Nissan Navara Stealth's bold return to South Africa: a new contender against Toyota, Ford and Isuzu
Image: Supplied
After a nearly six-year hiatus, Nissan has reintroduced the Navara Stealth double cab bakkie to the South African market.
Built at their Nissan plant in Rosslyn, Pretoria, the Stealth uses the LE grade Navara as the foundation and fits in below the premium Warrior and Pro range.
And what's not to like when manufacturers add a couple of nice-to-haves to make it stand out from the rest?
Black is back
Black is, of course, the favourite colour to replace the silver and chrome bits, so the roof rails, grille, mirror caps, door handles, and side steps get the deep black finish treatment in addition to the Stealth signature on the doors and tailgate.
It also receives a black nudge bar, sports bar and 17-inch alloys.
The interior is refreshed and features black leather-trimmed seats, door panels and armrests, adding an extra bit of swagger.
I have yet to see a 'special edition' that doesn't make an impression, and the Navara Stealth is no different.
The configurable eight-inch touchscreen infotainment screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, with six speakers, remains, as do front and rear USB-C ports to keep devices charged.
The roof rails, grille, mirror caps, door handles, and side steps get a deep black finish treatment in addition to the Stealth signature on the doors and tailgate.
Image: Supplied
Power
The Navara Stealth is powered by their 2.5-litre DDTi four-cylinder diesel engine providing 140kW and 450Nm coupled to a seven-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels and all four in the 4x4 version when using 4H or 4L via the transfer case.
Handling
The Navara double cab has always been known as one of the best-handling and most comfortable bakkies on the market, thanks to its five-link rear suspension system with coil springs instead of traditional leaf springs.
They have recalibrated dampers with faster rebound recovery that allows the rear suspension to return to its normal position quicker after compression.
The video link clearly shows the difference between the two suspension set-ups, and the difference is remarkable.
Driving
Our launch route around the Magaliesberg was designed to test and prove the suspension with tar, rutted gravel roads and some 4x4 driving.
The driving position is comfortable, as are the seats, which augur well for long trips.
The diesel mill is responsive enough with little turbo lag, and it will hustle along well over the national speed limit when needed.
With a lot of attention having been placed on noise, vibration and harshness levels when the new Navara was introduced in 2021, the interior reflected that even over some harsh gravel corrugations.
It made short work of the 4x4 track with some slippery grass climbs and drove effortlessly over a rocky and rutted track through a muddy incline, all without having to switch to 4L.
Safety
Safety is taken care of by ABS, Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Hill Descent Control (HDC) and Hill Start Assist (HSA).
It's also fitted with Intelligent Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Intelligent Trailer Sway Control (TSC).
The Nissan Stealth made short work of the 4x4 course.
Image: Supplied
Navara conundrum
On our way back to the overnight location my driving partner and I speculated on the conundrum that Nissan faces with the Navara.
Everyone in the motoring space agrees that it is a fantastic double cab with everything going for it and yet they struggle to break into the top three sales bracket.
I mean, they literally drove from Pretoria to Cairo in the Daring Africa Expedition without so much as a puncture along the way.
There's no obvious reason with some claiming the interior features are long in the tooth but some of their opposition are in the same boat, so I don't buy that.
I also don't think that the global strain the company is facing or the cloud hanging over the Rosslyn factory plays a part.
It's a well-priced, good looking bakkie and does everything you would expect whether overlanding or driving the school run.
Nissan knows they should be selling more but also can't exactly point out why so here's hoping that the Stealth and by implication the fully built in South Africa Navara range bucks that trend.
The Navara Stealth is powered by their 2.5-litre DDTi four cylinder diesel engine providing 140kW and 450Nm coupled to a seven-speed automatic transmission.
Image: Supplied
It comes with a six-year/ 150 000km warranty and a six-year/ 90 000km service plan.
Pricing July 2025 Nissan Navara 2.5DDTi double cab SE Plus 4x4: R678 000.
Nissan Navara 2.5DDTi double cab LE 4x4: R744 200.
Nissan Navara 2.5DDTi double cab Stealth: R695 200.
Nissan Navara 2.5DDTi double cab Stealth 4x4: R779 200.
Nissan Navara 2.5DDTi double cab Pro-4X 4x4: R844 000.
Nissan Navara 2.5DDTi double cab Pro-4X 4x4 Warrior: R924 000.
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