2022 Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior off-road review

Ford set the standard for factory-fettled 4x4 utes set-up to take on rough roads, and few companies have been able to produce a worthy rival to it. Nissan did it best with its Navara N-Trek Warrior and we’re thankful the brand has continued the trend with its latest iteration, the PRO-4X Warrior.

Like the N-Trek, the PRO-4X was handed over to Melbourne-based engineering firm Premcar for its chassis and suspension set-up, plus a styling package to make sure the Navara looks the performance part.

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We hit some dusty tracks to see if it lives up to the Warrior badge and brought a Raptor X along for giggles. The Navara PRO-4X Warrior starts at $67,490 with a manual gearbox, or $69,990 with the auto like this test car.

Powertrain & performance

As Ford did with its Ranger Raptor, Nissan has left the drivetrain of the Navara PRO-4X alone in the Warrior transformation. That means the standard 2.3-litre, bi-turbo, four-cylinder diesel engine still rumbles under the bonnet where it makes a healthy but modest 140kW and 450Nm.

While these power and torque figures can’t match the best four-cylinder engines in the class such as the 500Nm engine in the Ranger Raptor, the Navara does benefit from being lighter than the bigger Ford. In fact, the Raptor is considerably heavier than a regular Ranger, while the Warrior remains closer to the Navara ST-X in mass and is around 180kg lighter than the Raptor.

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This lighter weight transfers to improved performance both when you put your foot down and at the diesel pump. The Warrior is still no rocket ship but it gets along reasonably well for a one-tonne ute and doesn’t disappoint.

The engine is well-matched to the seven-speed automatic transmission, and the Warrior is also offered with a manual gearbox for those that prefer to row their own ratios; something you can’t get in a Raptor.

On-road ride & handling

Like the Raptor, the performance boost for the Warrior comes in its chassis modifications, namely the suspension, wheels and tyres.

The Navara PRO-4X already has a coil-sprung multi-link rear suspension, so, unlike the Raptor, it doesn’t need a bespoke rear-end design to make the most of coils.

Premcar’s engineers equipped the Warrior with progressive rear coil springs which are six per cent softer in the initial stage of compression but 16 per cent stiffer in the second stage, such as when heavily laden or being subject to big bumps.

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This goes against what many aftermarket companies do when modifying suspensions as they tend to stiffen the springs all ’round – but softening them allows the suspension to work better, like soaking up bumps and improving control and ride quality. The front coils are seven per cent softer and all corners are fitted with bigger shock absorbers with increased oil capacity, and rebound and compression dampening. Longer bump stops, or jounce bumpers, are fitted to better absorb the shock when maximum suspension compression is reached.

Larger wheels and tyres increase the wheel track by 30mm to improve stability, completing the package that benefits the Navara on- and off-road.

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While the all-terrain tyres do emit a bit of road noise on sealed roads, and the 40mm increase in ride height isn’t the best for on-road dynamics, the Warrior’s chassis package improves both the ride and handling by delivering a more supple yet better-controlled chassis that works well over any terrain.

A huge plus for the Warrior over the Raptor is that its uprated chassis is not detrimental to its carrying capacity, and the PRO-4X retains its 3500kg towing rating and has a 952kg payload with the automatic transmission. The Ford’s load and tow ratings are cut to 758kg and 2500kg respectively.

Off-road

The taller, more compliant and better-controlled suspension under the Warrior really comes into its own on high-speed rough roads. Think outback roads when you’re covering long distances between camps or towns – these places are where improved suspension shows the most benefits.

The added comfort and control allows you to safely maintain speeds to get you where you need to be in a timely, more relaxed and safer way. They make the trip easier on both the car and its passengers.

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The taller ride also gives added ground clearance for getting over off-road obstacles, and the winch-ready steel front bumper improves the approach angle. Metal underbody plates protect against bumps and scrapes when you run out of clearance.

The Warrior retains the PRO-4X’s dual-range transfer case and rear differential lock, and the electronic traction control with off-road mode in the drive-mode selector proves effective in most conditions.

Cabin & accommodation

As the halo model in the Navara range, the Warrior gets a well-equipped cabin. It carries over the PRO-4X’s features, with just the model-specific embroidery on the front-seat headrests signifying the difference.

The seats are leather, although not power adjustable, heated or cooled; something we find disappointing in a top-spec model. It does get all the upgrades that came in 2021 including a new eight-inch centre screen that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; the off-road monitor and surround-view camera; reversing parking sensors and camera; rear cross-traffic alert; lane-departure warning and intelligent lane intervention; blind-spot warning with intervention; forward collision warning with AEB; and a TPMS.

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The seating position takes a bit of getting used to when you first get into a Navara from any other car, but once you get used to it, it is comfortable and accommodating.

The Navara is a mid-size ute but is smaller than the likes of the Ranger and Amarok, so probably not ideal for a family of five but will carry four in comfort.

Practicalities

The inclusions that turn the PRO-4X into a Warrior do so without sacrificing any of the practicalities of it being a four-door 4x4 ute. In fact, they improve them.

The towing capacity isn’t changed, the payload only marginally – and that is more to do with the added weight of the steel bumper and heavier wheels and tyres. Premcar has given the Warrior a 100kg heavier GVM than the PRO-4X on which it's based.

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The cargo tub remains accommodating for big loads, although the sports bar does limit access to the front of it. There are adjustable tie-down points along the side of the tub and fixed ones down low in the corners, but there is no 12V power outlet in there.

The steel front bumper and underbody protection are great inclusions for protecting the car, while the LED light bar integrated into the bumper works well to supplement the standard LED headlamps with their striking design. It’s a bit disappointing that the front bumper doesn’t include rated recovery points.

Nissan offers a large range of useful accessories for the Navara range and the aftermarket suppliers also have plenty of kit for it.

Verdict

So, is the PRO-4X Warrior a worthy alternative to the Ranger Raptor? We say yes, but it’s not a clear winner. As good as it is, the Warrior’s chassis and suspension package is no match for the Ranger’s which uses many bespoke components and high-end products from the likes of Fox Racing and Ford Performance. This part explains why the Raptor costs more than $10,000 than the Warrior.

The Raptor is a more rewarding car to drive on rough roads and over long distances thanks to the sum of its parts, but to make it so it sacrifices its payload and towing capacities, which for many are important factors in a ute.

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The PRO-4X Warrior excels on- and off- road, even if it can’t match the Raptor, but it does it all without compromise, retaining its carrying capacities and doing all the things you expect of a quality ute. Plus, it gives drivers the option of a manual gearbox, and that's something many drivers don’t want to compromise on.

2022 Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior specs