Terra of joy
The Nissan Terra has been a sight for sore eyes for the Japanese car brand since its inception in the local market in 2018.
From then on, the Terra has been the second best-selling model for Nissan after the Navara here in the country.
In fact, in its cutthroat segment which consists of other midsize SUVs, like the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Everest and other tough contenders, Nissan’s pickup-based SUV captured about 13 percent of that segment last year. Not bad.
Just recently, its stunning Fiery Red Nissan Terra Sport VL 4X2 fell on my lap.
We just got off a two-day media drive of the Navara and Terra in Pangasinan and Zambales (also recently) and yes, we did have a swell time. However, with more days of seat time with this personal test drive, we got to scrutinize this vehicle further.
Spot on, this media lend-out fell on the Holy Week and hence, it was family time. Here, we had more time to drive it out of town and this time around, the near three-hour drive to a “more urbanized” part of Zambales, namely: Subic, was enough for us to actually feel and perhaps even cherish the vehicle.
At the onset, this 4×2 top-tier Terra is the spruced up version of its other lower variants. First, its sharper and bolder front fascia is highlighted by glossy black chromes and nifty quad projector LED headlamps with signature daytime running lights. This is further complemented by streaks of black on its grille, fog lamps, under guard and side mirrors. At the back, this “blackout project” continues with its shark’s fin, rear spoiler and tailgate garnish with its brand badge emboldened. This panache is then capped by stylish black 18-inch alloys.
Inside, this “black streak” furthers with its dash’s leather trims and leather seats, which were beautifully done. Even ‘diamond’ intricate designs on the seats add to that sense of premium.
Since I brought my kids along, the entertainment features of this Terra were perfect. A practical nine-inch infotainment system is front and center, and works well with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The trip was even made more fun with the six-speaker sound system with two tweeters. Plus, the 11-inch flip-down monitor was like a “moving cinema house” for the mid-row passengers.
Also, since time immemorial, its air conditioning system has always been top-notch, which particularly served its purpose during this scorching summer heat. Mind you, even without tinted windows, the “world class” ventilation eventually filled that void.
Meanwhile, under its hood is a YD25 inline 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with turbocharger. Mated to a seven-speed automatic tranny, it churns out 187 hp and 450 N-m of torque. Here, transmission was seamless and overtaking slower vehicles was a cinch.
Other than these, it has bells and whistles, and is packed with safety features, truly making it a complete package.
With all these, it is important to note–however–that despite adding charm, luster and of course, sales to the local brand, we get to hear stories that the Terra may soon be allegedly discontinued. This is particularly due to the surprising number of lackluster performances in other countries.
Nonetheless, for us, having all that I have mentioned earlier and the remarkable sales performance of the Terra here in our country, the vehicle truly is gold.
Thus, with this, I leave you with this quote: “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” What a real tearjerker.
