we never got better than 16km/L on the highway, and fuel economy in traffic was middling. 6-7km/L. A little worse than last time, but then, traffic is a lot worse than it used to be. Still, if you’re looking for an economical truck, the 4x2 would be a better bet.
Ride and handling
But if you want something to actually drive, the Pro-4X is pretty sweet. The light steering makes it easy to drive and the ride is relatively refined for an off-road biased truck, thanks to the Navara’s rear coil springs. The giant Geolander AT tires do cause some hobbling over rough roads, but you can’t expect the same ride as the regular Navara VL with this off-road package.
As an off-road package, it’s not quite as impressive as the Ranger Raptor or the Hilux GR-Sport. You’ve still got street biased suspension damping, standard track width and the same 220mm ground clearance of the non-Pro Navara. Which isn’t bad, but is no patch on the near 280mm clearance of its kitted-out rivals. That said, there’s nothing really wrong with the Navara’s off-road abilities. You get an electronically controlled 4-Hi / Lo selector and a locking center differential, which makes it great for driving on hard-packed dirt, but don’t expect it to go dune jumping with the big boys.
On-road, the Navara boasts good insulation and refined manners. In the city, the squared-off hood and high window line make parking maneuvers a bit tricky, but there’s a button that allows you to activate the 360-degree cameras while on the move, making those tight turns and alleyways a little more bearable.
Extra features
Aside from the cameras, you also get lane-departure warning and automatic emergency braking—though no adaptive cruise, just regular speed select cruise control. There are more USB ports than before, and the infotainment screen has gained an inch—now a full nine—plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Sound is nice and powerful, if not the clearest around, and even without plugging into AA, you do get a lot of interactivity from simple Bluetooth tethering, from audio playlist control to a built-in message reader that isn’t too shabby at reading out Filipino words.
Verdict
So, it’s well loaded, but that’s a given in this price range. But is the Pro-4X a compelling package? While we'd still suggest looking at the cheaper VL for better bang for your buck—as well as a more congenial ride with those less hardcore tires—the Pro-4X’s 1.85 million price tag is a fair bit cheaper than other 4x4 specials like the Raptor or GR-Sport, It is also around P100k cheaper than less-focused 4x4s like the Strada Athlete, the Wildtrak, and the top dog D-Max.
Only Mazda undercuts them in this space, but the 4x4 BT-50 isn’t quite as fully dressed. This is one of those cases wherein the full-fat version is still good value for money. Sure, the Navara isn’t the most high-tech package out there, but it’s great value in a crowded pickup market, and well worth a look.
SPECS: Nissan Navara 2.5 Pro-4X 4x4 A/T
Price: P1,850,000
Engine: 2.5-liter turbodiesel I4
Power: 187hp @ 3,600rpm
Torque: 450Nm @ 2,000rpm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic
Drive layout: 4WD
Seating: 5
Score: 7.5/10
More photos of the Nissan Navara 2025 Pro-4X 4x4 AT:
