Nissan Navara (NP300) review: the sensible double-cab, not the exciting one
3.4/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
The Navara is the double-cab to buy when the budget matters more than the badge. It will carry, tow modestly and cross sand as well as anything in its class, and Bahrain's dealer and independent-garage network already knows the petrol four inside out. What it will not do is match a Hilux at resale time, so buy it to use hard and keep, not to flip in three years.
Pros
- Petrol four keeps servicing simple and cheap in Bahrain
- Switchable four-wheel drive handles beach and desert tracks without fuss
- Double-cab bed easily swallows tools, generators, or a week's camping gear
- Wide dealer network for parts and warranty work
Cons
- Ride is noticeably firmer unladen than a Hilux or Ranger
- Cabin plastics feel a generation behind the segment leaders
- Resale lags Toyota and Ford in the same class
- No diesel option in GCC spec, so towing heavy trailers is a stretch
The NP300 Navara's petrol 2.5-litre four is not going to win any specific-output arguments, but in Bahrain that is close to beside the point: it starts every time in August heat, it does not need anyone to think about diesel quality at the pump, and every independent garage from Muharraq to Riffa already knows how to service it. That is what a working double-cab is actually for.
The seven-speed automatic shifts smoothly around town and the switchable four-wheel drive system is genuinely useful on the sand tracks off the Zallaq and Askar roads, with a low-range transfer case that most owners will use twice a year and be glad it is there. Where the Navara gives ground is refinement: road noise at highway speed is more noticeable than in a Hilux, and the unladen ride translates every expansion joint on the causeway more directly than most buyers expect from a family-duty pickup.
Cabin and daily use
Inside, the dashboard layout is straightforward and the touchscreen is responsive enough, but the plastics and switchgear feel a generation older than the segment's current best. Rear seat space in the double-cab is adequate for two adults on a school run, tight for three on a longer trip. The bed itself is a genuine asset — deep enough for a full set of scuba gear or a small generator without creative stacking.
On the used market, Navara pricing sits below Hilux for comparable age and mileage, which is the honest trade-off: buyers get a competent, well-supported truck for less money, provided they accept it will never command Toyota residuals. Buy a well-documented, dealer-serviced example over a private-import with an unclear history, and treat the mid-life facelift years as the sweet spot for parts availability and price.