Can a 6-speed tranny outgun the competition?

8 CROSSMEMBER ladder type frame chassis for smooth ride without compromising payload capacity. Photos by Tessa R. Salazar

We’re beginning to look a lot like Thailand. Look around, and the noisy din of motorcycles—ever increasing by the hour—the confusing snarl of urban traffic, and the increasing numbers of pick-ups that roam our streets make it look like our Southeast Asian neighbor. Though the number of pick-ups here in the Philippines pales in comparison with that of the pick-up capital of Asean, that doesn’t mean the competition among auto manufacturers is less fierce.

The sales battle is intense, particularly in the top three spots of the pick-up market. After Inquirer Motoring featured Mitsubishi’s consistent 4×2 top-seller Strada last week, the next logical step would be to take a close look at its arch rival Nissan Navara, the top gun of Universal Motors Corp.

Always breathing down Strada’s neck, the Navara has been a consistent top 2nd or 3rd in rank in the 4×2 and 4×4 pick-up categories since 2008. Its come-ons have been based largely on the tried-and-tested legacy of the Frontier series, and its first-in-class 6-speed manual transmission and unique 8-crossmember ladder-type frame for more strength and durability and the longest wheelbase.

To enable us to experience what made the Navara unique, UMC gave this writer the keys to a Navara 6-speed manual transmission unit—a “war veteran” of sorts as the odometer indicated that it had logged in more than 30,000 km.

That ‘feel’ of a pick-up

UMC's best pickup line starts with an 'N'

Driving the Navara 6-speed manual is like going back to that old-school pick-up feel. It felt like a truck, and somehow I felt like growing some muscles on my arms and legs and stubble on my chin as all my appendages were engaged in driving and shifting through all six gears, plus another gear for the reverse. Maybe I had grown so used to driving automatic transmissions, or maybe I just need to lift weights some more, but going back to driving manual transmissions, in heavy stop-and-go traffic on a rainy day, in a long pick-up that required me to push down hard on the stick to get to the reverse gear while irate motorists all around me honked their horns for me to hurry up and finish the U-turn on a narrow alleyway, was just a bit much for a little lady like me to handle.

But I do have to admit, driving the Navara 6-speed manual may be difficult at first, but when you get used to it (especially with that tricky European-style push-to-the-right-and-push-down reverse gear; first-timers always mistakenly get it into 6th gear) you’ve leveled up in your driving skills. And if you put a premium on bedspace, well, the Navara, certainly has a longer pick-up bed than the Strada. The Navara has a wheelbase of 3,200mm, while the Strada has 3,000mm. The lower ride height, wider door frame, and the availability of the hand-support bars on the side of the door frame also make ingress and egress for passengers that much easier than in a Strada.

The Navara also has enough power to propel its unique transmission. The 2.5-liter engine generates 144ps at 4,000 rpm and torque of 356Nm at 2,000 rpm. In comparison, the Strada 4×2 VGT generates 178ps at 4,000rpm, and max torque of 350Nm at 1,800- 3,500rpm. The Navara is as hefty as the Strada, the former weighing in at 1,710 kg.

Power play

6-SPEED manual transmission is ideal for out-of-town drives as the overdrive 6th gear offers better fuel economy.

It would be unfair for this writer to compare the Strada we drove two weeks ago to the Navara, beyond what has been given to us on paper. The Strada we tested was A/T, and brand spanking new with the VGT to boot. On the other hand, the Navara, as indicated earlier, is an M/T and a relative old-timer. So we’ve asked around and got long-term users of Strada and Navara to share their raves and rants about their pick-ups.

Richie Ojeda, 35, a contractor, and the president of the 90-member strong Navara Club Philippines, said: “I had tested all the available pick-ups in the market way back 2009 when I was looking for one. Navara was on top of the list, I even had the chance to test-drive another brand for three days.”

Ojeda added: “VGT (technology) is not new to us. The Navara has been using the VGT turbo ever since. It has the most power on all trucks I have tested, quicker response on acceleration, quiet engine and the highest loading capacity.

“I’m not that particular on tests done, especially for EuroNCAP and Ancap, in choosing what car I want. I do my own research. Remember that most of the vehicles used for these tests are different from the ones we are getting here. (They might be the) same brand or same model, but the ones we get here are Thai-, Malaysia- and now China-built. So if a brand boasts that they pass with flying colors, then good for them. Whatever makes you sleep soundly at night. The important thing is you get what you pay for.”

NO sweat on the uphill for this SUT.

Ojeda enumerated Navara’s strengths. “Power. Plenty of it. And with power comes speed. The biggest loading bed size, the heaviest loading capacity—a ton—for the 4×2 variant.” He also took exception to the stability and look of the Navara. “It is stable on cornering and on uneven roads, with the eight cross member chassis. The Navara is macho on all angles; what a pick-up truck should look like.”

Strada re-match?

Ojeda represents the Navara Club that comprises Navara owners aged, on the average, between 30 and 45 who come from varied sectors of society. Some are lawyers, architects, engineers and businessmen. But they all come together to enjoy adventures their Navaras make possible for them.

“We want all the best for our ride, (so) here is where I think the Navara can improve. The horn sounds (too) cute for a beast-like truck. For a truck with this profile, the installed radio could use an MP3-capable head unit for the 4×2 variant, and maybe bigger tires for the 4×2. Maybe they can provide a tail gate lock for the Navara like what I did with mine. And (I hope) they will change the fabric used on the sidings and upholstery on the new models of the Navara.”

THIS 4x2 version is equipped with front airbags for driver and passenger, antilock brake system and electronic brake force distribution.

Finally, much hype has been leveled on the Strada and Navara getting involved in a drag race (see https://www.topgear.com .ph/news/drag-race-mitsubishi-strada-vs-nissan-navara) and where the Strada crosses the finish line ahead. What does the Navara Club have to say about this?

“Rematch with us using our Navaras. Lots of factors can make or break a truck’s performance. Your truck must be in tip-top form to do these kinds of challenges. I am not saying James Deakin’s truck is not, but maybe it can do better.”

That race may well have been over and done with. But the checkered flag hasn’t waved as far as the competition between the top three pick-ups is concerned (the Toyota Hilux not to be outrun).