Nissan's awesome diesel Top Guns

The Pathfinder: At home in the city - or here.

And the result is quite spectacular because this super-smooth, high tech combination pumps out all of 550Nm, of which 500Nm is on tap from as low down as 1500rpm.

But not only has this hot new double-banked turbocharged engine got enormous muscle, it delivers it so smoothly and so quietly that it is difficult to believe that it is actually a diesel double-cab bakkie, not a slick saloon.

What's more, this gentle giant sips fuel at a mere 9,1-litres/100km and is clean enough to produce respectably low foul emissions.

Moreover, if this is not already impressive enough, this new Navara is also armed with the first integrated satellite navigation in 1-ton LCV segment, as well as a really snazzy infotainment centre.

Set to rattle the cage

No wonder then that Nissan's fancy-pants Pathfinder SUV has also been fitted out with the same upmarket package - and the formidable Navara and Pathfinder twosome is going to rattle every cage in their respective marketing segments.

To quote Johan Kleynhans, director of sales, marketing and aftersales at Nissan SA: " The new Navara V6 dCi is the most modern 1-ton LCV on the market today, while remaining a Navara at heart.

The Pathfinder's fold-flat rear seats enhance the load-carrying capacity.

"This flagship Navara is the ideal platform to showcase the benefits of the latest innovations represented by our all-new V9X engine. Combining prodigious power with the great efficiency and the most refined delivery, it's the smoothest, most polished 1-ton LCV in the world today."

And after spending three days in the company of the Navara and Pathfinder on motorways, tough farm tracks, mountain paths and over a four-stage, tricky obstacle course, I cannot help but agree that this all new package has lifted the bar in both the LCV and SUV categories by several notches.

Even more Brownie points in the living quarters

Not being a fan of the clatter-banging of agricultural diesel off-roaders with thumping rides, intrusive engine noise, uncomfortable interiors and harsh transmissions, I could happily commute in the new Navara.

It is ruggedly good-looking, thanks to a number of cosmetic improvements and the brag value of a V6 emblem on the front doors to emphasize its flagship status.

The living quarters enjoy the new Nissan Premium Connect infotainment system and a range of improvements – including very comfortable seats to avoid that ‘numb-bum’ feeling.

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However, the living quarters score even more Brownie points, especially with its new Nissan Premium Connect infotainment system.

This is really a bit of fancy, new-age kit with platinum Bose sound, plug-ins and connections for iPods and other USB-connected devices, satellite navigation and the screen showing colour information from the rear-facing parking cameras.

Generally the cabin has been upgraded with smarter materials, revised dials and door trims, more upmarket switchgear and a nice scattering of chrome and lighting features.

I also liked the seats which are now really comfortable, whether travelling long distances on the motorway or pussy-footing along bush tracks.

No, you're not lost in France, so don't worry. Maps are available for wherever you'd like to go.

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However, the final evaluation of a thoroughbred off-roader is what lies under the bonnet, what options the drive-train offer and what goodies transmit power to the wheels.

At the heart of the new Navara is Nissan's keenly awaited and instantly-likeable V6 dCi engine which, with a whopping 170kW and 550Nm, out-guns just about everything else the opposition camps can throw at it.

With this sort of power on tap the new Navara sprints the 0-100km/h dash in a sprightly 9.3 seconds while producing only about 250g/km of CO2 and glugging a mere 9.5 litres of expensive juice on a combined-cycle trip.

It's easy to change

The full benefit of the new diesel powerhouse is delivered to all four wheels via a creamy seven-speed auto box, with the driver having the easy choice of changing the set up with the simple switching of a dial on the central console - and he can do it while trotting at up to 100km/h!

(For full technical details of the engine and transmission set up read Nissan's powerful, smooth new V6 diesel engine).

The Navara takes the steep - down or up.

Although not strikingly different to rest of the Navara clan, the new V6 has a redesigned hood, bumper, and front grille treatment and the addition of new bits of chrome make-up.

This, plus the revamped interior, the exciting new V6 diesel performance and its all-new, super smooth automatic transmission elevates this flagship Navara double-cab right top the top of its class.

What? Didn't you believe us?

However, like all desirable things in life, this does come at a price, with the base model Navara 3.0 V6 dCi wearing a price tag of a rather steep R508 400 and the fancier model with Nissan Premium Connect available at an even more eye-watering R533 400.

As is often the case, the Pathfinder is very much a Navara with the fancy cabin of an SUV, but in Nissan's case there is a huge difference between this SUV and many others on the market, because the Pathfinder is as rugged, as tough and as capable off-road as the double-cab model.

More city than bush

Of course it is plusher inside, the ride feels a little smoother, it looks more city than bush and its city slicker looks will appeal to the Daddy Commuters and the Mummy School Taxi Drivers of the leafy suburbs.

The Pathfinder has the same muscular engine and seven-speed automatic transmission as the more workman-like Navara, but the cabin is obviously much classier.

It's rather blunt, square shape has also been under the scalpel to make it look a little less like a shoe box. Nissan has also added a few more colour options to its paint choices.

The standard halogen headlamps now fit in well with the Pathfinder's new hood, bumper, and front grille to give it a friendlier, more sophisticated face.

Sporty 17" alloys and chunky wheel arches add a nice touch without looking too dainty for off-road excursions.

The new Navara sprints the 0-100km/h dash in a sprightly 9.3 seconds while producing only about 250g/km of CO2.

But in the final result, the Pathfinder's main appeal (like the Navara) comes down to its power delivery which places it in the top ranks of the highly competitive premium SUV segment - and even several steps up from its own family of V6 petrol drinkers.

The Pathfinder has the same tough agility as the Navara. That means you can happily take the family on the annual breakaway to Botswana, Namibia and even further afield with complete confidence for the Pathfinder is much more likely to help someone stuck in the sand or mud than being the vehicle which rather embarrassingly has to be towed out of tough situations.

Keeping it simple, efficient

Like the Navara, the Pathfinder's grunt also kicks in at low revs with the result that it goes to the top of its class when it comes to NVH results (noise, vibration and harshness).

Moreover, you don't have to be a two-tone khaki shirt-wearing off-road expert to cope with less than extraordinary conditions in the bush simply because the Pathfinder is so capable and so easy to manage that even Yummy Mummies or first-time off-roaders won't have to battle too much in the bush.

Much of the Pathfinder's easy-driving is thanks to its simple but highly efficient all mode 4x4 system which, just like on the Navara, adapts itself to the requirements of the surface on which the vehicle is travelling.

In addition, the driver can also select a drive mode by choosing from a fully-automatic setup to 2WD mode or the full 4WD HI or LO Modes at the simple click of a dial.

The Navara is also armed with the first integrated satellite navigation in 1-ton LCV segment - and you can be entertained as you drive.

However, even being the toughie it is the Pathfinder has a full range of active and passive safety features. They include airbags for both front passengers, curtain airbags, drive control systems such as Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), anti-slip electronics as well as an Active Brake Limited Slip (ABSL) setup which, in short, delivers power to the wheels where the grip is best.

The interior is as smart as many snooty saloons, complete with elegant leather upholstery, plus very comfortable, redesigned seats, a new centre console which houses the Nissan Premium Connect infotainment system (high-resolution touch screen, 40GB built-in hard drive for storing music digitally, a user-friendly control interface for accessing the available functions and the excellent quality of a Bose sound system.

Fold-flat seats enhance the load area

The rear view parking camera also feeds its footage back to the touch screen in the centre console, and Nissan has added cruise control with a built-in speed limiter and satellite controls on the multifunction steering wheel for more comfortable long-distance travelling.

The cabin space is not all that generous, particularly if the occupants are of the long-legged variety, but a nice extra touch is the flat-folding rear seats which dramatically improves the load area.

The new Pathfinder is a high-quality SUV, classy and comfortable enough for the whole family and equipped with a wall-to-wall arsenal of high-tech and intelligent safety systems, a truly outstanding engine and transmission set-up, plus the bragging rights of probably being the most capable all-round SUV money can buy.

As Terry Mashoko, the Pathfinder product manager, says: "The Pathfinder is now a hardcore off-roader clad in a velvet suit, the ideal mix of comfort and strength, and we believe it will make a significant impact on the premium SUV market."

I found both the Navara and Pathfinder highly impressive, but clearly they are geared for the smart and wealthy with the two Pathfinders even steeper than the Navara, kicking in at R619 900 for the standard model and R644 900 for the model which has the Nissan Premium Connect set-up.

However, both vehicles have solid feel-good environmental credentials, a history of quality craftsmanship, loads of new Top Gun performance and enough classy features to lessen the price pain to some extent.

Technical specifications of the Pathfinder:

Engine name: 3.0 V6 dCi (V9X)
Layout: V6 / 65°
Number of cylinders/valves: 6/24
Air intake system: Turbo Intercooler
Injection type: Diesel direct injection, 1800 bar double common rail, 7-hole Piezo injectors
Balancer shaft : Not necessary
Crankcase/cylinder head material: Cast Iron/Aluminium
Cylinder block material: Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI)
Displacement: 2991cm3
Bore X stroke: 84mm X 90mm
Compression ratio: 16:1
Camshaft Drive: Single stage chain
Emission control system: Catalytic converter with EGR
Maximum power: 170kw/3750rpm
Maximum torque: 550nm/1750rpm

Performance

0-100km/h: 9.30s
Top speed: 195km/h

Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions
Urban cycle: 12.7 litres/100km
Extra urban cycle: 7.6 litres/100km
Combined cycle: 9.5 litres/100km
CO2 emissions: 250 g/km

Full Pathfinder V9X specifications

Full Navara specifications

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