I've tested many pickups over the years, and despite many marques releasing newer trucks with more advanced engineering and technology, save for the Raptor, there is no mass-market model more comfortable than the 11-year-old, third-generation Navara.

Yes, more than a decade old, and yet the Navara continues to provide one of the most relaxed rides you'll ever get on a pickup, thanks to its coil spring rear suspension. The truck barely jiggled while I rode solo, whether I was cruising at 100-km/h on the expressway or rolling over badly-formed humps in villages. It felt like I was behind the wheel of an SUV with a unibody platform. So, believe what you've been hearing about its ride because the hype is real.

On the outside, the body doesn't look its age. Even as the oldest pickup model on the market, this PRO-4X in Pearl White (you can't go wrong with Fiery Red either) looks as youthful as its more contemporary rivals. The quad LED projector headlamps (with auto on/off and Follow-Me-Home feature) match the segment standard, and the Lava Orange accents give it a unique look. If there's one body part that looks old, it's the modest grille, which appears petite compared to the wide and expansive versions of newer competitors.

Inside, the Navara received a new dashboard in late 2020, complete with a padded surface, Lava Orange stitching, a seven-inch Advanced Drive Assist instrument cluster, and a nine-inch touchscreen system. The layout is dated and does not maximize the cockpit's width, but the technology is up to date. Unfortunately, the Apple CarPlay has a glitch. In fact, it didn't work the entire time I had the test unit. I did everything, from deleting other users and profiles to re-pairing and using the USB, but none of these solutions worked. I had to settle for streaming via Bluetooth. Fortunately, I have a '24 Calibre-X and I can say that this must be a one-off because the CarPlay in my unit works seamlessly, all the time.

I like the multi-function leather-wrapped steering wheel. It has just the right thickness to make it comfortable to grip, and the buttons, although numerous, are clearly labeled and utilize tactile differentiation, so it's easy to identify and click just by feel. Nissan also updated its ports with two USB Type-C ports (one in front and one at the rear) to complement its two USB Type-A ports. It also features a dual-zone climate control system, but does not include a wireless charging pad.

One of the best things about the cabin is the Zero Gravity leather seats. It may sound like highfalutin automotive jargon and is the last item on the list of things to check for car buyers, but it really works. It reduced fatigue during long drives, and I noticed how much better I felt even after spending hours in holiday traffic.

While the Navara still features a 2.5-liter diesel engine with 190-PS and 450-Nm of torque, it has enough power to make each drive feel energetic and smooth. Overtaking is easy, and so is going beyond the speed limit, so I had to be mindful, especially on days when traffic was clear on SLEX. The seven-speed automatic transmission comes with a part-time, shift-on-the-fly 4WD system, although it would have been better if Nissan had placed the dial on the center console instead of at the bottom of the center stack.

The PRO-4X, VL, and Calibre models have an advanced driver-assist system called Intelligent Mobility. It features an around-view monitor, emergency braking, forward collision warning, driver alertness, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, high-beam assist, hill start assist, and hill descent control. It is at par with segment standards, and the implementation is even better than what the latest D-Max offers.

If you've come this far and are wondering what the BUT is, an all-new Navara has been launched globally in Australia and will hit the market by 2026. If it is even half of what the Navara is right now, Nissan might have another winner in the pickup truck segment. We'll find out hopefully sooner, rather than later.