The all-new Nissan Navara pickup, the global version of the Nissan Frontier, won the coveted International Pick-up Award for 2016. Other contenders on the finalist list included the Ford Ranger and the Mitsubishi L200.
The truck was awarded the win for its interior and exterior refinement, its powertrain, and its towing and hauling capability. The truck entered production in Spain this month and begins entering showrooms soon.
Judges evaluated trucks in a testing process that included off-road, on-road, and value for the money. Towing, hauling, and other workhorse requirements were also assessed and included towing comparisons.
The Nevara features a new five-link rear suspension in its Double Cab model and a larger load bed than the previous generation. Ride and handling updates came from the implementation of crossover-inspired suspension dynamics and road noise dampening. A suite of technology options to include options such as the Around View Monitor with its 360-degree parking cameras and active braking for forward collision avoidance were also mentioned as high points by judges.
As of yet, Nissan has not announced planned updates for the Frontier. Torque News expects that after the launch of the new Titan XD next month and following Titan updates for the gasoline variants - probably for announcement at the Detroit show in January - the Frontier will be announced as a redesigned 2017 model.