ON THE ROAD:

THESE days, trucks have to be more than just workhorses.

They also have to be able to cope with life away from the building site.

To that end, car makers are going all out to make their vehicles as appealing as possible.

The Nissan Navara - now known as the NP300 or Nissan Pickup 3 Tonnes - established itself early on as a vehicle capable of doing the heavy lifting, but one that was just as adept at taking the family out.

This latest one has been updated in order to take on the likes of the latest offerings from Mitsubishi, Toyota and Volkswagen, who have tried to steal a march on their rival.

Nissan has spent a lot of time trying to make the Navara feel anything like a pickup of old when on the road. They want to give drivers and passengers alike the impression they are in one of their award-winning crossovers. It's no mean feat, but the NP300 rides well for a big car. Whereas as many manufacturers persists with leaf springs and rigid rear axles, Nissan has fitted its vehicle with a five-link rear suspension system which offers a superior ride without compromising on load capacity, towing ability or its capability off road.

The NP300 is powered by a 2.3 litre diesel engine that offers impressive torque and speed - gone are the days when it felt like you had to measure nought to 60mph times in minutes.

Where it does feel like truck-like is in its steering which is heavy and can appear like it is taking time to acknowledge the driver's instructions. To someone who spends most of his time driving hatchbacks this seems a little odd, but it's not unlike other vehicles of its kind.

ON THE INSIDE:

THE Navara's interior is not up there with that of crossovers and hatches, but it is certainly a world away from the Spartan offerings of a few years ago. While durable and hardwearing, it is also pleasant and not as dull and dowdy as you might expect.

There is a lot of black, but this is interspersed with chrome detailing which is a nice distraction.

You sit high up in the cab and so vision is good in whichever direction you look. The seats are comfortable without being cosseting, the only complaint I had was from my kids who were sat in the rear seats and complained because they were understandably upright.

WHAT DO YOU GET:

OUR Visia Double Cab had standard equipment that included 16ins wheels, body coloured front bumper, ABS and EBD, hill start assist, hill descent control, alarm, remote central door locking, vehicle dynamic control, Bluetooth, six speakers, USB port, AUX socket for MP3 player, AM/FM/CD player, cloth seats, manual air conditioning, six-way adjustable drivers seat, power steering, front and rear electric windows, LED rear lights, cruise control and automatic headlights with 'follow me home' feature.

HOW PRACTICAL IS IT:

The Northern Echo: The load space of the new Navara

THE Navara certainly comes close to being vehicle for all seasons. You can't please all of the people all of the time, as the saying goes, but the NP300 comes close. There's plenty of room onboard - even the taller among us can stretch out in the front and I had no complaints about head or legroom in the rear. Towing capacity and payload are both increased when compared with the old model - we went away for the weekend and there was just about enough room for the kitchen sink beneath the load bay cover.

RUNNING COSTS:

NISSAN say the Navara is capable of returning a shade over 44mpg on the combined cycle and during my week with it, which included two journeys of 200-miles plus, it hit the mark almost exactly. CO2 emissions are 169g/km.

VERDICT:

GOOD enough to pose more than a threat to its rivals.

ALTERNATIVES:

MITSUBISHI L200, VW Amarok, Toyota Hilux