Family Car Review: 2026 Nissan Navara

How much does the Nissan Navara cost and what are the options?

No decision fatigue with the 2026 Nissan Navara as it's available in just four grades, all of which are dual-cab 4x4s!

The model I've been testing is the ST at $56,765 (before rego, stamp duty and other on-road costs but Nissan is already doing some large discounts). It's the second grade in the range and gets silver alloy wheels, all-terrain tyres, LED fog lights, leather-accented steering wheel, side steps (which are fantastic for helping kids climb in and out), privacy glass, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and rear USB-A and USB-C sockets. The seats are still manually adjusted on the ST, and you don't get vanity mirrors in the sun visors or a wireless phone charger.

For families who want more comfort, the ST-X at $63,177 (again check for the latest discounted prices) adds dual-zone climate control, a power driver's seat, heated front seats, a wireless phone charger, vanity mirrors in the visors, a tub liner, and six speakers instead of four. The range-topping PRO-4X at $68,418 (again check for the latest discounted prices) adds off-road goodies such as all-terrain tyres on matte black alloys, wheel arch flares, roof rails, a standard towbar, Hill Descent Control and seven terrain drive modes.

All four have the same 2.4-litre diesel engine producing 150kW and 470Nm, the same 3,500kg braked towing capacity, the same full suite of safety tech and key family features (child seat anchorages, airbags, ADAS, tray size, rear ceiling air vents) are the same on all models, so it's more about choosing a Navara for budget, comfort and lifestyle rather than safety or capability.

The warranty is up to 10 years and 300,000 kilometres when you service with a Nissan dealer, or five years with unlimited kilometres otherwise. Servicing is $499 for each of the first five services.

How big is the tray of the Nissan Navara?

Storage in the tray of the 2026 Nissan Navara is practical for family use. The tailgate opens manually and has soft-open dampers but it does come down at toddler head height, so keep an eye on little ones moving around the back of the ute while you have it open.

The spare tyre is stored underneath the tray and there are tie-down points in the tray for securing gear, but there are no power outlets in the tray. If you're a camping family who wants to plug in a portable fridge or charge devices from the tray, you'll need to look elsewhere. The ST-X and PRO-4X models do come with a tub liner for protecting the tray floor.

When empty, the tray of the Nissan Navara will hold 28 shopping bags. That's the same as the Mazda BT-50 (28 bags), but less than the Ford Ranger (30 bags), Kia Tasman (31 bags), Volkswagen Amarok (31 bags) and Toyota HiLux (29 bags). It's more tray space than the Mitsubishi Triton (26 bags) and Isuzu D-Max (25 bags).

A multi-configuration pram with a single seat, will fit in the tray of the Nissan Navara with 18 shopping bags.

The same multi-configuration pram with two sibling seats, will fit in the tray with 18 shopping bags.

The same multi-configuration pram with a single seat and the bassinet, will fit in the tray of the Nissan Navara side by side with 14 shopping bags.

The boot space and its functionality are really important. I like to have a big boot space and little side wells or areas I can divide things into. So something I don't want to move around while I'm driving such as my daughter's lunch bag or her wet swimming gear can be sectioned off in a little well where it's not going to spill or get squashed by the rest of the things in the boot.

Hooks for securing shopping bags to are also favourites of mine, I like being able to secure the bag containing more fragile things like eggs so they don't move around on the journey.

I measure the boot space in freezer shopping bags, prams and dogs. Not because I think all there is to a mum's life is food shopping, prams and dogs. (Although it can feel like it sometimes!!) But because these are visually measurable items we can all associate with. For me, the car company boot measurement of litres is not an amount I can easily visualise and 400L in one car may differ in usability to that in another due to the configuration or shape of the space.

The running stroller with the back wheels on fits easily in the tray of the Nissan Navara, with 14 shopping bags.

The double running stroller with the back wheels on fits easily in the tray of the Nissan Navara, with 14 shopping bags.

The lightweight and one-handed folding stroller fits in the tray of the Nissan Navara, with 20 shopping bags.

You can also fit two 90-litre, two 70-litre and two 40-litre duffel bags in the tray.

Or a few large dogs!

How good is the storage in the Nissan Navara for families?

Storage inside the Nissan Navara is good for families. The interior feels tough and minimal, which I like. It's easy to keep clean and clutter-free.

In the back of the Nissan Navara, there's a fold-down armrest in the central seat back with two cup holders. They'll hold a reusable or a disposable coffee cup, and kids' drink cups fit nicely too.

On the back of both front seats are map pockets that will hold and conceal an iPad. On the back of the front passenger seat, there are also two extra little storage pouches at the top, which are good for popping a phone or a little toy in.

The door bins in the back are a good size. They'll hold a refillable water bottle and an iPad or wallet fits in there too. And there are storage handle wells in the doors as well.

In the front of the Nissan Navara, there are two cup holders in the central console. They will hold a reusable or disposable coffee cup. Behind them is a small central console box.

In front of the gear lever is a tray for a mobile phone, but it's not wirelessly charged on this ST model (the ST-X and PRO-4X do get wireless charging). Above the phone tray there are USB, USB-C and 12-volt sockets.

In the dash there is an enormous open storage space, which is great for families. My kids have popped their strawberries and lunchboxes in there this week, so it's a brilliant spot for the things you need to grab quickly on the school run.

The glove box is a good size and will hold a wallet and iPad with the manual.

The front door bins are a good size. They will hold a refillable water bottle and an iPad or wallet fits in there too. And there are storage handle wells in the doors as well.

There is a glasses case in the ceiling. The front visors do not have vanity mirrors or lights on this ST model, though the ST-X and PRO-4X models do get vanity mirrors.

For charging devices in the back, the ST, ST-X and PRO-4X have USB-A and USB-C sockets behind the centre console, plus a 12-volt socket. The base SL model misses out on the rear USB sockets but does still have the 12-volt outlet.

How many child seats will fit in the Nissan Navara?

This dual-cab Nissan Navara has ISOFIX in the two outer rear seats.

They're not within plastic guides but they're lovely and easy to connect to.

There are top tether anchorages for the two outer rear seats only. There's no top tether anchorage for the central seat, so you can't install a child seat there. This is sadly the same for most utes on the market. See our full dual-cab ute comparison here.

The top tether configuration in the Navara is a bit different from some other utes. There are woven fabric loops behind each of the outer headrests and a metal tether anchorage behind the central headrest. You thread the top tether strap through the woven loop and across to the metal loop behind the central headrest. It can be a bit fiddly, but I've managed it.

Two child seats fit in here nicely. There's good space between them, so I found I could sit comfortably between two child seats, which is fantastic news for families with different-aged siblings.

With a rear-facing child seat behind the driver, about a 182-centimetre driver can fit in front. With forward-facing child seats, a 186-centimetre or taller driver can fit in the front, which is great news. Nissan says rear legroom has improved by 42 millimetres compared to the old Navara.

The rear footwell does have a hump in the central seat position, so passengers sitting in the middle do have to straddle that. It's not too bad though, and it's nice and easy for passengers to access their seats.

The Nissan Navara has manual child locks in both rear doors.

How comfortable is the Nissan Navara for families?

All members of the family will be kept comfortable in the Nissan Navara.

Passengers in the back have air vents in the ceiling, which is great for keeping little passengers the right temperature. These ceiling vents are standard across all four Navara grades, which is fantastic news for families although all the rear vents do is recirculate the cabin air rather than being independently temperature-controlled. I found on hot days I needed to direct the front air vents upward so the system could circulate cooler air to the back. Also with the sun beating down on the roof it's a difficult job for those vents to keep the air cool when circulating it!

There are handles above both of the rear doors, so you can hang a little toy on there for rear-facing passengers to keep them entertained while you're driving along. And there's a light in the ceiling so you can see what you're doing when you're popping your kids in and out of their seats at night.

I have found our daughter does not like travelling in the dark in the car so if it gets dark whilst travelling then I reach back and turn the interior light on for her. So it's really important for me that I can reach the rear ceiling light.

Also if I am traveling home and it is getting near to bed time and I DEFINITELY DON'T want her to fall asleep in the car as even a 5-minute nap in the car means bed time is all over!!!! I lean back and pop the light on so it's not dark and try to keep her awake!! Along with screaming/singing at the top of my voice!!!

It is also useful when there are lights situated above the doors where the handles are usually positioned. These are good for when putting baby into their child seats when visibility is poor, so you do not have to reach across them to a light situated in the ceiling centrally etc.

The front seats in the Nissan Navara ST are comfortable, though they are manually adjusted (the ST-X and PRO-4X get a power driver's seat). The steering wheel is fully adjustable in and out and up and down.

The media system in the Nissan Navara is on a 9-inch touchscreen in the centre of the dash. It's nice and easy to navigate and to use. Along the bottom of the screen there are shortcuts that make it quick to jump between functions.

It does have Apple CarPlay (wireless) and Android Auto (wired), so you can access your phone and apps while driving. The settings are easy to get to as well, so you can customise sounds, volumes and beeps, which is a really important one for families who need to keep things quiet when little ones are sleeping.

Becoming a parent I soon realised there are some noises and sounds I feel are unnecessary and I could happily live without if it meant my baby stayed asleep!!

That often the distraction of my screaming, distressed baby is more dangerous when driving than not having a lane departure warning for example.

If it is the lane departure warning beeping that creates distress with my baby then which is safest?

It's where I think we need to be able to strike a balance and choose when we can mute the warnings or swap them to a vibration in the steering wheel or flashing light perhaps?

When you put the Navara into reverse, the camera images are clear and they fill the screen, so you can see around the vehicle when parking and manoeuvring. You can also control the screen brightness, which is a good feature for driving at night when the screen can feel a bit intense.

The ADAS (driver assistance) settings are accessed through the driver display screens rather than the media screen. The climate controls are physical buttons below the media screen, so they're nice and easy to access and to use while you're driving, which is great. I always prefer having physical buttons for climate rather than having to dig through a touchscreen.

How safe is the Nissan Navara for families?

The 2026 Nissan Navara is based on the Mitsubishi Triton and shares its five-star ANCAP safety rating, scoring 89% for child occupancy and 86% for adult occupancy. It also scored 74% for vulnerable road user protection and 70% for safety assist. The child occupant score of 89% matches the Toyota HiLux, and Isuzu D-Max (all 89%), though the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok both score higher at 93%. You can compare all ute safety scores in our safest dual-cab utes guide.

The Nissan Navara features eight airbags, including:

Driver and passenger front, driver and passenger side, side curtain airbags that extend to second-row passengers, a front row centre airbag, and a driver knee airbag.

According to ANCAP, installation of child restraints in the centre seating position of the second row is not recommended as there is no top tether anchorage.

The 2026 Nissan Navara comes with a full suite of active safety technologies as standard across all four grades, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) (which Nissan calls Intelligent Emergency Braking), adaptive cruise control (ACC) (Intelligent Cruise Control), a lane support system with lane keep assist (LKA) (Intelligent Lane Intervention) and lane departure warning (LDW), and a speed assistance system with Traffic Sign Recognition.

The driver-assist safety features also include forward collision warning (FCW) (Intelligent Forward Collision Warning), blind spot monitoring (BSM) (Blind Spot Warning), front and rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA), driver alertness monitoring (Intelligent Driver Alert), Intelligent Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection, secondary collision mitigation braking, Emergency Assist for Pedal Misapplication (forward and reverse), trailer sway control, front and rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring (TPMS), electronic stability control (ESC), traction control, and anti-lock braking system (ABS).

The ST-X and PRO-4X add Hill Descent Control and seven terrain drive modes.

Some of these safety features are also features that drive me crazy as a mum! Like the lane departure and forward collision alert or the parking sensor beeping sound. I want all the safety technology AND to be able to mute the sound when Bub's asleep!

What is the Nissan Navara like to drive?

The new Nissan Navara is a really nice ute to drive and where the Premcar suspension tuning stands out. Every Navara grade has had its suspension developed and tested in Australia by Premcar in Melbourne across a 12-month program and it feels really different to the Mitsubishi Triton, which itself is a nice ute to drive.

Compared to most utes, the new Navara settles quickly after bumps and it's just an enjoyable thing to steer around town. Premcar tested hundreds and hundreds of suspension combinations during development, including an 18,500-kilometre sign-off trip across the outback. The SL and ST models get a “workhorse” setup designed for carrying loads but you'd never know it while driving.

I haven't tried the ST-X which gets a comfort-focused three-leaf setup or the PRO-4X's softer springs and chunkier tyres sidewalls designed for off-road cushioning but even the ST I tried had a lovely smooth and fluid feel a bit like a Ford Ranger.

The new electronic power steering is light and responsive, which makes the Navara nice and easy to manoeuvre and to park. The turning circle is good for a big ute, so school and supermarket car parks aren't stressful.

One thing I have noticed since being a mum is I hate it when I reach a destination or get home from being out and the kids have either done really well in the car or she is screaming her head off and I have done really well to keep it together for the entire journey (usually the latter!!) and it takes 10 minutes to park the car! It can be really stressful.

It's nice and spacious in here, especially with only two child seats in the back. You do feel like you have your own personal space as the driver. Visibility is good too. With only two child seats installed, you can see out of the rear windscreen without any issues.

The diesel engine and six-speed automatic are powerful and smooth enough and although I didn't tow with the Navara yet, it has a 3,500kg braked towing capacity and I've found the similar Triton to be a lovely tow vehicle, so you could use the Navara to pull your caravan or camper trailer with confidence. It also has an electronic locking rear differential as standard across all grades for families who head off the beaten track.

A great feature considering this is the second-lowest spec of Navara is the cameras and around-view monitor that are clear and helpful for parking and manoeuvring. Even though this is a big vehicle, I found it nice and easy to get in and out of tight parking spots.

Additional Information:

Nissan offers up to a 10-year, 300,000-kilometre warranty when you service with a Nissan dealer. Servicing is $499 flat-price for each of the first five services, which keeps running costs predictable for families budgeting their ownership costs.

Fuel consumption is rated at 7.7L/100km combined, and the fuel tank holds 75 litres with a 17-litre AdBlue tank.

Compare the Nissan Navara:

If you're looking at the 2026 Nissan Navara as a dual-cab ute for your family, there are several competitors worth cross-shopping, ute copmparison and safest dual cab utes for families.

The closest comparison is the Mitsubishi Triton, which is another version of the same ute. The Triton also fits two child seats only, and scores 89% for ANCAP child occupant protection. The Navara's key advantage is the Premcar-tuned suspension.

The Ford Ranger is worth a look, it holds 30 shopping bags and scores 93% for child occupant protection.

The Toyota HiLux is the market leader and holds 29 shopping bags with the same 89% child occupant score as the Navara, though it can only fit two child seats like the Navara.

The Kia Tasman is the newest ute on the block and holds 31 shopping bags with a five-star ANCAP rating (85% child occupant), and the Isuzu D-Max holds 25 bags with an 89% child occupant score.

For families who want a plug-in hybrid ute for quiet, fuel-free school runs, the BYD Shark 6 and Ford Ranger PHEV are both worth considering, and both offer V2L power outlets in the tray that the Navara doesn't have.

For families that need to fit three child seats across in the back, here's our guide.

BabyDrive Verdict on the 2026 Nissan Navara

To sum up, the 2026 Nissan Navara does make a great family dual-cab ute.

You can fit those two child seats in the back nicely with space between them for another passenger, and legroom is good, fitting a 182-centimetre driver in front of a rear-facing child seat. Like most utes, you can't put a child seat in the centre rear position.

The tray holds 28 shopping bags and prams fit nicely. It's average for tray space in the ute segment, but the slightly longer tray over the old model is welcome. Where the Navara falls short for camping families is the lack of power outlets in the tray.

The standout for me is the ride. Premcar has done excellent work with the suspension tuning and you can feel it every time you go over a bump, up a kerb and around a corner. It's so calm, comfortable and confident, and the light steering makes parking and manoeuvring stress-free.

The five-star ANCAP safety rating with 89% child occupant protection, eight airbags as standard and a full suite of active safety tech across every grade gives good peace of mind. And Nissan's warranty, up to 10 years and 300,000 kilometres when you keep servicing with a Nissan dealer, is one of the most generous in Australia.

If you're buying the ST like I've been testing, be aware you miss out on vanity mirrors, wireless phone charging and dual-zone climate. For families, the ST-X at $63,177 might be the sweet spot, adding dual-zone climate for better marital relations, a wireless charger, heated front seats and a power driver's seat adjustment. The PRO-4X at $68,418 is the one for adventurous families who camp and head off-road, with its all-terrain tyres, Hill Descent Control, terrain modes and standard tow bar. If you can stomach the colour scheme!

Key Pros:

• Premcar-tuned suspension for a great drive
• Five-star ANCAP safety rating (89% child occupant protection)
• Eight airbags as standard including curtain airbags for rear passengers
• 3,500kg braked towing capacity across the range
• Fits two child seats comfortably with space between them
• Up to 10-year/300,000km warranty when servicing with Nissan
• $499 flat-price servicing for the first five services
• Excellent dashboard storage shelf for kids' lunchboxes and snacks
• Light steering for easy parking and manoeuvring
• Electronic locking rear diff standard across all grades
• Full-size matching spare tyre standard

Key Cons:

• Cannot install child seat in centre rear position (no top tether)
• No vanity mirrors or wireless phone charging on SL and ST models
• Rear air vents recirculate cabin air only
• No power outlets in the tray for camping
• Tailgate opens manually at toddler head height
• Android Auto is wired only (Apple CarPlay is wireless)
• Front passenger seat is manual adjustment across the range
• Top tether installation via woven loops can be fiddly