In its element.The Navara is at home on tarmac, but is much more adept off road.

THE concept of six degrees of separation refers to the idea that any two individuals are connected by at most six others. Similarly, Universal Motors Corp.’s (UMC, exclusive distributor of Nissan light commercial vehicles) idea of six degrees of separation refers to the fact that a number of automotive ideas (at most, six) are connected purely to the Nissan Frontier Navara.

Or something like that.

Fresh from the success of its wild popular pickup, UMC decided to create additional awareness of the Navara brand with an activity known as the Navara Six Speeds Challenge, highlighting the notion that at least six automotive features have reached its zenith in the beast of burden.

The first feature in focus was the exterior, which made itself known within the UMC headquarters along Chino Roces Avenue. UMC senior vice president (marketing group) Elizabeth Lee extolled the pickup’s virtues—exterior included—right before scribes took turns checking out the Navara’s numbers crunch for a “pop quiz” of sorts re UMC newest product. “The Six Speeds Challenge is meant to demonstrate to you the technological superiority of the Frontier Navara, as well as the lifestyle that only a true sport utility truck can enable,” said Lee before the event proper.  

The second feature highlighted was the interior. Breaking new ground with a light khaki colorway, a steering wheel similar to the 350Z sports car, lighting between the front visors and in the middle of the ceiling, relaxing fabric seat covers and the opportunity for rear occupants to sit comfortably (instead of squatting), the resulting ambiance was one of relaxation. Couple the aforementioned features with the trademark cold Nissan air conditioning and this writer (along with Top Gear Philippines off-road guru Beeboy Bargas and Auto Review producer Ronald de los Reyes) were very much loose for the trip from the UMC showroom to Subic.

The third feature emphasized was the Navara’s strong 2.5L engine. Effortlessly getting off the line to beat a bevy of utility vehicles (like the Toyota Hilux and the Isuzu D-Max) and a number of passenger cars, the Navara made use of all its 142 hp, 356 Nm of torque and its fat powerband to move this writer, Bargas, de los Reyes and the team’s gear throughout the Makati area, Edsa and the North Luzon Expressway en route to Subic for fuel consumption measurement. Waking up the turbo (2,250 rpm for partial boost) and getting into the powerband (1,900 rpm) were relatively easy due to the robust curve.

Fourth was the Navara’s six-speed transmission. Arguably the biggest focal point of the pickup, one exercise in the challenge required participants to remain in sixth gear for as long as possible, running the length of the SCTex (Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway). Coupling with the strong torque to move nearly 1730 kg of pickup at 50 to 70 kph, the pickup’s extra gear enables the engine to broaden its top end pep before reaching its power curve plateau—an advantage when it comes to highway emergency lane changes and fuel consumption.

Next was Navara’s ability to get power and torque to the ground anywhere. One drill required journalists to move through an off-road course—chockful of knee-deep ruts, a virtual mud bowl (roughly 200 meters in diameter) and a 38-degree incline—in one minute and 15 seconds exactly, with time penalties meted out to those who have to put the vehicle in reverse, arrive too early or too late at the finish line. The Navara’s mechanical limited slip differential and even gearing worked closely with the engine to move it successfully through the muck.

Lastly, the Navara’s suspension and eight cross-member chassis showed that the Navara is now more lifestyle than utilitarian. Whether it was on tarmac or mud, the Navara’s ride comfort now rivals its Patrol sibling, giving Bargas, de los Reyes and this writer great opportunities to relax or discuss strategy within the cabin. And all that happened without any load at the back of the pickup bed, normally a problem with vehicles that have leaf spring-mounted rear suspensions.

For the life of this writer, he may forget who won in the Navara Six Speeds Challenge, but he will always recall the six degrees of separation—or exhilaration—that only comes with a vehicle that can be argued as the once and future pickup.

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