| A Week at the Wheel | Herts, England | Nissan Navara Aventura Double Cab |

Inside & Out:

In the small marketplace of pick-ups there's no denying that Nissan's Navara is among the best looking. Its sharply styled creases and SUV looks are rather different to the utilitarian lines of its Ford and Isuzu rivals; only Mitsubishi's L200 comes close to the Navara in the style stakes. In Aventura Double Cab guise the Navara's looks are further enhanced by smart roof rails, front fog lamps and 17-inch alloy wheels. Metallic paint is a £450 option, something of a bargain when you consider just how much of it Nissan's robots need to apply - the Navara is vast.

Inside a smattering of metallic effect plastics do their best to lift the rather simple cabin - this is, after all, essentially a commercial vehicle. They do a decent job too, the Navara's interior efficiently laid out, with clear instruments and passable materials. Equipment levels are generous in Aventura trim, it coming with DVD satellite navigation, an in-dash 6 CD changer with MP3 ability, Bluetooth telephone integration with voice activation, dual-zone climate control and leather seats. Perfect then for the well-heeled builder, or a family wanting something a bit different from the SUV norm.

Engine & Transmission:

For such a big vehicle the Navara feels remarkably sprightly. The benchmark 62mph arrives in 11.8 seconds and if you're in a hurry (and abroad) it'll achieve 105mph. Under the huge bonnet there's a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel that produces a highly respectable 169bhp. It's not the engine's power output that gives it its flexibility though, it's the 297lb.ft of torque that's available from 2,000rpm that shifts its bulk so convincingly. Admittedly, it's not the quietest of engines, but neither is it noisy enough to become intrusive, and the decent standard stereo does an excellent job of drowning out any engine or road din.

The big four-cylinder turbodiesel is mated to a five-speed automatic in Aventura spec, making the Navara a far friendlier day-to-day proposition. It's smooth and quick enough for purpose and preferable to the heavy clutch and long-throw gear change of manual models.

Ride & Handling:

Pick-ups are built primarily as working vehicles and the Navara is no different. That means under the glitzy bodywork resides some pretty simple mechanicals. The separate body on chassis and simple rear leaf sprung suspension is always going to have limitations, but they're not quite as apparent as you might expect. Body roll isn't as obvious as we'd anticipated - only pushing hard results in ship-like angles of lean, otherwise it's rather composed. Body control on nastier surfaces isn't fantastic, the Navara bouncing about in a manner that modern SUVs wouldn't, but then the Navara has the disadvantage of being a pick-up.

Leave it in two-wheel drive and it's the rear wheels that are driven, which, combined with the simple suspension and relative lack of weight over the rear wheels, makes the Navara surprisingly lively at the rear. It's all very predictable though and really rather enjoyable. Off-road it'll get you nearly anywhere and it'll tow and haul more than most, too.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

Sitting right at the top of the Navara range it's hardly surprising that the Aventura comes well specified. What is though is just how well specced it actually is, it having the sort of kit that you might expect on an executive car. Nissan's excellent DVD satellite navigation, a premium stereo system, voice activated controls for navigation and telephone, leather seats, automatic headlamps and windscreen wipers and dual-zone climate control are all found on the standard kit list. Economy is pretty respectable too, the official combined consumption figure of 27.7mpg impressive, especially when you factor in the Navara's size and that automatic transmission. The CO₂ emissions figure of 275g/km is not too bad, either. Compared to a similarly specified SUV, it's also pretty decent value.

Overall:

The Nissan Navara offers a surprisingly interesting alternative to the family SUV or estate car. There's no denying its practicality; it'll carry and haul loads that normal cars simply couldn't, yet the double cab is big enough to accommodate rear seat passengers - so long as they're not too lanky. It's well specified too, and actually rather fun to drive - until you try and park it, where it becomes a bit less enjoyable. In the pick-up market it's really a toss-up between this and Mitsubishi's L200. Both are good, the final choice likely to be down to whether you like the Navara's more angular style or the swooping lines of its key rival.