2022 Nissan Navara SL Warrior let loose

The 2022 Nissan Navara SL Warrior has appeared on the dual-cab 4x4 ute battlefield, offering off-roaders all of the go-anywhere hardware of the plusher homegrown Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior at a much more affordable price point.

Starting from $58,000 plus on-road costs in manual guise and $60,500 with an automatic transmission, the Navara SL Warrior has been given the same comprehensive Premcar workover as the Raptor-baiting Pro-4X Warrior and should help alleviate some of the flagship’s tough-truck’s intense demand.

Just because it’s more than $10,000 cheaper doesn’t mean the SL Warrior is any less capable, however; the bulk of the price reduction comes down to the difference in trim level as opposed to any missing off-road gear.

This means the SL comes with the same 260mm of ground clearance, bespoke suspension components and tuning, 275/70 R17 Cooper Discoverer AT3 all-terrain tyres, 100kg GWM upgrade, fender flares, tub liner, underbody protection and easy-clean all-weather floor mats as its pricier stablemate.

A towbar is also fitted as standard.

The extra ride height combined with the new winch-compatible hooped bullbar (with integrated LED lightbar) results in a drastically improved approach angle of 36 degrees compared to the standard SL’s 32, however, the departure angle is reduced from 19.8 degrees to 19.

Like the flagship Warrior, however, the extra clearance hasn’t improved the Navara’s now segment-lagging 600mm wading depth.

In addition to offering more composure and suspension reach over rough terrain, Nissan and Premcar say the new suspension set-up – including bespoke springs, dampers and bump stops – has improved the Navara’s unladen ride quality, on-road dynamics and NVH levels.

Power and torque from the twin-turbo 2.3-litre four-cylinder diesel engine are still rated at 140kW/450Nm, while standard equipment highlights include an 8.0-inch infotainment system featuring with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 7.0-inch TFT display, six-speaker stereo, cloth upholstery and manually adjustable seats.

Headline safety gear meanwhile comprise seven airbags, reversing camera, intelligent forward collision warning, intelligent emergency braking (AEB) and intelligent driver alert.

Nissan Australia managing director Adam Paterson said extra SL supply had been secured to cater for the expanded Warrior program ahead of what’s expected to be a solid uptick in sales.

“We’re thrilled with the response to the Premcar Warrior program to date, and we want as many people to experience these made-for-Australia products as possible,” he said.

“With the new Navara SL Warrior by Premcar, a new and more accessible entry point to the Warrior family has been developed, but one that’s no less comfortable on the road, and no less capable off it.”

Thanks to its lower kerb weight, the SL Warrior outmatches the Pro-4X version with a 1035kg payload (manual) – the same as a standard Navara SL dual-cab 4x4 – and marginally lower combined fuel consumption of 7.3-7.9L/100km

Braked towing capacity meanwhile is an unchanged 3500kg.

How much does the 2023 Nissan Navara Warrior cost?
SL – $58,000
SL (a) – $60,500
Pro-4X – $68,090
Pro-4X (a) – $70,590
* Prices exclude on-road costs

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