1-Nissan Navara:
The Nissan Navara is one of the best 4 4 double cab pickup trucks on the market. It’s not the cheapest, but the low-ratio gearbox offers a great off-road experience and steering is responsive, making corners quiet and the pick-up easy to drive with speed.
Under the hood, the 2.3-liter diesel engine is soft and refined, the twin-turbo version bringing power to 187 hp. All models are equipped with Nissan’s autonomous braking technology, which allows the Navara to get a low rate of insurance, while more sophisticated models feature a GPS touch screen.
The inside of the Nissan Navara shares a great deal for all intents and purposes with that of the most recent Nissan traveler vehicles, so the nature of the materials and the degree of hardware gave are top-notch.The steering wheel only adjusts in height, but the motorized leather driver’s seat – if it’s a little short on the seat – offers a good range of motion. The view of the imposing hood is superb, and the Tekna models are comfortable during long driving hours. There is also room at the rear for large adults, with a comfortable seat for the rear seat – also lined with leather in this premium model – plus electric windows and ISOFIX child seat supports.
Nissan believes that the Navara pushes the boundaries more than any other SUV in its sector and that it comes close to a crossover driving experience. But if the advanced multi-link rear suspension softens the ride somewhat, it’s not quite the revolution Nissan hopes it will be. There is less bounce in the back, which is well known to all those who drive such vehicles, even though the Mercedes X-Class does an even better job in this regard. Anyway, it doesn’t affect the way the Navara behaves when you’re driving around.
2-Mercedes X-Class:
If you want to know the importance of the double cab pick-up category in the world, look no further than the arrival of Mercedes in the segment with the X-Class. This is undoubtedly the first high-end pick-up in the world, with a high price and many interior equipment inspired by the Mercedes range of cars.
Look beyond the three-pointed star on the grille, and what you see here is a variant of the Nissan Navara reviewed with a Mercedes badge. The X-Class is largely identical to the Nissan under the bodyshell, although Mercedes has put a lot of time and effort into the X-Class suspension adjustments to give it the kind of comfort we get from its SUVs, as well as a higher-end interior. Overall, it’s a success, as the X-Class is the most comfortable pickup for sale.
The power comes from the same 2.3-liter diesel engine as the Navara, but in two power choices, the X 220 d and X 250 d are equipped with manual or automatic gearboxes, respectively. There’s also the X 350 d, which comes standard with a 3.0-liter diesel V6, permanent four-wheel drive, and an automatic transmission.
The electric trim comes with everything you would expect from a high-end Mercedes-Benz, while even the basic Progressive model is reasonably well equipped. But with X-Class prices starting at just over €50,000 – which is more than the most expensive and unfettered Navara edition it’s based on – you’d expect to get a decent set to go with that prestigious badge on your nose.
3-Volkswagen Amarok:
The Volkswagen Amarok is only available in a double cab version in France and is relatively expensive, but like the X-Class, it looks like a car. Thanks to an excellent combination of robustness and quality, it remains one of the most sought-after pick-ups on the market.
The latest version of the Volkswagen is powered by a powerful V6 TDI 3.0 V6 engine that replaces the older 2.0-liter models. The most powerful 254 hp version has a lot of punch for overtaking and a torque of 580 Nm from 1400 rpm for towing or fighting the 45-degree hairpin turns in any direction. Fuel economy of 8.3 L/100 km makes it more expensive to ride than 4-cylinder rivals, however.
On the road, it’s easy to forget that the Amarok is not an easy-to-drive SUV, although a hint of rebound at the rear that characterizes the pick-up genre is obvious. The scaled-up Amarok can’t really compete with the balance, dynamism, or comfort of modern road-oriented SUVs, but with a muscular V6, many more drivers should find the vehicle rewarding enough that it doesn’t matter.
The finish and interior layout are excellent, including a beautiful new shield design that looks and feels screwed together better than any rival bar of the Mercedes X-Class. The front seats offer many adjustment possibilities and, with the complete steering wheel adjustment, the driving position is more comfortable and similar to that of a car than you would have imagined with a pick-up truck.
