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Let's face it – people only really buy pickup trucks to haul large, heavy cargo or to trawl through the most hostile of environments. The utilitarian nature of these vehicles mean that while some concessions have been made in the name of day-to-day liveability, these vehicles are still, for the most part, uncouth and rickety.

With the new Nissan NP300 Navara, however, there does seem to have been a concerted effort to boost the appeal of the pickup beyond the traditional workman types. This is reflected in the "Tough. Smart." tagline that sits in contrast to the "Mother Trucker" moniker the outgoing car gained locally. The spec sheet, for example, reads like it belongs to a D-segment sedan, so comprehensive are its creature comforts.

But all these trappings would be for naught if it continues to have all the refinement and the driving manners of a shed – if it wants to be taken seriously as a car that can still be used when it's time to put down your hard hat, it has to be reasonably comfortable and easy to drive without compromising on its capabilities as a workhorse. So, has it managed to achieve this? We drive the new contender in Chiang Mai to find out.

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