Nissan has recently updated the Navara pickup. The car now features a stylish and powerful appearance, which shows an opposite image that you normally would not see in a rugged pickup truck.
Japanese pickups available outside Japan
In Japan, pickup trucks used to be a popular choice to use as delivery trucks by small companies, for transporting materials at construction sites, and some models were also used for leisure. Nowadays, pickups have become few and far between in Japan, but they are still in active use overseas.
Although trucks have a strong image of being a commercial vehicle, in some countries they are also used for leisure as mentioned above, or as private vehicles, and there are stylish models with a focus on design.
●Nissan Navara
Nissan has been selling pickup trucks for over 80 years, and the Navara has been a reliable partner for users around the world. The body size of the fully remodeled new Navara will vary depending on the region and grade in which it is sold, but the new PRO-4X style package, which is said to be commonly available, is 207 in. long, 77.7 in. wide, and 72.4 in. tall.
The PRO-4X has a wild and active design with black painted emblems, orange accents on the front bumper, black grille, door handles, roof rack and running boards, and 17-inch black wheels with all-terrain tires.
The new model features a strengthened rear axle and increased cargo space to improve the payload capacity. In addition, a new step on the rear bumper has been added to easily access the cargo bed.
Selections for powertrain varies depending on countries and regions among a 2.3-liter inline-4 turbo diesel, a 2.3-liter inline-4 twin-turbo diesel, a 2.5-liter inline-4 turbo diesel, and a 2.5-liter inline-4 gasoline, mated with either a 7-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual.
In terms of safety features, the new Navara is truly a next-generation pickup truck, with intelligent emergency braking against vehicles and pedestrians in front, as well as Intelligent Front Collision Warning (IFCW) that detects two vehicles in front and alerts the driver to any danger lurking ahead.
●Subaru BRAT
Currently, the best-selling vehicle in the United States is a pickup, mainly because of taxes and insurance. Because of this, pickup trucks have already been very popular since the 50s. Not only were they used on farms, but they also became popular as vehicles for youngsters.
In order to catch up with the popularity of pickup trucks, in the early 70s, Subaru’s US subsidiary has requested the development of a small pickup to the Japanese HQ. Therefore, in 1977, Subaru launched the BRAT, a monocoque body pickup truck based on the 1st generation Leone in the United States.
The front end was similar to that of the Leone, with a two-seater cabin and a cargo bed at the rear. To avoid the high tariffs on pickups and keeping the price low, early models were equipped with two plastic seats in the cargo bed to import it as a passenger vehicle.
All models came with all-wheel drive with a 1.6-liter boxer-4 engine. In 1981, a 1.8-liter boxer-4 and 1.8-liter boxer-4 turbo were added to the lineup. The car was highly acclaimed for its great performance on rough roads with stylish design, and was sold in the United States until 1987, and in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand until 1994.
●Honda Ridgeline
Honda launched the T360 light truck in 1963 as the company’s first four-wheeled vehicle. Since then, Honda has continued to sell light trucks in Japan, but in 2005, in order to meet the needs of the North American market, Honda launched the 1st generation Ridgeline, classified as a medium-sized sport utility truck.
Having a body of 206.8 in long, 77.8 in wide, and 70.3 in tall, the car was the biggest among the models Honda has produced.
While most of the pickup trucks sold in North America use a ladder frame, the Ridgeline uses a monocoque chassis to achieve a novel and stylish form with the cabin and bed integrated into one. The cargo bed, which boasts a maximum payload of 1100 lbs., is equipped with an “in-bed trunk” that can be locked just like a regular trunk.
The only engine available is the J35A 3.5-liter V6 i-VTEC engine mated with a 5-speed automatic. With its all-wheel drive system and the use of a fully independent suspension, the car became highly popular for its great performance on rough roads.
In 2016, the Ridgeline received an update, passing on to the 2nd generation model. The exterior was fully redesigned to have a relatively orthodox appearance compared to the unique 1st generation.
