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July 1, 2002
By Denis Droppa

Expectations of what bakkies should do have come a long way from their original muck-lugging roots.

Today's flagship 4x4 double cabs have to be able to plough through bogs and over boulders yet still ride and handle well on the road, carry four passengers in air-conditioned comfort yet have a load box big enough for garden rubbish or mountain bikes.

One wonders whether the term bakkie is even apt, as they're more like SUVs that happen to have huge load space.

Any way you look at them, these vehicles are from and exceptional breed of unrivalled versatility. It's also why they are afflicted with nightmare nomenclature such as that of the (deep breath, now!) Nissan Hardbody 3000 16VTD Double Cab 4x4 SEL on test here.

The 22-syllable name sums up most of the talents of this R286 990 pickup, launched as part of a new-and-improved, 15-model Hardbody range by Nissan SA in March but it's the styling that really grabs you.

The new Hardbody retains its predecessor's familiar robusticity but its bold new presence should be a homing beacon for adventure-seeking, fashion-conscious types.

This range-topping version looks the business. If a vehicle is an extension of its owner's personality then this one makes you look like somebody who wrestles crocodiles and enjoys a bit of classical music afterwards.

It's embellished with tough-guy items: bull bar, rollover bar, side steps and flared wheel arches. Even the roof rack escapes its traditional role as an ugly utility item and makes a stylish visual statement with an aerodynamic spoiler.

The cool styling doesn't stop on the outside. A sporty (height-adjustable) steering wheel and blue-faced instruments create some flair in the cabin while the smoothly curved fascia and leather-bolstered cloth seats create a cosy, car-like ambience.

So do creature comforts such as button-operated exterior mirrors, electric windows (with an auto up/down function for the driver), central locking with keyless entry, air-conditioning and a radio/CD.

The hard plastic of the fascia and the sliding lever ventilation controls betray the Hardbody's workhorse roots but so does the tough-as-nails build quality and everything seems solidly screwed together.

Two crash bags, a pair of cupholders, generous oddments space and comfortable bucket seats round off the generous treatment meted out to the front passengers but Nissan has been a bit stingy with the rear seat accommodation. The legroom isn't particularly good, the bench is too close to the floor and the backrest is too upright.

The street cred and luxury features suggest this is anything but a workhorse but the flagship Hardbody is more than capable of hard work. A tough ladder chassis provides a strong backbone for hauling and towing and the shortened cargo bay is rated for 850kg.

Nice practical touches - such as an easy-to-operate central tailgate latch and a load box cover held in place by elastic cord - means females can use the load box without breaking a nail.

It's a good idea to keep some weighty cargo permanently in the box to load up the rear springs and dampen the ride. The front suspension is independent with coil springs but the leaf springs and solid axle at the rear generate a jittery and bouncy unladen ride over not-so-smooth roads. Or, in the expert opinion of my four-year-old daughter, "it makes you wiggle and giggle".

Power-assisted steering and a slick gearshift help ease this bulky bakkie into parking bays. Less impressive are the anti-lock brakes; they feel very numb and need a firm foot.

The Hardbody's three-litre, quad-valve motor is the most powerful turbodiesel in its class at 105kW (at 3400rpm) and 314Nm of torque (from 2000rpm). That solidly out-punches Toyota's flagship 3.0 KZ-TE Hilux turbodiesel that musters 85kW and 315Nm, the 2,8-litre turbodiesel Mitsubishi Colt Rodeo with 92kW and 294Nm and the 2.5-litre turbodiesel engine of the Mazda Drifter/Ford Ranger that makes 80kW and 257Nm.

But our feeling about Nissan's turbodiesel is bittersweet. It wields a hearty punch but it's also very noisy and has a tractor-like chugga-chugga that doesn't fade even when cruising. It's also more of a fuel-guzzler than we expected for a diesel, using 11.2 litres/100km on the freeway and 13.2 during a combination of urban commuting and a bit of off-roading.

Acceleration isn't exactly slingshot at 18.6 seconds to 100km/h but its strong point is solid cruising power. Around town the initial response is a bit lazy until the turbocharger starts spinning but on the open road the heavy bakkie has good muscle whatever the revs and can cruise quite easily at a true 160km/h.

Another highlight: the motor shuts down smoothly, without the typical shudder of most diesels.

The turbodiesel's low-rev grunt really comes to the fore in off-road conditions when low-range crawling is required and it will do the job with the motor idling.

The Hardbody's a mud-wallower of note and felt at home when tested in the tough off-road course at Bass Lake near Henley-On-Klip. It's more user-friendly than 4x4 bakkies of old with its auto-locking hubs (you don't have to go out and stand in the mud) and shifts from two to all-wheel drive on the move at up to 40km/h.

With its all-wheel drive and electro-pneumatic diff lock the Nissan took steep hills, slippery slopes, and axle twisters in its stride while its 220mm ride height and good approach and departure angles prevented any belly-scraping.

Price: R286 990.

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SUMMARY

Commanding road presence and a work hard, play hard character make Nissan's new top-of-the-range double-cab an enticing prospect for weekend adventurers who enjoy their creature comforts. It's competitively priced, especially against Toyota's flagship Hilux that is similarly equipped but retails for R303 410.

The Nissan engine's a good workhorse but its noisy and agricultural nature may chase yuppies to the smoother Hardbody 3.3-litre V6 petrol version.