The Navara Pro PHEV Ute has been built from the outset as a workhorse with just enough tech bolted in
Farm hands too young to drive a Nissan Navara Ute from 2007 to 2014 when the D40 was the greatest competition to a Toyota HiLux can get that experience here and now.
The popular Navara Ute dropped back to around half its former glory days sales in 2015 when the D23 model was released and failed to live up to expectations.
However, the badge is now back on track and in a big way, with the release of the D27 series this year. See our write-up here, but probably the most exciting news of all is the Nissan Navara Pro Plug-in Hybrid confirmed for a 2027 release.
We first got excited about the Navara Pro Hybrid plug-in back in May 2025 when prototype vehicles arrived here for testing. See our first preview of the international model, called the Frontier Pro, at this link.
Since then, Nissan has worked with the factory to develop the badge’s first plug-in hybrid electrified Ute with right-hand drive, a model built for us, to ensure at release it will take-off straight away.
The Navara Pro PHEV arriving for the AU and NZ markets is not an off-the-shelf global specification. Instead, the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and integrated 8-speed electric-motor transmission reflects the importance of towing, payload and long-distance travel local farmers need.
The Oceania-specification Navara Pro PHEV neatly pairs the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a high-output electric motor into the 8-speed automatic transmission.
The system delivers a preliminary 300kW (476hp) of combined power and 800Nm of torque to ensure the performance expected from a serious 4×4 workhorse while reducing fuel cost with the benefit of running on part electrification.
The 8-speed transmission will cross any terrain with the benefit of low-range crawling in extreme paddock conditions while also offering low-rpm cruising at highway speeds for efficient long-distance driving.
The Navara Pro PHEV has four selectable drive modes (ECO, Standard, Sport & Slippery) and seven terrain modes (Standard, Deep Snow, Mud, Sand, Rock, Wading & Expert). Each mode adjusts the vehicle’s powertrain, steering and traction-control mapping to optimise performance as its requirements.
The five-seat dual-cab configuration has just enough added technology and offers a comfortable ride. However, there is a long list of available extras for anyone wanting to incorporate a large central touchscreen and an enhanced digital instrument cluster, a panoramic sunroof, and even heated and ventilated front seats.
Local testing and content
Thousands of kilometres of local development testing have helped Nissan assess what it will take to get farmers to make the switch to an electric/hybrid workhorse.
Engineers worked on off-road capability and have it underpinned by a mechanical 4×4 system with extensively tuned terrain and drive modes and include mechanical differential-lock capability.
They tested and validated mechanical front, rear and combined differential-lock configurations, alongside different suspension and tyres, to establish a specification suited to our region’s varied requirements.
They delved deeply into an extensive assessment of suspension configurations, including both leaf-spring and multi-link coil-spring rear suspension. With the final suspension configuration for our local market still under wraps until early next year.
The Navara Pro PHEV will be rated with 1,000kg of payload and a 3,500kg braked towing capacity to satisfy the most brutish drivers.
The result is a Navara Pro PHEV specification specifically selected for Oceania: electrified performance combined with genuine 4×4 capability, serious towing and payload credentials, all with local engineering validation.
Be the first in your district to place an order; it’s a move toward a quieter future for farm vehicles.
Navara Pro PHEV preliminary specs
