Since the Nissan Terra was launched in the country in 2018, it has proven to be one of the few in the class that can be taken confidently to rugged terrain.
So, when Nissan Philippines reached out to Carmudi Philippines, telling that we could get our hands on the recently introduced iteration of the Terra, the first thing that came to mind was to bring it to the great outdoors. However, as circumstances prohibited it because of the pandemic, we were left with the sole option of testing it on city roads.
We already know that the previous version was more inclined on being driven outside the confined streets of the metro, but can the updates in the new Nissan Terra still meet the motorists’ demands on the urban jungle? Let’s check out the new Nissan Terra VL 4x4.
Size-wise, the new Nissan Terra is now 5mm longer and 30mm higher compared to the previous offering. The size gain can be generally attributed to the aesthetic adjustments that make the offering more aggressive-looking.
The ground clearance of the new Nissan Terra is 225mm, meaning average floodwaters and potholes within the metro should be of little to no concern for this mammoth of a vehicle.
The new Nissan Terra has a wheelbase of 2,850mm, ensuring middle-row passengers get sufficient leg room. However, space for the third row passengers is still a little cramped — the common denominator among many models in the classification.
The new Nissan Terra will remind you of the Nissan Patrol, mainly because of the updated front fascia with the signature Nissan V-Motion pattern for its front grille. It is also mounted with a quad LED projector with auto-leveling headlamps, LED lighting for daytime running lights, tail lamps, and fog lamps.
Just like its 4x2 counterpart, the new Nissan Terra VL 4x4 has the new Nissan Terra VL 4x4 side mirrors in body color with turn signal light, and auto-fold and power adjust functions as well as silver roof rails that match the side step board.
Passengers will surely marvel at the two-tone burgundy/black leather found in the interior. The burgundy part of the vehicle, which can be easily mistaken for Nappa leather found in more premium vehicles, is something you would not want to ruin with mud or dirt. The seats are also tailored to meet the taste of the refined and stylish.
Apart from being remodeled for a more modern look, the dashboard of the new Nissan Terra holds the nine-inch infotainment display that is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-ready and the high-contrast seven-inch Advanced Drive Assist Display.
Stuck in traffic? The 11-inch flip-down rear monitor can let you watch your favorite series and movies with the HDMI socket found at the third row.
The raw strength of the new Nissan Terra comes from the 2.5 liter, inline four-cylinder, DOHC diesel engine with Variable Turbocharger (VGS) and intercooler. This powertrain, paired to the seven-speed automatic transmission with manual mode, can deliver 187hp and 450Nm of pulling power— letting the vehicle jump ahead in case you need to overtake.
The new Nissan Terra VL 4x4 is the only variant in the nameplate’s current offerings with a part-time four-wheel drive (2H/4H/4L) shift-on-the-fly system and electronic locking rear differential (features that are rarely used in the city but are very handy when taking your loved ones to the great outdoors).
Providing the stopping power to this vehicle are ventilated disc brakes in both front and rear.
Driving around the metro for the weekend, we observed that the new Nissan Terra’s driving dynamics have been adjusted to fit the best of both worlds. Steering has become more sensitive that made it more maneuverable in city roads as compared to the previous version that is more inclined to a 4x4 setup.
The nine-inch infotainment system is connected to the eight-speaker Bose Premium Sound System.
Apart from carrying over the several Nissan Intelligent Mobility features already available in the current generation namely the Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, and Intelligent Rear View Mirror, it has also added Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Emergency Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Alert along with the Intelligent Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection and Off-Road Monitor.
The new Nissan Terra is ready to charge you up in numerous ways as it offers Type C, USB, 12V sockets and a wireless charger to ensure your gadgets have enough juice while comfortably sitting inside the cabin.
Complementing the athletic persona of the new Nissan Terra is the D-shape steering wheel and the shorter shift knob design.
We may be asking for too much but a moonroof/sunroof on this top-of-the-line variant should cap all the lovely details of this newly introduced model. After all, we all are for pinching everything we can from the P2.339-million pricing — which can be a little steep even to its target market (add another P15,000 if you want the Aspen White color option).
Generally, Nissan made sure that the new Nissan Terra can be part of one’s daily drive as compared to before where it was perhaps more apt for the weekend warriors.
Photos from Ruben D. Manahan IV
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