Photo: Nissan
Redesigned for the 2021 model year in South Africa and South America, the Navara isn’t doing all that great in the European Union based on sales figures. In the United Kingdom alone, the mid-sized pickup moved 4,730 units in 2020, whereas the entire segment has posted 116,280 sales.
Dwindling demand for workhorses in the Old Continent is one thing, but Nissan has also sullied the Navara by collaborating with Renault and Mercedes to create the badge-engineered Alaskan and X-Class line. The latter underperformed so pitifully that it’s not even in production anymore.
According to a statement from the Japanese automaker, the EU-spec Navara will end production too by the end of the year. Speaking to Automotive News, a representative confirmed the bitter end for December 2021.
This development further reflects the preference for vans, which have been a staple of the European market since the closure of the Second World War with the likes of the Volkswagen Type 2, DKW Schnellaster, and Citroen H Van. The introduction of the Ford Transit in 1965 had really established the van as the light commercial vehicle of choice in this part of the world.
Turning our attention back to pickups, the Navara follows pretty much the same formula as the segment-leading Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux. It features a four-cylinder turbo diesel, it can tow up to 3,500 kilograms (7,716 pounds), and payload capacity is estimated at 1,315 kilograms (2,900 pounds) for the Double Cab Chassis with the six-speed manual and 4WD.
Even though Nissan could import the Navara from an overseas plant such as Rosslyn in South Africa or Samut Prakan in Thailand, the guys who call the shots at the Japanese automaker decided against this opportunity. Looking at the bigger picture, who could blame them? Importing tariffs would eat away into already slim profit margins, which is why Nissan currently focuses on repurposing its European operations for the electric onslaught.
According to a statement from the Japanese automaker, the EU-spec Navara will end production too by the end of the year. Speaking to Automotive News, a representative confirmed the bitter end for December 2021.
This development further reflects the preference for vans, which have been a staple of the European market since the closure of the Second World War with the likes of the Volkswagen Type 2, DKW Schnellaster, and Citroen H Van. The introduction of the Ford Transit in 1965 had really established the van as the light commercial vehicle of choice in this part of the world.
Turning our attention back to pickups, the Navara follows pretty much the same formula as the segment-leading Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux. It features a four-cylinder turbo diesel, it can tow up to 3,500 kilograms (7,716 pounds), and payload capacity is estimated at 1,315 kilograms (2,900 pounds) for the Double Cab Chassis with the six-speed manual and 4WD.
Even though Nissan could import the Navara from an overseas plant such as Rosslyn in South Africa or Samut Prakan in Thailand, the guys who call the shots at the Japanese automaker decided against this opportunity. Looking at the bigger picture, who could blame them? Importing tariffs would eat away into already slim profit margins, which is why Nissan currently focuses on repurposing its European operations for the electric onslaught.
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