The Navara and the 70 Series are both ladder-frame 4x4s with a live rear axle, so the real split isn't the chassis. It's the weights: Toyota rates the 70 Series at 7,010kg GCM against 6,250kg for the new Navara and 5,910kg for the NP300 it replaced, and that decides who can tow 3,500kg with a loaded vehicle.
Quick answer
- Towing a 3,500kg van with a loaded vehicle: the 70 Series is the only one of the three rated to do both at once.
- Mostly sealed roads, light trailer, family duty: the new Navara costs less, turns tighter and has independent front suspension.
- Remote touring with no fuel stops for days: the 70 Series carries 130 litres of diesel against the Navara's 75 or 80.
- Buying a used NP300 to tow heavy: check its 5,910kg GCM against your van first, because at 3,500kg it leaves little room for anything else.
| Navara NP300 (D23), MY25 dual cab 4x4 | Navara (D27), MY26 dual cab 4x4 | LandCruiser 79 Double Cab GXL (2.8) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chassis | Ladder frame | Ladder frame | Ladder frame |
| Front suspension | Independent double wishbone | Independent double wishbone | Live axle, coil springs |
| Rear suspension | Live axle, 5-link coil (leaf on SL cab chassis) | Live axle, leaf springs | Live axle, leaf springs |
| Engine | 2.3L twin-turbo diesel, 140kW/450Nm | 2.4L bi-turbo diesel, 150kW/470Nm | 2.8L turbo diesel, 150kW/500Nm (auto) |
| Transmission | 7-speed auto or 6-speed manual | 6-speed auto | 6-speed auto or 5-speed manual |
| GVM | 3,150kg | 3,190kg | 3,510kg |
| GCM | 5,910kg | 6,250kg | 7,010kg |
| Payload | 1,004 to 1,126kg (with tub) | 964 to 1,064kg (with tub) | 1,325kg (before tray) |
| Braked towing | 3,500kg | 3,500kg | 3,500kg |
| Axle capacity front/rear | 1,490 / 1,850kg | 1,580 / 2,040kg | Not in Toyota's spec table |
| Fuel tank | 80L | 75L (plus 17L AdBlue) | 130L |
| Rear brakes | Drum | Drum | Ventilated disc |
| Locking differentials | Electronic rear | Electronic rear | Front and rear |
| Turning circle | 12.5m | 12.7m | 14.4m |
What's actually different
Neither Navara has independent rear suspension. The NP300, sold until the new model arrived, put coil springs on a five-link live rear axle in its dual cab pick-ups, and the new Triton-based Navara that went on sale in March 2026 went back to leaf springs. Both sit on a ladder frame, like the 70 Series.
The front end is where the layouts split. Both Navaras use independent double wishbones, while the 70 Series keeps a live front axle on coil springs. A live axle tends to give more wheel travel and shrug off hard knocks off-road, while an independent front generally rides and steers better on bitumen.
The bigger difference for most owners is on the compliance plate. All three are rated to tow 3,500kg braked, but only the 70 Series has a GCM big enough to use that rating with a loaded vehicle.
What to check before you decide
How much will you tow, and how much will you carry while you do it?
Take GCM, subtract 3,500kg, and the answer is the most the tow vehicle can weigh while pulling a full-rated trailer. For the 79 that's 3,510kg, its full GVM, which leaves the whole 1,325kg payload available. For the new Navara it's 2,750kg, and an ST weighing 2,143kg at the kerb has 607kg left for passengers, the 350kg towball load and everything in the tub. For an NP300 ST 4x4 automatic it's 2,410kg against a 2,062kg kerb weight, leaving 348kg.
That last figure is less than the NP300's maximum towball download on its own. In practice a loaded NP300 towing a van has to tow well under 3,500kg to stay legal.
How far are you going between fuel stops?
The 70 Series carries 130 litres of diesel in the cab chassis and wagon, and 180 litres in the Troop Carrier. The new Navara carries 75 litres, the NP300 80. On a remote trip with a van behind, that decides whether you're carrying jerry cans.
Where do you drive most?
If it's suburban streets and car parks, the Navara's 12.7m turning circle against the 79 cab chassis's 14.4m is something you'll notice every day. If it's corrugations and rocky tracks, the 70 Series's live front axle and factory front and rear lockers on the GXL count for more.
The options compared
| Option | Strength | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| New Navara (D27) | From $53,348 plus on-road costs, Premcar-tuned suspension, rear locker on every grade | 6,250kg GCM, 75L tank, rear drums |
| Used NP300 (D23) | Coil-sprung rear, big second-hand market | 5,910kg GCM limits heavy towing, 1,850kg rear axle |
| LandCruiser 70 Series | 7,010kg GCM, 3,510kg GVM, 130L tank, live axles both ends | Higher price, 14.4m turning circle on cab chassis |
The new Navara. Nissan prices it at $53,348 for the SL, $56,765 for the ST, $63,177 for the ST-X and $68,418 for the PRO-4X, all plus on-road costs and all dual cab 4x4 pick-ups. It shares its platform and 150kW/470Nm engine with the Mitsubishi Triton, and Premcar tuned the suspension for Australian roads over about 18,000km of testing. Its 2,040kg rear axle rating is a real step up on the NP300.
The NP300. The five-link coil rear set it apart from leaf-sprung rivals, and the aftermarket supports it well. Its weakness is the plate: 3,150kg GVM and 5,910kg GCM make it a light tourer or a light tow vehicle, not both a heavy one and a loaded one.
The 70 Series. When Toyota launched the 2.8 litre 70 Series in 2023, the four-cylinder range started at $75,600 plus on-road costs for the WorkMate 76 wagon, more than the dearest new Navara. What the money buys is the weight ratings, the fuel range, disc brakes all round and a live front axle. The new Navara is sold only as a dual cab pick-up, while the 70 Series comes as a single cab, dual cab, wagon and Troop Carrier.
What goes wrong
If you buy for the tow rating instead of the GCM
Every vehicle here says 3,500kg. The Navaras can only use that figure when they're lightly loaded, and a weighbridge will show it quickly. Work out GCM minus your trailer's loaded weight before you buy, and compare it with what your vehicle weighs packed for a trip.
If you compare payloads without the tray
Navara payloads include the factory tub. The 79's 1,325kg is before a tray, and a steel or aluminium tray and canopy comes straight off it. Weigh or get the weight of the tray you'd fit, then compare.
If you fit a GVM upgrade to fix the towing
A GVM upgrade raises what the vehicle can weigh, not GCM. On a Navara with a 5,910kg or 6,250kg GCM, adding GVM means you can carry more but tow even less at that weight. Ask the engineer about GCM in writing before you pay for anything.
FAQ
Does the Nissan Navara have independent rear suspension?
No. The NP300 uses a five-link coil-sprung live rear axle on its dual cab pick-ups and leaf springs on the SL cab chassis. The 2026 Navara uses leaf springs. Both have independent front suspension.
Is the Navara body-on-frame?
Yes. Nissan lists the new Navara as body on frame with a ladder chassis, and the NP300 was built the same way.
Can a Navara tow 3,500kg?
Yes, both the NP300 and the new Navara are rated to tow 3,500kg braked. With a 3,500kg trailer, the new Navara can weigh no more than 2,750kg and the NP300 no more than 2,410kg to stay inside GCM.
Which has more payload, the Navara or the 79?
The 79 Double Cab GXL, at 1,325kg before a tray, against 964 to 1,064kg for the new Navara with its tub. Once you fit a tray to the 79, the gap narrows by the tray's weight.
What warranty do they come with?
Nissan offers up to 10 years or 300,000km on the new Navara when it's serviced at Nissan dealers. Toyota covers the 70 Series for five years with unlimited kilometres, extended to seven years on the engine and driveline under its conditions.
Nissan Australia publishes the MY26 Navara spec sheet, and Toyota publishes the LandCruiser 70 figures at toyota.com.au.
