Built to bring the exceptional in the everyday, Nissan Philippines finally pulled the wraps off its much-anticipated mid-sized seven-seater SUV, the Terra, in the grandest possible way. Given that it’s pretty late to the party, expectations are understandably high for the Terra, and on it first-ever outing on Philippine roads, it proves once and for all that this is now the best one in its class, bar none.
Clean, crisp, modern, and premium looking, there’s nary a line out of place with the Terra’s design. It may be a bit conservative, but honestly, it’s a design that will age gracefully especially compared to the sometimes comically exaggerated look of some of its competitors. There are also come interesting design cues built in.
Nissan’s managed to stretch the distance between the front and rear axles—enough for a 2,850mm wheelbase, which puts it best in class. The same class-leading figure is found with its approach (32.3 degrees) and departure (26.6 degrees) angles. Its 225mm ground clearance is quite generous, too.
Nissan’s work to optimize the Terra dimensionally also translates to best-in-class legroom across all three rows. It’s the same thing when it comes to its luggage space whether the third row is up (it can fit a golf bag), the third-row is stowed, or both the second and third row is stowed. The third-row is a knees-up affair but the good headroom and adjustable seatback angle allows for better comfort than any other offering in this segment.
Again, beyond the numbers, the Terra considers usability as well. Not only does the loading area fold flat completely, but the second row flips up with a single-action lever. The same action can be done with a pull switch on the center console making the use of the third row infinitely more convenient. And for those wondering, the Terra manages to keep Nissan’s reputation for having a well-thought–out air conditioning system. Not only does it have ceiling vents across all three rows, but the second row also has vents located in the center console.
Fit and finish is top notch and all the panel gaps are consistent throughout, down to the factory-installed Blaupunkt touchscreen audio system which supports Apple CarPlay on the top-line variant. There’s also an overhead monitor that mirrors whatever’s displayed on the head unit.
The Terra is also pretty solid when it comes to driver comfort and ergonomics. Though the steering wheel only adjusts for tilt, the power adjustment for the driver makes finding a comfy driving position quite easy. The dark brown leather seats are also wide and supportive, perfect for long hours spent behind the wheel. The control scheme is typical Nissan—with nice, tactile switchgear, clearly marketed controls, and a highly legible gauge cluster.
Shared with the Navara, the Terra is powered by Nissan’s tried-and-tested YD25 DDTi engine making 190hp and 450Nm of torque. Mated to a seven-speed automatic, it makes for a great combination resulting in a smooth, fuss-free drive. The entire nature of the powertrain is relaxed, offering good tractability without having to rev the engine too much. Thanks to extensive dash insulation, thicker floor carpeting, and the use of acoustic glass, carrying a normal conversation is actually possible between the first two rows. The wind, road, and tire noise are also quite controlled at high speed. The gearbox itself uses a very low first gear (good for towing, off-road traction), but spaces itself out nicely with 100 km/h arriving at a hairline below 2,000 rpm.
Just as the Navara’s made a name for itself for being the best-riding pickup truck that you can buy, the Terra also does the same for the mid-sized SUV category. It still won’t match a unibody crossover in terms of ride and handling, but for the most part, it delivers. Easily, it’s the best riding SUV in its class, especially on rougher terrain. The secret here is the Terra’s ability to use its frame as a shock absorber and together with cabin mount bushings, it results in a double vibration-absorption effect.
On the trails, the Terra trounces another mainstream car brand that’s more commonly associated with off-roading hijinks. Not only do the class-leading approach and departure angles help, but the amount of equipment fitted on the 4×4 ensures surefootedness whatever the terrain. Although it still doesn’t employ any sort of fancy single-button terrain-based system yet, there’s good amount of mechanical grip available even when trailing Pinatubo’s Delta 5 on stock highway-biased tires on stock (33psi) tire pressure. The secret is the combination of its traction control system which mitigates unwanted spin at the front wheels and the rear locking differential which allows torque to be transferred to both rear wheels whatever the situation. Furthermore, it has Hill Descent Control and Hill Start Assist.
Finally, in the safety aspect, it seems Nissan is pulling out all the stops to make sure the Terra becomes associated with class-leading safety. Not only does it have six airbags and ABS with EBD across the entire range, the higher variants also come with Nissan Intelligent Mobility features such as a 360-degree Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection, blind spot indicators, and what could be the niftiest feature: Intelligent Rear View Mirror. Not only does it act as the display for the 360-degree camera, but it also allows drivers to switch from a conventional rear mirror to a camera-mounted display with a simple toggle.
The Nissan Terra manages to serve up a masterful performance that ups the notch compared to everything else in its segment. Its main draw is its top-of-the-class mechanicals, excellent ride, well-thought-out packaging, and of course, its excellent pricing (P1.499 million for the 4×2 EL 6MT, P1.615 million for the 4×2 EL 7AT, P1.697 million for the 4×2 VE 7AT, P1.899 million for the 4×2 VL 7AT, and P2,096,000 for the 4×4 VL 7AT). It may be late to the SUV party, but it’s clearly now the center of everyone’s attention.