Hi all - I live in a fairly rural area of the UK and I am contemplating buying a Navara and was hoping to get some advice on whether it is likely to be a good idea or not. I will be using it to get to and from work (which is mostly motorway, about 23miles each way), but also to transport my family (wife + 11yo and 8 yo) around after school and at weekends. Primarily in the summer months will be using it to take family + kayak/ paddleboards/ wetsuits etc to the beach (when the weather allows) and slinging 4 bikes in the back. I also do some shooting so will be using it year round to take shooting kit - sometimes those trips involve brief drives across fields/ up semi-off road tracks. Plus one or two UK holidays per year with ridiculous amounts of "kid kit"! To be realistic, I would estimate that I would only be loading up the Navara with significant amounts of kit like this on average about once a week.
To date I have managed all of these uses with an X-trail (without the need for a roof box, but putting the kayak (3 man) on a roof rack), but its a lease car that I won't have much longer and will need to buy my own (private purchase). I could buy an X-trail but to be honest I fancy a change and have always liked the look of a pickup. I have not yet driven a pickup however, and I am slightly concerned about the extra length and how that might make parking trickier (although I v rarely need to park on the road - nearly always off road or open air car parks).
Having had a brief look at costs, the purchase prices for used Navaras (I guess I'd be looking at a 3-5 year old one with about 50k on the clock) seem pretty good - although with the fixed tax on it looks like that will be more expensive than an X-trail, and it has worse MPG (about 33mpg compared to about 53 on my 3 yo X-trail).
I would be really grateful for any views on this and whether I should be seriously considering a Navara for my intended use, or stick to a large SUV?
Thanks!
Luke
To date I have managed all of these uses with an X-trail (without the need for a roof box, but putting the kayak (3 man) on a roof rack), but its a lease car that I won't have much longer and will need to buy my own (private purchase). I could buy an X-trail but to be honest I fancy a change and have always liked the look of a pickup. I have not yet driven a pickup however, and I am slightly concerned about the extra length and how that might make parking trickier (although I v rarely need to park on the road - nearly always off road or open air car parks).
Having had a brief look at costs, the purchase prices for used Navaras (I guess I'd be looking at a 3-5 year old one with about 50k on the clock) seem pretty good - although with the fixed tax on it looks like that will be more expensive than an X-trail, and it has worse MPG (about 33mpg compared to about 53 on my 3 yo X-trail).
I would be really grateful for any views on this and whether I should be seriously considering a Navara for my intended use, or stick to a large SUV?
Thanks!
Luke
