The UAE’s pickup market is getting a new Nissan contender, and the first place to see it is a beach rather than a showroom. AWR Automotive, Nissan’s dealer for Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, has shown the all-new Navara Pro at the Dubai Fitness Challenge’s Fitness Village on Kite Beach. Two trucks are parked by an obstacle course themed around the vehicle, which runs until 29 November.
The pricing will catch the most attention. The Navara Pro starts at AED 99,900 including VAT, putting it right in contention against the Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi Triton and Ford Ranger. It comes in four grades, split between fleet buyers and private owners. That matters in a market where pickups do everything from construction site runs to weekend camping trips.
Every version uses the same engine: a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol with 244hp and 400Nm of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic. In a segment long led by diesel, a strong petrol engine fits UAE buyers well, since the region’s fuel pricing and preferences have generally favoured petrol power.
Nissan has also done work specifically for the Gulf climate. The company says the truck has more than 200 updates for the Middle East, including extra cooling for the battery and air conditioning in high temperatures, and that it has already completed 100,000km of durability testing in the UAE. Any pickup that will spend August idling on job sites needs exactly this kind of preparation.
For businesses, the fleet grades focus on capability. They carry up to 1,175kg, and every Navara Pro can tow 3,300kg and wade through 800mm of water. Ground clearance is 240mm and the wheelbase is 3,300mm. A spray-on bedliner, tie-down hooks and tow hooks are standard across the range, and the fleet models also get a 12-inch touchscreen and four drive modes.
Retail grades are aimed at buyers who use their pickup as a lifestyle vehicle. The screen grows to 14.6 inches with English and Arabic voice control, and there is a 12-speaker sound system, a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control and wireless charging. For off-road use, they add Desert, Rock, Mud and Expert modes, off-road cruise control and a 540-degree camera system, which helps on rocky wadi tracks. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and six airbags are standard throughout.
The truck goes on sale in showrooms in the coming weeks, after a billboard campaign along Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road. With a sub-AED 100,000 starting price and a cabin full of features, the Navara Pro could put real pressure on the region’s best-selling pickups.