Story & photos by Randy S. Peregrino
THERE is no stopping the Nissan Terra from conquering volcanic trails and the toughest terrains. During its global launch, we’ve experienced how it sliced through the lahar-plagued plains and riverbeds in Porac, Pampanga. Recently, we found ourselves at it again and witnessed how Nissan’s new midsize SUV transcended, effortlessly, from winding roads, dusty trails, to the shallow and rocky streams leading to the foot of the enchanting Mayon Volcano.
Nissan Philippines Inc. (NPI) flew members of the motoring media to the province of Albay for the Terra Go Anywhere Drive event. “For those who were with us in the Terra launch at the backyard of Mount Pinatubo, from one volcano to another, this #GoAnywhere is really a challenge because the Terra has to carry the nameplate of the legendary Patrol in terms of toughness and the go anywhere character,” said NPI President and and Managing Director Ramesh Narasimhan.
As soon as we landed in Legazpi City, more than a dozens of Terra in varying models were waiting for us to drive. Teamed up with fellow scribes Tessa Salazar and Aries Espinosa, we boarded the top spec VL AT 4×4 variant. We still couldn’t get enough of the Terra’s imposing presence. Its distinctive design has that iconic SUV look coming from the flared fenders, signature body lines and a tall stance. So it’s not just a Navarra look-a like SUV but rather a vehicle with a character of its own.
On highways and winding roads
Fresh from a prior review of the same variant, being a rear passenger for the initial leg provided an entirely different perspective. Settling at the back was easy thanks to the recline/slide adjusted seats. For a tall person, there’s still enough legroom to sprawl around. Since we hit the road during the hottest time of the day, we couldn’t be happier—known for its artic cold air-conditioning system. Also, this was when we appreciated having more aircon vents on the ceiling over a sunroof. Cold air circulation was even better that not having tints at all was totally fine. This level of convenience plus the supple ride produced by the five-link coil spring rear suspension made that two-hour ride to Naga City nothing but relaxing.
Next leg was behind-the-wheel for about twice the distance with extended sections of ascending and winding roads. As expected, the highway run was an easy task for an SUV motivated by a 2.5-liter turbodiesel motor dishing out 187 hp and 450 N-m of maximum torque at low rpm range. Its unrelenting power made overtaking easy. Even during ascents, the acceleration was likewise consistent. But when we encountered the seemingly endless twisting roads, the Terra further revealed more of its impressive driving dynamics. For one, switching to 4H on the fly provided additional front-wheel traction and better control. More so, for its tall ground clearance, the vehicle handled the winding roads very well with good steering feedback. For more than two hours of nonstop climbing and maneuvering, not once has the vehicle’s performance disappointed us.
Fiery Red hottie
When we finally reached Quintuinan Hills in Camalig, we were greeted by this striking Terra on display donning an eye-catching shade. Later on it was introduced as the limited edition Terra Fiery Red. This particular models comes with a standard rear spoiler. Aside from the exterior color, this unique version also sports a black-themed interior. According to Narasimhan, only 100 units (70 4×2 VL and 30 4×4 VL grades) of this limited edition will be rolled out. But the good news is that the price points are exactly the same.
Off-roading ingenuity
The following day, we resumed for the off-roading test. Set within the areas of the Mayon Adventure Land, the terrain ahead was entirely different from what we tackled in Porac, Pampanga. Instead, hardened black lava trails and rocky creeks with deep slopes were the paths to overcome. The main objective of the drive was not only to showcase the Terra’s off-roading capabilities but also to rely on several of its Intelligent Mobility features.
Going through the slopes of hardened lava trails was manageable with 4L engaged along with differential lock, hill-descent control and hill-start assist. The vehicle crawled in total control with the help of these functions. But as soon as we started traversing the rocky portions of the creek, it necessitated the use of the Around View Monitor (AVM) in order to see the blind spots. After all, without this feature, going through big rocks scattered everywhere and in tight spaces in between are more difficult than just slicing through lahar surfaces. The separate 360-degree top and blind side views greatly aided us in tackling the unforgiving paths.
One of the things Narasimhan shared during his presentation was their commitment in addressing important customer feedbacks. In terms of the limited AVM access through the rearview mirror, NPI responded by enabling the feature in the head unit, as well. Now you can toggle between these monitors at your own viewing comfort. After the rigorous off-roading activities, we were not only impressed with what the SUV is capable of. We were convinced that, indeed, you can go anywhere with the Terra.
Image credits: Randy S. Peregrino