NISSAN proved again that its “GoAnywhere” campaign is a testament for its fleet of utility vehicle’s capability to go anywhere, where witnessing breathtaking sceneries are the ultimate reward.
In fact, that includes even the roads less traveled. From the mountain range of Benguet Province, volcanic trails of Mayon, and to the winding roads of Tagaytay Highlands. Every drive event has so far validated Nissan’s claims for these vehicles. For being tough, all-rounder, luxurious and even intelligent enough to provide various driver assist functions.
So where else could Nissan go in order to demonstrate further its utility vehicle’s capability? Well, Nissan Philippines Inc. (NPI) thought of hosting select members of the motoring media for another series of test drives. This time we visited the beautiful island of Siquijor. This province offers well-paved road networks, as well as various difficult and rough paths, along with its mystical surroundings. Just like our previous drive encounters, we knew that we are up for something exciting and challenging drive ahead. Commissioned were Nissan’s tough LCV lineup of vehicles brought together for the first time—the Navara, Terra and the Patrol Royale.
Again, no less than NPI’s new country head graced the event. “In line with our vision of enabling adventurers to reach their dream destinations, we are now in Siquijor Island, to conquer the country’s third smallest province with Nissan’s strong LCV lineup. We are creating the ultimate Go Anywhere experience with the Nissan Patrol, Nissan Terra and Nissan Navara, but exploring the best and most diverse locations across the country,” said NPI President and Managing Director Atsushi Najima.
Affinity for toughness
Since the introduction of the current-generation Navara, NPI has gained a stronghold in the pickup segment. Since then, it became one of Nissan’s best-selling vehicles in the country. However, more than its sales success, we also tested its limits during the previous drive events. Indeed, it is worthy of its reputation as a smart and tough pickup. For this particular drive event, we were fortunate enough to test the pickup initially where most of the paths ahead were rough and challenging.
As expected, the Navara did not disappoint and instead clearly demonstrated its proven prowess. Behind the wheel, never was there a moment when we felt short for power tackling the ascending tight roads within forestry portions. Its 2.5-liter turbodiesel mill was simply unrelenting. We ended up focusing on the rough and winding trails ahead. Another bliss was how the good steering feel aided in providing calculated turns while climbing. As a rear passenger, meantime, rebounds were tolerable thanks to the coil-sprung rear suspension.
Up for the next round of test was the Navara’s platform sibling—the Terra. This midsized SUV may have entered the market late, but it proven to be ahead when it comes to features we wished for the segment to have. We also had the chance to experience this SUV in the toughest environment imagined and it simply got through, effortlessly. As a seven-seater hauler, which is ideal for family use, the recent tests proved a good benchmark for how tough and reliable should a family vehicle be.
Going through the succeeding mixture of rough, winding and long stretch of highways, the Terra proved to be an all-rounder SUV. Motivated with the same Navara power train, everything was easy whenever we needed more power. Road behavior was a more superb due to its better weight distribution. We also liked the more spacious well-cooled interior. Both vehicles we tested were the 4×4 variant so toggling between 2H and 4H for more traction and control was easy. Moreover, both came in standard with Hill Start Assist (HSA) are Hill Descent Control (HDC), which became handy at times. Even better, the integrated Nissan Intelligent Mobility features really added to the ease of driving, convenience and safety factors.
The Royale reward
What started as Nissan’s prime off-roader, the Patrol has grown to be a luxurious SUV. However, that does not mean it is no longer willing to get dirty and rugged. During our Tagaytay Highlands drive, this luxurious also demonstrated its ruggedness and superior performance. For this particular drive, we drove the Patrol Royale last, mostly on the highway but we also experienced it crawling through the rough paths of the quarry site.
On the highway, everything about the Patrol Royale was blissful. It was like a reward for the long drives that we had and it was time to be pampered. Who wouldn’t appreciate its first-class cabin with super comfy seats and excellent noise, vibration and harshness proofing? It was simply awesome.
Behind the wheel, its powerful V8 engine does all the talking and muscle. Handling, on the other hand, the vehicle’s Hydraulic Body Motion Control (HBMC) does the job. For its size, the integrated Nissan Intelligent Mobility feature is a huge advantage. Then again, driving the luxury SUV this good was the best way to relax and call it the day.
Introducing NissanConnect
Meanwhile, presented during the drive event was Nissan’s latest offering available for both the Navara and the Terra—the NissanConnect. This feature highlights a new OEM display head unit with integrated navigation, security and entertainment functions. The new 8-inch touch-operated unit now has entirely new user interface and works well with smartphone operating systems. Imagine easier access to mobile assistant, multimedia player and navigation apps on the fly. Sounds about good, right? While this new tech is not yet available for the Patrol Royale, NPI is looking into the market demand if it deems necessary.
Image credits: Randy S. Peregrino