Words by Fact Jeke
FACT like my name …..one in four pick-up trucks on the streets of Zimbabwe is a Nissan meaning the brand is enjoying a large slice of the pie. When it comes to the Nissan Navara, the last three generations have shown us how a model can evolve and takeover for generations. The Nissan Next journey has seen more advanced technology and impressive engineering which many would never dream of having in a pick-up truck.
A few weeks ago on September 18th I had the privilege to experience what the brand has to offer in the coming year which changes to the Navara. Mind you this is a pick up now built in South Africa for Africa with units rolling off daily at the Rosslyn Plant.
The event was held at the Rhino and Lion Park, and the announcement was done to the media of the upgrades whose aim is to properly align with their customer needs.
The new model will carry the Navara XE badge, and it will be available with the same engine as its counterparts but tuned to its mid-level performance.
My personal highlight was the offroad track were we got to test the handling ability durability, reliability, and adaptability in challenging off-road conditions of the rugged double cab. The functionality in the new changes left me in awe…. Imagine a pickup truck with excellent wade sensing, driving down a stream with ease not worried about water sipping in from underneath. Then the HD cameras giving you more eyes as you navigate the bundu. Imagine feeling like you are in an SUV with all the trimmings, hill descent control in place too… talk about self-drive … amazing, in a pickup truck.
With recent events like the Daring Africa which saw the Navara doing an adventure tour of 8 African countries. The drive endured difficult and some never travelled terrains, concurring routes failed by others and exploring the beauty of the African landscape. This undoubtedly contributed to more research and development in making a better product out of the Navara.
Speaking at the event, Nissan Africa president Jordi Vila explained that the Japan-headquartered group was currently in its “Arc” stage, which ran from this year to 2026, and entailed driving value through growth.
He pointed out that Nissan Africa’s growth was a key pillar of Arc, with the company looking to invest more in the continent, grow its reach here, expand its footprint in North Africa, pursue volume growth in major markets, introduce refreshed models and augment its exports across the region and potentially further abroad.
Vila highlighted that growing the volume of vehicles produced in South Africa was core to this growth strategy.
Nissan South Africa and Independent Markets Africa MD Maciej Klenkiewicz explained that the company’s Rosslyn production plant, which had been entrenched in the country for over six decades, was the production hub for the continent, and the home for the entire range of Navara, with models produced for South Africa as well as to export specifications.
He informed that the company would build on its previous investment of R3-billion into the plant in 2021, which was done to start production of the Navara range.
It would also be moving its Nissan head office from Rosslyn to Centurion in about a month’s time in preparation for future growth.
Klenkiewicz said Navara would remain a flagship product for Africa, with new deliverables and specifications.
As part of its Navara 2025 range expansion, it would be launching firstly, a new XE Grade double cab, specifically built for fleets, offering everything a fleet customer or businessperson required, and at a very good price point.
The new model will carry the Navara XE badge, and it will be available with the same engine as its counterparts but tuned to its mid-level performance. It will also be available with the choice of rear-wheel 4 x 2 or 4 x 4 drivetrains.
One change in the new model is the inclusion of leaf spring rear suspension, a departure from the coil spring set-up used in other Navara double cab models.
This will allow the XE models to better handle tough conditions and heavy loads, offering a load capacity of 1 148 kg on the 4 x 2 model (the highest in the double cab range) and 1 067 kg on the 4 x 4 model.
The company was currently completing the final production ramp-up for this model, and it was slated to be ready by October, and available from all dealers by November.
Secondly, it would be launching a new LE Grade double cab, which offers the correct specs and prices for the family market, an area in which the company had identified opportunities. It would be available to the market from late October or early November.
Meanwhile, upgrades are also being pursued in response to customer specifications and will be available from January 2025.
This includes new audio for the SE Grade single cab, and central locking for the XE Grade single cab. The SE & SE Plus double cab will have new audio, and the LE Plus double cab will have a roof rail.
The company would also be implementing a new Nissan badge across the Navara range. This entailed a modern version of the logo that featured the Nissan brand in the heart of the Rising Sun of Japan. Nissan will manufacture the new Navara range for over 45 markets in Africa, including left-hand-drive markets, at Rosslyn.
To test the Navara’s durability and reliability, Nissan undertook the “Daring Africa 2024” expedition, which entailed journeying over 8 000 km, across eight countries on the continent, in four Nissan Navara pick-ups and an X-Trail sports utility vehicle.
The expedition began in South Africa, with vehicles produced here, traversing through Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya and culminating with the finish in Egypt last week.
This synchronised with the launch of the Navara to the Egyptian market, with the company currently undertaking a significant expansion into North Africa to build on its strong sub-Saharan African presence expanding its footprint.
In Zimbabwe the authorised dealers for the Nissan brand are AMTEC Motors, AMC, Nissan Clover leaf Motors & Nissan Croco Motors should you wish to test drive and be part of the Nissan Next Journey.