Nissan leans on EV experience to prepare dealers for Navara Pro PHEV rollout

Dealer network ready for first plug-in hybrid

Nissan Australia believes its established experience with battery-electric vehicles will ease the introduction of the Navara Pro PHEV, particularly in servicing, technician training and regional customer support. Speaking with GoAuto during a development briefing, Nissan Oceania managing director Steve Milette said the company's history with the Leaf and Ariya provided a foundation for its first locally offered plug-in hybrid. "It is very transferable," he said. "Whether it's equipment, training, technical knowledge, how to handle high voltage batteries, like our technicians coast to coast know how to do it, so for us it's just one more model." ¹

Milette's comments, as reported by GoAuto, stress that while specific training will be required, technicians will not be facing their first electrified vehicle. Milette noted that dealers already handle many of the technologies and safety requirements associated with electrified vehicles, and added: "I think our network is very mature in that regard." Nissan has marketed battery-electric vehicles in Australia since the original Leaf, later offering the second-generation model and more recently the Ariya SUV. ¹

GoAuto reports that the advantage may be especially relevant in Australia, where customers can depend on dealerships far from metropolitan centres, and given Nissan's ambition to attract commercial and fleet buyers who prioritise servicing access, downtime and qualified technicians in rural and regional areas. However, model-specific service intervals, maintenance costs and the extent of dealership readiness have yet to be detailed. ¹

Preliminary specification: 300kW, 3500kg towing, one-tonne payload

The Navara Pro PHEV combines a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine with an integrated electric motor and eight-speed automatic transmission, producing preliminary combined outputs of 300kW and 800Nm, making it one of the most powerful utilities Nissan has offered locally, according to GoAuto. The MyNRMA notes these outputs remain subject to homologation. Nissan claims the vehicle retains genuine workhorse capability with a mechanical 4x4 system, differential lock, up to 1000kg payload and 3500kg braked towing capacity. ¹⁵⁶

GoAuto confirmed in early October that the Australian-market Navara Pro differs from the globally announced Frontier Pro, with Nissan selecting the larger 2.0-litre engine over the previously revealed 1.5-litre PHEV setup after evaluating both. Battery capacity and official EV-only range for the Australian version have not been announced; the underlying Dongfeng Z9 offers a 32.85kWh battery and 135km electric range, as noted by MyNRMA. ⁵⁶

Standard equipment includes four drive modes (Eco, Standard, Sport and Slippery) and seven terrain modes (Standard, Deep Snow, Mud, Sand, Rock, Wading and Expert), plus vehicle-to-load capability for powering external equipment. Styling references the 1980s D21 Hardbody, including its three-slot hood opening, and equipment can include a large central touchscreen, digital instruments, panoramic sunroof and heated and ventilated front seats, varying by grade. ⁵⁶

Australian testing shaped the vehicle

Nissan says five prototype and development vehicles have covered more than 20,000km in Australian conditions since 2025, informing calibration of the powertrain, suspension, ADAS, terrain and drive modes, tyres, differential lock, towing and load performance. Milette said at the vehicle's reveal: "Australia wasn't simply where we tested Navara Pro PHEV. It was one of the markets helping shape it." ⁵⁶

GoAuto reports that Australian requirements drove the switch from the 1.5-litre prototype to the 2.0-litre powertrain, with Nissan Australia engineering general manager John Galvin explaining: "That long-range sustained performance and high-load towing applications that we know that customers use in the ute market is what demanded that higher-capacity two litre powertrain." The development objective includes sustaining battery charge while towing 3500kg uphill, with regenerative braking recovering energy on descents. ³

Dedicated towing and terrain modes were developed during testing in Victoria, including at Lerderderg State Forest, Mount Donna Buang and roads around Bendigo. "These modes were born here in Australia," Galvin told GoAuto. "They didn't exist before that car came here." Nissan has also evaluated leaf-spring and multi-link coil-spring rear suspension, with a final decision on whether one or both will be offered still to be made closer to launch. ³

Timing, pricing and warranty

Nissan says the Navara Pro PHEV remains scheduled for introduction during the second half of 2027, becoming the brand's first plug-in hybrid in Australia and its first electrified ute globally, with Australia and New Zealand the first right-hand drive markets, according to GoAuto. Further information on local specifications, pricing and servicing arrangements is expected closer to its arrival. ¹⁵

No official pricing has been announced. MyNRMA observes that, with the current diesel Navara Pro-4X priced at $68,418 plus on-road costs, the PHEV is expected to command upwards of $75,000 plus on-road costs — a projection from that publication rather than a Nissan figure. The vehicle will be eligible for Nissan's 10-year/300,000km conditional warranty, which requires servicing through the Nissan network. ⁶¹³

GoAuto reports the PHEV will sit alongside the D27-series diesel Navara rather than replacing it, giving Nissan a two-pronged ute strategy, and will compete with the BYD Shark 6, Ford Ranger PHEV, GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV, JAC Hunter PHEV and incoming Chery Stockman. ⁵

Warrior program cancelled to prioritise the launch

Nissan Australia has cancelled the planned D27-series Navara Warrior, confirming to GoAuto that resources previously allocated to the Premcar-developed off-road flagship will instead go towards launching the Navara Pro PHEV as quickly as possible. "We've elected to put all our resources against this P20-series (or this Navara Pro PHEV) to launch it as quickly as we can," Milette told GoAuto. ²

The decision ends the prospect of a successor to the D23-series Navara Warrior, with the near-production PRO-4X Warrior Concept shown at the D27's Adelaide launch in November not proceeding to production. According to GoAuto, the PHEV's 300kW outputs, 3500kg towing and one-tonne payload provide considerable scope for a potential performance-orientated Warrior derivative, although Milette told the publication that no such program has been approved but that it will be studied, and that Nissan's relationship with Premcar remains positive. ²

Broader context: more Chinese-sourced models under consideration

The Navara Pro PHEV, based on the Dongfeng Z9 through Nissan's joint venture with Dongfeng dating back to 2003, is the first of potentially several China-sourced models for Australia. Milette told CarExpert, as published by PerthNow: "Today is the first of more to come... We can't confirm which ones are next on the docket, but definitely there are more to come," with candidates including the N7 sedan, NX7 and NX8 SUVs and a production Terrano PHEV, all subject to individual business cases. ⁴

PerthNow also notes Nissan is preparing to launch the Y63-series Patrol, with deliveries of the twin-turbo V6 SUV due in the first quarter of 2027, ahead of the PHEV's arrival later in the year. ⁴