Twin cab pickups

Hi, Has anyone got experience of using one of these (navara/hilux etc) on a regular basis. Looking for advice on real life MPG / servicing costs / towing ability etc.
Cheers

My Dad drives a diesel twin cab and has done for some years,he’s had a few of the Isuzu Rodeo type range. He uses it almost daily for heavy towing (the driving-maboble people told him he had to stop using his big trailer a couple of months ago as it’s too big for use without a tacho) and hasn’t had any issues relating to that. They’re also pretty comfy sitting in the back and quite nice to drive.
I’m not sure about the servicing but I can only recall one instance in which he’s actually broken down and I can’t really comment on the MPG either. I drive a Nissan D42 King Cab (slightly larger than a single cab to accomodate 2 sideways facing seats behind the front seats) and I’d say I get about 8 miles to the litre. I generally get better mpg on decent Welsh roads (there are some honest!) than motorways as it really starts drinking diesel above 3k revs (around 75mph). I also find mine drives a bit more like a car than my Dad’s which I guess is geared a bit lowered.

Oh, I can also fit 9 bikes plus wheels and kits pretty easily in the back 😀

I drive one of the original navara aventura’s and its been great, to the point that its 5 years old now, and we looked at replacing it but couldn’t find anything that would be a real’upgrade’as most manufacturers have gone down the less power more fuel economy route now, having said that mine is a 2.5ltr turbo diesel with 6 speed manual box, and nissan either just have or are about to release a 3ltr v6 turbo diesel with 7 speed auto box which i might take a look at

What are you towing? I don’t think there are many that will tow over 3000kg, many are nearer 2500kg.

we have 4 hilux and 2 navara at work – after a fair bit of use A they are pig awful to drive and B they are strictly for 2 folk – i would not thank you for driving me 3 hours to a trail head in the back of one

dont know what the uk spec one is like but we use them to get to work sites well off the road and the leaf springs make for a terrible ride …..

ours were 2.8 N/A new shape ones

all image imo … would rather have a shogun or a trouper both of which ive also driven albe it older models but much better to drive on and off road ….

I’ve been in the back of a mate’s Hilux twin-cab and it was fine. I don’t think he liked driving it much though, despite getting 30-35mpg I think.

Think it must be dependant on your size/height, because all the double cabs I’ve been in the back of (Navara,Hilux and a L200) are bloody uncomfortable and I really wouldn’t want to be there any longer than needed. Been ok in the front though.

DO NOT buy a ford ranger – Shite on road even worse offroad.

It wasn’t luxurious, but it was as good as a Golf or similar – somewhat worse seats I suppose but similar on space.

Cheers for the replies Guys

Doesnt sound like anything I cant live with, although the towing limit does seem a bit puny compared to the old discovery I’ve got at the mo.

Do they ‘bounce around’ alot when not laiden ?

a golf is a car built for the nuclear family – 2 parents 2 kids ….no adult unless midget sized should be subjected to the back of a golf – more room in a cattle class airplane seat !

im not coming from luxuary to drive these things either – i drive base model pug partner and still found em guff ….

front passengers seat in our hiluxes and navaras are fixed – really comfy for the front passenger crap for the back seat.

easy to loose the back end on roundabouts in the wet – for us tis is a bonus 😉

they serve a purpose but not comfy – leave that to the ford F series – the us know pick ups.

no adult unless midget sized should be subjected to the back of a golf – more room in a cattle class airplane seat !

Rubbish. There is not more room on a plane – in a Golf your shoulders don’t touch the person alongside you unless you are three up!

I’ve been a long way in that size of car – not the most spacious, but really not that bad.

the us know pick ups

Hah!

My Father in Law’s F250 did EIGHT miles to the gallon.

my navara handles alot like a car, has very good pick up for overtaking and runs at about 36-37mpg average

This f-250 is super comfy in the back i could stretch right out and it is a diesel ! A pretty thirsty diesel

ive had L200 double cab

hilux single cab

and now a ford ranger supercab

the ford drives the best actually, its the 2.5 litre (the new one is a 3.0)

L200 had terrible turning circle

ranger drives well even loaded up, is cheaper than the hilux’s, made by mazda so Jap. reliability

most 4×4’s with a 2.5 litre turno will do around 25-30 MPG ranger does about 28 – you wont get 35 I bet ya

I had a guy in a x trail asking me what I though about my truck and what it did to the gallon, I said about 28mpg, he commented his did 50 MPG all smuggly, till I asked him if it could tow 3 ton across a field – nuff said

pay year oney take your choice

I know a few people buying L200 from car ownership and they find them difficult, they are after all a truck on leaf springs – which is great if you use them for what they are MADE for

till I asked him if it could tow 3 ton across a field – nuff said

The perception is that 90% of people driving these things around never go anywhere more rugged than Tescos carpark.

Ive got a l200 animal thing and its pretty ucomfortable, has rubbish turning circle and surprisingly rubbish load carrying capacity- but it is good for tax and the animal logo in the cill glows blue (my kids like that)

this is what mine does for a hobby around now

Work colleague just bought this one:

(without argo unfortunately…)
Seems ideal for him as woodsman / groundsman and MRT member – it will be used on emergencies and still has the flashing headlights…

i thought this post had something to do with guitars. 😳

Are you Americans?

Honestly I think some people on here talk about cars as much as bikes.

used a navara for last 4/5 years. driving to bulgaria and back at least twice a year. fuel economy for manual 6 speed about 35 mpg. comfort of a regular car but a bloody big boot on the back. a winner for bikes and dogs.

L200 here, I think its great. Turning circle was pretty awful, but you can adjust it (I can now actually do a 3 point turn, rather than it being a 15 point turn). Comfy enough for me, the back seats aren’t massively spacious or anything, but I never sit there so I don’t really mind 😉

Use ours for towing our boat mainly, only around 1500kg, and then have the back loaded with spare fuel etc. Hardly notice the boat there until you look in the mirrors. Great for launching and recovering on soft sand/steep sandy slipways. Also great for pulling out the people who get their cars stuck trying to do the same. The old shape L200 can legally pull 2700kg iirc, and can take just over 1000kg in the back.

Mine is a 2.5 turbo diesel. I get around 25mpg normally, but loaded with gear and trailer it’s close to 20mpg. But then I didn’t buy a 2 ton 4×4 with fuel economy as a concern. Only cost £185 to tax last year (although I think it’s gone up to £200 this year). Costs me £30 every 6 months to service as I do it all myself. Very easy to do and I’m not fussed about getting the service book stamped. I’ve only lost the back end twice in 12 months on wet roundabouts and was probably going abit too quick anyway. Took mine greenlaning a couple of times and it’s perfectly capable offroad, despite the ridiculous rear overhang!

The company I work for had a couple of Ford Rangers and they were pretty unreliable. The Navaras seem to throw the con-rods out of the block a fair bit. And the L200s are known for the EGR coolers failing. I would have bought a Hilux, but just couldn’t afford a decent one for the money I got my L200 for.

Mmmmm. 110 crewcab, I’d love one of those. Don’t really know why, I love my 90 but they look so goood.