2015 Nissan Navara spotted in Melbourne ahead of local launch

The orange Nissan Navara NP300 will be the first all-new version of the ute to launch in Australia since the the D40 debuted locally a decade ago. The ute seen in these pictures is believed to be an engineering assessment vehicle.

The newest Navara will be released in Australia with the option of either a 2.3-litre twin-turbocharged diesel (149kW/450Nm), 2.3-litre single-turbocharged diesel (118kW/403Nm) or a 2.5-litre petrol engine (118kW/231Nm).

Moving the class forward, Nissan has fitted a multilink rear suspension layout which does away with the conventional leaf springs as are fitted to the majority of its competitors. This is claimed to improve the ride quality and give the Navara a more car-like feel behind the wheel.

Towing capacity will match the class leaders in this segment at 3500 kilograms, but the ground clearance (228mm) and wading depth (600mm) is short of the competition (Ford's Ranger offers an 800mm wading depth).

Nissan Australia is yet to release pricing or specifications for the new ute, but the company has stressed that the Navara's positioning needs to be competitive to ensure strong sales in the lucrative commercial utility segment.

Read our first drive of the 2015 Nissan Navara here.

CarAdvice will bring you more information on the 2015 Nissan Navara in the coming months.