Key highlights
- Nissan is understood to be preparing the Frontier Pro for an Australian launch in 2027.
- The plug-in hybrid produces a claimed 320kW and 800Nm from a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and electric motor.
- Larger than today’s Navara and Ford Ranger, the Navara Pro is closer in size to the BYD Shark 6.
Nissan appears to be getting closer to adding a very different ute to its Australian range, with the Chinese-developed Navara Pro understood to be planned for local showrooms in 2027. The vehicle is sold in China as the Frontier Pro, but the brand has already confirmed the Nissan Navara Pro name for export markets such as the Philippines and UAE. Australian dealer sources have indicated plans for the ute to come here as well, although Nissan Australia has not officially confirmed a local launch or specifications.
An example of the Frontier Pro has also reportedly been spotted arriving in Australia wearing camouflage, adding weight to expectations that local testing is under way. The Nissan Navara Pro would sit alongside the recently introduced Mitsubishi-based diesel Navara, but the two utes are fundamentally different. The new Pro was developed with Nissan’s Chinese joint-venture partner Dongfeng and engineered in China with export markets in mind.
Read more: 2027 Nissan Qashqai loses features, gains a price bump in MY26.5 update
A bigger ute aimed at the BYD Shark 6
The Nissan Navara Pro is not simply another version of the familiar Navara. It is larger than both the current Nissan Navara and Ford Ranger, putting it closer to the BYD Shark 6 in overall size. Underneath is a ladder-frame chassis with independent front suspension and a live rear axle. Depending on the market and powertrain, the ute can also be fitted with part-time or intelligent four-wheel drive.
In China, buyers have a choice of petrol and diesel engines, although Australia is expected to focus on the plug-in hybrid if the vehicle is approved for local sale. The petrol version uses a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder producing 190kW and 400Nm, while the 2.3-litre turbo-diesel develops 140kW and 500Nm. Both use an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Nissan Navara Pro PHEV packs 320kW and 800Nm
The version likely to attract the most attention in Australia is the Nissan Navara Pro plug-in hybrid. It combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor for a claimed 320kW and 800Nm of combined output. That would make it considerably more powerful than the diesel-powered Navara currently sold in Australia.
The PHEV also uses conventional four-wheel drive and can be equipped with front and rear differential locks. A 32.9kWh battery is claimed to provide up to 131km of electric-only driving range under NEDC testing, while the claimed hybrid driving range rises to 1050km. Nissan quotes fuel consumption of 7.2L/100km with the battery depleted in Chinese-market testing.
Those figures should not be treated as Australian specifications until Nissan confirms the local version and its testing results.
Towing and off-road capability still matter
Despite its electrified powertrain, the Nissan Navara Pro retains the hardware expected of a traditional 4WD ute. Chinese-market PHEV models are claimed to tow up to 3300kg with brakes, although a 3500kg figure has been quoted elsewhere. Again, the final Australian towing rating remains unconfirmed.
The ladder-frame chassis, four-wheel drive and available differential locks could give the Navara Pro genuine off-road credentials rather than making it simply a lifestyle-focused electric ute. That could be important in Australia, where buyers increasingly expect dual-cab utes to handle everything from weekday commuting to towing and weekend trips away.
Nissan looks to China for more Australian models
The Nissan Navara Pro is part of a broader push by Nissan to use vehicles developed in China to expand its global line-up. Nissan has previously identified the Frontier Pro and N7 electric sedan as potential candidates for Australia, while the larger NX8 SUV has also been flagged as a vehicle with global potential.
For Nissan Australia, the Navara Pro could provide a way to enter the increasingly competitive PHEV ute market, where the BYD Shark 6 has already established itself. For now, however, Australian pricing, final specifications and an exact launch date remain unknown. If Nissan proceeds with the expected 2027 arrival, the Navara Pro could become one of the more significant additions to the local dual-cab market.
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