Nissan confirms 300kW Navara Pro PHEV for Australia in 2027

Nissan makes the PHEV ute official

Nissan Australia has confirmed its long-anticipated plug-in hybrid ute will arrive in 2027 wearing the Navara Pro name, bringing preliminary combined outputs of 300kW and 800Nm and a 3500kg braked towing capacity. GoAuto reports the model will be Nissan Australia's first plug-in hybrid and the company's first electrified ute globally, with Australia and New Zealand the first right-hand-drive markets to receive it. ¹

The confirmation ends months of expectation. CarExpert notes the ute had been spotted testing locally and teased earlier in the week, while 7NEWS reported Nissan's teaser release promising "an exciting new addition to its Australian vehicle range" ahead of an announcement on Thursday, 8 October. The model has already been launched in China as the Frontier Pro, and CarExpert describes the local version as an entirely different vehicle despite sharing the Navara name, having been co-developed with Nissan's long-term Chinese partner Dongfeng. ²⁵

Nissan Oceania managing director Steve Milette said the local program went beyond a conventional validation exercise. "Australia wasn't simply where we tested Navara Pro PHEV. It was one of the markets helping shape it," he said. CarSauce carries further Milette remarks positioning the vehicle as the sixth generation of the Navara nameplate, which he says spans five generations in Australia. ¹³

A different powertrain for our region

The Australian-market Navara Pro differs materially from the globally announced Frontier Pro. GoAuto reports Nissan selected a larger 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine after evaluating both that powertrain and the 1.5-litre PHEV setup revealed for China, with the choice made specifically to suit local expectations around towing, payload and sustained performance. ¹²

The 2.0-litre engine is paired with a high-output electric motor integrated into an eight-speed automatic transmission, producing preliminary combined outputs of 300kW and 800Nm that remain subject to final homologation. CarSauce notes the transmission is designed to provide low-range crawling capability off-road while allowing relaxed low-rpm highway cruising. ¹³

For context, the Chinese-market Frontier Pro PHEV uses a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor, producing up to 320kW and 800Nm combined, according to Torque Cafe. Battery capacity and official EV-only range for the Australian Navara Pro have not yet been announced, with final battery specification, equipment, pricing and grade structure to be confirmed closer to the 2027 arrival. ⁴¹

Shaped by local testing

Nissan says Australia has played a significant role in developing the final specification. Five prototype and development vehicles have been brought to Australia since 2025 and have collectively covered more than 20,000km in local conditions, with testing continuing, CarSauce reports. GoAuto details that the program has encompassed powertrain calibration, suspension, ADAS, terrain modes, tyres, differential-lock strategies, towing and load performance, with teams from Nissan Australia, Nissan Japan and Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile in China feeding results back in. ³¹

"We have put the vehicle through thousands of kilometres of real Australian conditions because we know what customers here expect from a ute," Mr Milette said, according to GoAuto. "The result is a Navara Pro PHEV specification developed specifically to deliver electrification without compromising the capability that defines the segment." ¹

Capability and equipment

GoAuto understands the ute will retain a mechanical four-wheel-drive system rather than relying exclusively on electrically driven axles, along with mechanical differential-lock capability, and will offer up to 1000kg payload capacity subject to final homologation. CarExpert reports Nissan has evaluated front, rear and combined differential-lock configurations locally, and both leaf-spring and multi-link coil-spring rear suspension layouts, with the final Australian setup to be confirmed closer to the start of sales. ¹²

Four drive modes – Eco, Standard, Sport and Slippery – will be offered alongside seven terrain modes covering Standard, Deep Snow, Mud, Sand, Rock, Wading and Expert settings. Vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality will be available for powering external equipment while camping, touring or working remotely, GoAuto reports. ¹

Styling draws on Nissan ute heritage, particularly the 1980s D21-series Hardbody, with three horizontal LED elements above the grille referencing that model's three-slot bonnet opening. Inside, equipment will vary by grade but can include a large central touchscreen, digital instrument display, panoramic sunroof, and heated and ventilated front seats. CarExpert adds the interior has received extensive soundproofing and more premium materials, with the vehicle described as a more premium offering than a conventional work ute. ¹²

On ownership, CarSauce reports the Navara Pro PHEV will be backed by Nissan's extended warranty program, which can provide up to 10 years or 300,000km of coverage when servicing with authorised Nissan dealers, with the standard warranty remaining five years and unlimited kilometres if the service-activated conditions are not met. ³

A crowded electrified ute market

The confirmation gives Nissan a direct rival for the BYD Shark 6, Ford Ranger Hybrid, GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV and JAC Hunter PHEV, as well as the inbound Chery Stockman, in a segment GoAuto describes as becoming increasingly important under Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard. Nissan's two-pronged approach will see the PHEV sit alongside the recently introduced D27-series Navara rather than immediately replacing it. ¹

Among those rivals, CarExpert reports the BYD Shark 6 Performance has a 725kg payload and 3500kg towing capacity, the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV is rated at 685kg payload and 3500kg towing, the Ford Ranger Hybrid Wildtrak has a 901kg payload, and the JAC T9 PHEV is rated at 915kg and 3500kg. Should Nissan hit its targets, CarExpert says the Navara Pro PHEV would offer similar towing and payload credentials to conventional diesel dual-cabs such as the HiLux and Ranger while exceeding the payload of most current PHEV rivals. ²

The Chery Stockman is due with first customer deliveries from February 1, 2027. GoAuto reports the diesel-electric dual-cab pairs a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel plug-in hybrid drivetrain producing a combined 350kW and 800Nm with a confirmed 34kWh battery, up to 96km WLPT-listed electric range and a 3495kg braked towing capacity. ⁶

GoAuto reported in March 2026 that the Frontier Pro was shaping as a pivotal part of Nissan's local response to the NVES, particularly as diesel utes remain among the highest-emitting vehicles in most brands' portfolios. That earlier report also noted Nissan Oceania executives had been increasingly vocal about plug-in hybrids suiting Australian buyers who regularly tow, tour and travel long distances. ⁷