2024 Nissan Navara SL Warrior 4x4 Review

Nissan has made the clever move to offer Warrior versions of the Navara across multiple price points.

While most of its rivals offer their halo off-roader purely in top-spec form, the Navara SL Warrior is designed to be more accessible, with a heap of off-road hardware thrown into its more affordable SL trim level.

You can think of the Navara SL Warrior is a more basic and accessible off-roader that help to cement its appeal as a great value proposition in the dual-cab ute segment.

The question remains, though, is the Navara SL Warrior 4x4 a great pick, or simply a stepping stone to other members of the Navara lineup?

Let’s take a closer look at the Navara SL Warrior 4x4 to find out how it stacks up as both a hardcore off-roader and a value proposition within the world of dual-cab utes.

Nissan Navara SL Warrior 4x4 Competition

How Much Does the Nissan Navara SL Warrior Cost?

The MY24 Nissan Navara SL Warrior 4x4 is priced at $61,750 before on-road costs.

It’s important to note that our review vehicle was fitted with the optional electric roll top for non sports bar Navara models, which is priced at $3,807 - including installation - according to Nissan’s accessories page.

For reference, Nissan’s true flagship, the Navara PRO-4X Warrior is priced at $68,765 for the manual, while the Navara PRO-4X Warrior automatic is priced at $71,265.

Prices for the Navara dual-cab lineup kick off from $40,850 for the SL 4x4 manual while the variant the SL Warrior is based on, the Navara SL 4x4 automatic is priced $43,350.

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Nissan Navara SL Warrior 4x4 Specifications

What Features & Specs Does the Nissan Navara SL Warrior Have?

Over the base Navara SL, the SL Warrior picks up a long list of improvements from the team at Premcar aimed at making it more capable off-road and lugging around heavy cargo.

The list of improvements for the SL Warrior is headlined by a set of 17-inch cast aluminium wheels wrapped in Cooper AT3 all-terrain tyres measuring 275/70, as well as a revised coil suspension system that adds a 40mm lift with the help of new springs, dampers and jounce bumpers.

Premcar’s revised and upgraded coil suspension package results in a 100kg GVM increase for the SL Warrior which now totals 3,250kg.

The Navara SL Warrior receives Nissan’s part-time four-wheel drive system with a low-range transfer case and a locking rear differential and the 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel engine.

The SL Warrior is also treated to a black winch-compatible hooped bullbar with an LED lightbar built in, a tough bash plate, black fender flares, a tow bar, a spray-in tub liner and all-weather floor mats inside the cabin.

Based on the entry-level Navara SL, the SL Warrior also picks up halogen headlights, cloth upholstery, cruise control, a rear-view camera, hill descent and trailer sway control, a full-sized spare wheel and a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster.

Nissan Navara SL Warrior Connectivity & Infotainment Features

The Navara is getting a bit long in the tooth, now, and makes do with a compact little 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display.

Nissan is seemingly bucking the trend of upsizing its interior displays hoping that a back-to-basics approach will still appeal with its core audience for the SL Warrior.

Size isn’t the biggest problem of Nissan’s display, rather, it’s the relatively low-resolution graphics that, compared with its modern rivals in the segment, fall quite short of the mark.

That said, Nissan’s infotainment system is easy to navigate thanks to shortcut buttons surrounding the display, with AM/FM radio and Bluetooth audio and a six-speaker sound system bundled in.

In terms of outlets, there’s both USB-C and USB-A ports and a pair of 12-volt outlets.

Does the Nissan Navara SL Warrior Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

As you might imagine, with its old-school infotainment offering, the Navara SL Warrior isn’t a segment leader when it comes to wireless smartphone tech.

That said, Nissan has bundled in both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into the SL Warrior, though you’ll need to bring a USB cable to the party, because there’s no wireless phone mirroring on offer.

The process of pairing your smartphone with the Navara’s infotainment system is a quick and simple plug-and-play exercise and we didn’t experience any drop-outs in connection over our time behind the wheel.

Is the Nissan Navara SL Warrior Comfortable to Drive?

Let’s get straight to the elephant in the room - Nissan’s ageing turbo-diesel engine powering the Navara SL.

Under the bonnet the Navara SL Warrior comes powered by a 2.3-litre four-cylinder twin- turbo diesel that produces 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque and is paired with a slick little seven-speed automatic.

It’s a workhorse of an engine but offers some noticeable turbo-lag low down in the rev range and lacks the outright torque that buyers have become somewhat accustomed to in the fiercely contested segment.

We’re pleased to report, though, that the SL Warrior claws back with Premcar’s significant modifications that have made it both a more competent off-roader and improved its on-road manners.

This is most notable when hitting bumps around town or tackling a country road.

With the help of a completely revised suspension package, headlined by new springs, dampers and jounce bumpers, the Navara SL Warrior’s on-road handling has been optimised.

Throw it in some corners and you’ll notice there’s less body-roll, while smaller bumps around town are conquered with ease thanks to its fairly unique coil-sprung setup at the rear, while most of its rivals pick up leaf springs.

It’s still a dual-cab ute built to get to work, but the edges have been smoothed out and are pretty considerable on the road.

That said, the Navara SL Warrior can’t hide its rugged DNA on a drive around the city, with its firm-riding nature, heavy steering and large turning circle that makes it less than ideal in tight scenarios.

This isn’t a super valid criticism, though, considering it’s a package built to handle a tonne’s worth of cargo in the tray and still be driveable.

Pick up the pace and you’ll notice that the Navara’s steering is quite vague, almost lazy at times, and doesn’t reward with much in the way of feel, though the heaviness does translate well to off-road driving.

Put the SL Warrior up against a rough country road and it remains completely unphased, laughing while it eats big bumps.

On the highway, things are pretty smooth and while the steering is a bit vague, the SL Warrior feels nice and planted while the twin-turbo diesel hums away in the background and offers some decent poke for a quick overtake.

Is the Nissan Navara SL Warrior a Great Off-Roader?

You bet it is.

The majority of Premcar’s time was spent underneath the Navara SL Warrior to make it a hardcore off-roader based on the entry-level SL and the results have truly transformed an already solid bush-basher.

While the Navara SL is no slouch, with a completely reworked coil spring suspension package including new springs, dampers and bounce jaunts, a substantial 40mm lift and wider track, the SL Warrior takes things to another level.

Combine that with a hefty 450Nm of torque from Nissan’s 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel unit, capable 4x4 system, a locking rear differential, hill descent control and the SL Warrior has the fundamentals covered.

The SL Warrior not only looks more aggressive, it walks the walk out on the trail with rock-solid performance when the going gets tough.

Inside those flared wheel arches, the extended track width and coil-spring rear suspension gives it more poise on a rough trail, while the 40mm suspension lift means you can tackle tricky sections.

There’s also a tonne of real estate within the black-cladded arches for wheel articulation on slower sections of the trail while offering up a heap of suspension travel if you’re in the mood for launching over bumps.

Better yet, there’s a bash plate to keep all the mechanicals safe.

We’ll list all the relevant off-road specifications for the MY24 Navara SL Warrior below, as well as a reference point over the standard Navara SL 4x4 to give you an idea of Premcar’s improvements in practice.

• Ground Clearance: 260mm (up 48mm)

• Wading Depth: 600mm

• Approach Angle: 36.0 degrees (up 4.9)

• Departure Angle: 19 degrees (down 5.5)

• Breakover Angle: 22.9 degrees (down 0.5)

How Much Can the Navara SL Warrior Carry and Tow?

One of Premcar’s major modifications for the SL Warrior comes in the form of a 100kg increase to its gross vehicle mass.

This gives the Navara SL Warrior GVM figures of 3,250kg, which also offers a payload increase up to 1,026kg, making it a great workhorse for lugging around heavy cargo.

Braked towing capacity remains 3,500kg, though the Navara’s gross combination mass (GCM) figures of 5,910kg means you won’t have much weight to spare if you’re fully loaded.

Nissan throws in a factory towbar which is rated up to 3,500kg with the Navara SL Warrior.

Full payload, GVM, GCM and towing figures can be found below.

• Gross Vehicle Mass: 3,250kg (up 100kg)

• Gross Combination Mass: 5,910kg

• Payload: 1,026kg

• Braked Towing Capacity: 3,500kg

Is the Nissan Navara SL Warrior Fuel Efficient?

While it might not have the outright power of its most modern flagship rivals, Nissan’s 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel unit is pretty fuel efficient… on paper, at least.

On a combined cycle, the Navara SL Warrior is rated at 7.9L/100km which we weren’t quite able to match.

On a mix of town and country driving, one off-road slog and two long stints on the highway, we averaged 8.8L/100km over around 800km of driving.

Around town, you can expect to see fuel economy figures jump up to 9.9L/100km while cruising along the highway should drop these down to around 6.7L/100km.

The Navara SL Warrior receives an 80L fuel tank which gives it an average fuel distance of 1,013km if you can match Nissan’s 7.9L/100km economy figures.

Is the Nissan Navara SL Warrior Practical and Spacious?

Step inside the cabin and the Navara feels like a bit of a blast from the past.

Climbing aboard is still a pretty easy feat, even in the absence of side steps, while the fundamentals of cabin space, namely headroom in the cockpit are all solid.

There’s certainly nothing too flash inside the SL Warrior’s cabin, with all of the upgrades reserved for what’s underneath the body and inside the wheel arches, rather than the cabin itself.

That said, the notion that the back-to-basics cabin layout might actually appeal to a core demographic is not lost on us.

While rivals are getting massive, laptop-sized screens and plush materials, the SL Warrior takes a working-class approach to cabin packaging that may well prove familiar, user-friendly and welcome by those buyers.

It’s a largely blacked-out affair inside, with some silver contrasts across the steering wheel, dashboard and across two parts of the centre console.

The steering wheel feels pretty basic, though the built-in media and cruise control buttons and the 7.0-inch trip computer sitting behind help to keep things relatively modern.

Nissan’s cloth-upholstered seats aren’t the flashiest armchairs on the market but we were actually quite surprised over a long drive how comfortable they were and offer decent side-bolstering.

In terms of ergonomics, the Navara’s cabin ticks all but one important box.

Big rotary dials for the air conditioning, media shortcuts and a chunky gear lever keep everything within easy reach, though you’ll be hard-pressed to find a spot for your elbow that isn’t rock hard.

The centre armrest is a flat piece of black plastic and while there’s some padding on the door sill armrest, it’s minimal and struggles to actually cushion anything.

Storage options are solid, with a tray at the base of the dash for smartphones flanked by two small stash spots on either side of the transmission tunnel.

There’s also the usual cup holders, a fairly compact storage area underneath the centre armrest, a sunglasses holder and bottle holders that can swallow up tall drink bottles.

Move to the second row and things get a bit cramped in the back of the SL Warrior.

Sitting behind a 185cm driving position meant that our knees were firmly against the seatback, showing that the Navara leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to second-row accommodation.

Headroom is also tight, with just a few millimetres between our tallest hair follicles and the roof.

Lifting the rear bench seat exposes a couple of storage areas, one of which is occupied by the tyre jack and some accessories, but this arrangement does allow you to squeeze some valuable cargo inside.

For the parents out there, the Navara SL Warrior offers two pairs of ISOFIX anchors on each outboard seat, as well as three top tether mounts positioned beneath the headrests.

How Big is the Nissan Navara SL Warrior’s Tray?

The Navara SL Warrior retains the same tray dimensions as the standard Navara SL.

This means there’s a load bay measuring 1,509mm long, 1,560mm wide, 1,134mm wide between the wheel arches and 519mm tall.

There’s also the same four tie-down points inside the bed to help secure cargo.

Nissan Navara SL Warrior Tray Dimensions

• Length: 1,509mm

• Width: 1,560mm

• Width Between Arches: 1,134mm

• Height: 519mm

Our review vehicle was fitted with the optional, powered roller cover from Australian company HSP which features LED lighting and customisable operations via a smartphone app.

Priced at $3,807 fitted, it’s a great and super secure powered roller tonneau that allows you to open and close the weather-proofed tray via the factory keyfob or two buttons positioned on the front left-hand side of the tray.

Is the Nissan Navara SL Warrior Safe?

Safety is another area that the Navara platform is beginning to show some signs of its age.

As standard, the Navara SL Warrior offers autonomous emergency braking, cruise control, hill descent and trailer sway control, a hill start assist system and a rear-view camera.

You won’t find, however, any of the active safety tech packaged into the flagship PRO-4X range, meaning you miss out on blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise, rear cross-traffic alerts and a surround-view monitor.

In terms of safety ratings, the Navara’s previous five-star ANCAP safety rating expired in the latter stages of 2022.

The MY24 Nissan Navara range remains unrated by ANCAP.

What Warranty Does the Nissan Navara SL Warrior Come With?

The Nissan Navara SL comes packaged with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Better yet, all of Premcar’s off-road modifications are backed by Nissan’s factory warranty.

The company offers six capped-price services for the Navara SL, which total $4,203 over the course of six visits to the service centre.

Service intervals for the MY24 Navara SL Warrior range stand at a particularly lengthy 12 monthbs or 20,000-kilometres, whichever elapses first.

Our Verdict: Is the Nissan Navara SL Warrior 4x4 Worth it?

We admire Nissan for offering a more affordable hardcore off-roader in the range - we can’t argue with an accessible alternative to the halo utes that have hit the market.

In that respect, there’s a lot to like about the Navara SL Warrior’s honest, no-frills approach to off-roading which will resonate with a demographic that prefers to keep things simple while conquering the outdoors.

For the money, it comes wearing a lengthy list of rugged features that make it a super competent and kitted-up 4x4 right off the factory floor, meaning you don’t need to invest any time or added money getting it ready for your off-road adventures.

While it presents solid value compared with many flagship rivals, the Navara SL Warrior is somewhat compromised with its underwhelming technology and ageing interior layout of the decade-old platform - but that won’t be a deal-breaker for all buyers.

In fact, some buyers may love the Navara for its honest approach, admire its rugged simplicity and celebrate the added off-road prowess.

Thanks to Premcar’s wide-ranging improvements, the SL Warrior is even tougher off-road and more capable as a workhorse thanks to the GVM upgrades, meaning it’s a base model that doesn’t shy away from a challenge.

Nissan and Premcar have done a great job to widen the Navara’s appeal and offer buyers a more affordable halo off-roader that keeps things simple.

If you’re looking to upgrade to a new dual-cab ute, be sure to reach out to one of our car-buying specialists who can help you find the best possible price.

Five Nissan Navara SL Warrior Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty

2. 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel (140kW / 450Nm)

3. 7.9L/100km combined cycle fuel economy

4. Part-time 4x4 system with low range, locking rear differential

5. 3,500kg braked towing capacity