Nissan Navara ST-X 2026 Review

The 2026 Nissan Navara ST-X is, for now at least, the penultimate variant of a four-tier line-up comprising the SL, ST, ST-X and Pro-4X.

It’s priced from $63,177 plus on-road costs; some $5200 downstream of the flagship Pro-4X Nissan Australia expects to be the volume seller.

For reference, the base SL starts from $53,348 and the ST from $56,765.

While Nissan might tip the flagship to be the best-seller, it’s the ST-X that we’d recommend to most private buyers seeing as it blends most of the halo’s creature comforts with a more sophisticated look and a significantly lower asking price.

Headline equipment on our sweet spot includes leather upholstery, 18-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting, heated front seats with power adjustment for the driver, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a 9.0-inch infotainment system, sat-nav, DAB+ digital radio, a six-speaker sound system, wired Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, tailgate assist, wireless smartphone charging, side steps and a tub liner.

What extra does the Pro-4X offer? A tougher exterior treatment, orange accents, 17-inch alloys and chunkier all-terrain tyres, a tow bar, leather and suede upholstery and a black sports bar instead of the ST-X’s silver – that’s it.

Across the entire Navara range, occupants are kept safe by eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning with emergency lane assist, blind spot warning, an intelligent around view monitor and front and rear cross traffic alert.

Under the bonnet of every D27 is Mitsubishi’s twin-turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel engine outputting 150kW/470Nm, paired exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The range is then split in two: the SL and ST feature a traditional part-time 4x4 system (2H, 4H, 4L) while the ST-X and Pro-4X nab a ‘Super 4wd’ full-time system offering owners the option to run in all-wheel drive on sealed surfaces.

All variants come with a rear differential lock and low-range gearing.

While it’s abundantly clear the 2026 Nissan Navara is derived from the Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan’s designers should be commended for instilling the D27 with its own identity which to our eyes at least, is just as attractive as the Triton – in certain colours.

More importantly, whoever decided to enlist Premcar to rework the new Navara’s suspension should be given an immediate raise, because the locally tuned and produced dampers transform the way this platform drives.

Where the Triton is underdamped and arguably too soft, especially in the front end, the D27 Navara strikes a wonderful balance between ride comfort, agility and loadbearing.

The Triton is by no means a bad ute; the Navara is just head and shoulders above dynamically, which in turn showcases what this platform is actually capable of, and there’s still the respective Raider and Warrior models to come.

Premcar focused entirely on the dampers: it binned the Triton’s standard units in favour of locally produced shock absorbers – developed in tandem with Tenneco – that employ internal rebound springs in the front.

The result is one of the most sophisticated ride-handling balances of any dual-cab on the market, with far less bouncing, pitching and rolling than in the Triton, which in turn yields crisper steering and more front-end feel, especially when paired with the ST-X’s full-time 4x4 system.

Is it as good as a Ford Ranger? Let’s wait and see when we inevitably pitch them head-to-head, but in this author’s opinion, the new Navara is more than a dynamic match for the rest of the big-name utes.

The truly appealing thing however, is the fact we’re still left with all the other positive attributes of the latest Triton, meaning you get one of the bigger, more practical and comfier cabins of the segment, a torquey twin-turbo-diesel powertrain, plenty of tech, a competitive tray and of course the obligatory 3500kg braked towing and circa-1000kg payload capacities.

The respectable 228mm of ground clearance, 30.4-degree approach, 23.4-degree and 22.8-degree angles, low-range gearing, 800mm wading depth and rear differential lock mean the D27 is well-armed for handling rough terrain, especially the ST-X and Pro-4X with their various off-road drive modes.

We touched the belly and rear bumper every so often during the off-road element of our test drive but never felt the need to engage the rear locker over technical sections of track; a testament to the 4x4 and traction control systems.

The Navara’s standard inclusion of all-terrain tyres – of which the ST-X wears the mildest – deserves an extra nod of appreciation, and while the outright capability seems largely the same, the firmer dampers meant it doesn’t plop or dollop into holes like its Mitsubishi twin does.

One huge point of difference to the old D23 Navara is the D27’s adoption of leaf rear springs which not only prove just as comfortable as the previous model’s coils, but also make for a more stable towing base.

With a 2.6-tonne caravan attached, the base Navara SL – which admittedly sports a heavier duty suspension tune than the ST-X – sat level and towed with confidence, even at 100km/h in increasingly windy conditions.

The transmission wasn’t overly keen to hold top gear, but the obedient manual mode meant it complied if/when we asked it to, as well as allowing us to tap into the engine’s broad torque band when accelerating.

All Navara models are covered by Nissan’s service-activated 10-year/300,000km factory warranty and five years capped price servicing program, with intervals pegged at the industry-standard 15,000km/12 months.

As good as its unique suspension is, the 2026 Nissan Navara isn’t perfect and suffers from a couple of ailments inherited from its donor.

Firstly, we have a minor reservation over the vehicle’s build quality; our ST-X had a high-pitched whistle originating around the mirror cowling which we eventually traced to a plastic panel at the base of the mirror leg – Nissan claimed it’s a manufacturing tolerance issue not uncommon on the Triton and by default, the D27.

To clarify, this was the only vehicle on the launch fleet with the issue that we knew of, but it still drove us mad for hours on end, and we couldn’t unhear it after noticing.

Our other gripes are more universal: the 2.4-litre engine is thrashy and loud when worked, even by diesel standards, the six-speed transmission isn’t the most decisive or smoothest operator in the class, the infotainment interface looks too small and the driver monitoring can be a little abrasive – all common criticisms of the Triton.

Other than that, though, there’s really not too much to complain about in the context of a dual-cab ute.

Some might argue the lack of 4x2, cab-chassis and/or single-cab variants is a misstep on Nissan’s behalf, but the brand is adamant it’s not missing out on any significant sales volume with its compact, 4x4 dual-cab-only line-up.

Yes, the Navara is several thousand dollars more than the equivalent Triton, but the Premcar suspension, some clever equipment choices and extra 100,000km of warranty coverage more than justify the extra cash.

If you’re in the market for a showroom-fresh dual-cab, the 2026 Nissan Navara ST-X should absolutely be on your shortlist.

It’s not just an improvement on the Triton, it’s the vehicle the latest-generation Mitsubishi ute should’ve been from the outset – the bandwidth of its on-road talent is significantly broader, and it gives literally nothing away on the dirt.

Couple that with a decent cabin, segment-appropriate payload and towing capabilities, competitive pricing, a segment-leading aftersales program and what should be a five-star ANCAP safety rating (based on the Triton), and you’re presented with a very compelling package indeed.

While this quick spin has focused primarily on how the new Navara compares with its benefactor, let’s make one thing abundantly clear: the D27 is a categorically better vehicle than the D23 it replaces, in virtually every respect.

For most buyers, the ST-X offers all the equipment, comfort and capability you could reasonably want without the show pony orange visuals and trinketry of the significantly dearer Pro-4X.

2026 Nissan Navara ST-X at a glance:
Price: $63,177 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo-diesel
Output: 150kW/470Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.7/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 203g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested

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