Nissan unveils the new Terra

The Oxford dictionary defines the word “terra” as “land or territory” or in sci-fi terms, as “planet Earth.”

Which makes for a beautifully implied name for an SUV that’s supposed to be able to conquer any terrain on this planet.   

The Nissan Terra (or any of its pickup-based brethren) may not yet be the off-roader of choice for hard-core overlanders, but it has certainly driven its way to the hearts of a fair number of SUV lovers, both here and in other markets abroad.

Nissan introduced the Terra to the Philippine market in May 2018. Even more than three years since, it has remained one of Nissan’s sales stalwarts. Which doesn’t mean that a facelift wouldn’t be timely at this point. 

And that’s exactly what Nissan gave its mighty midsize SUV contender. 

The new Terra effectively channels the illustrious Nissan Patrol with its aggressive front snout, which it assertively projects to the onlooker. A high hoodline, mean-looking quad-LED headlamps, a bold new V-motion grille, and new front bumper with distinctive foglamp surrounds give the new Terra a fresh and even more intimidating look.    

The rear emphasizes the vehicle’s strength and width with new taillamps, wide LED signatures, a new rear bumper, the de riguer chrome center finisher, as well as a new tailgate spoiler and shark-fin antenna.

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It also has a new 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels to go along with the updated exterior upgrades, improved maneuverability with the quick steering gear ratio, 4-wheel disc brakes (finally!), as well as a rear differential lock for the VL 4×4 variant.

The new Terra is available in four variants, starting with the EL 4×2 MT at PHP1,649,000, the VE 4×2 AT PHP1,829,000, the VL 4×2 AT at PHP1,999,000, and the flagship VL 4×4 at PHP2,339,000.  

The new Terra’s improved two-tone cabin includes a redesigned dashboard and instrument panel, a new flat-bottom steering wheel, new center console with integrated Wireless Charging and e-Parking Brake, and a new high-contrast 7-inch Advanced Drive Assist Display. 

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Making long road trips more fun is the new infotainment system composed of a 9-inch Android Auto/Apple Carplay-compatible touchscreen, an 11-inch ceiling-mounted flip-down rear monitor, and an 8-speaker Bose Premium Sound System for the VL 4×4 variant.

The new Terra is packed with more Nissan Intelligent Mobility (NIM) features than the previous model. It now comes with Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Emergency Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, while carrying over the Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, and Intelligent Rear View Mirror features from the previous model. The Intelligent Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection now comes with an Off-road Monitor for the VL 4×4 variant. The new Terra also comes with the segment-first Intelligent Driver Alertness that senses cues from the driver and gives alerts to the driver if a break from the wheel is needed.

The suite of these NIM features combine into the 360 Safety Shield, a 360-degree safety system which helps protect both the driver and passengers from potential risks approaching the vehicle.

Behind the wheel of the new Nissan Terra

A test drive of the new Terra proved just how accomplished Nissan’s midsize SUV is. I love its muscular styling. But looks aside (which is purely subjective anyway), I would put the Terra among the top 3 (or even Top 2) SUVs in its class. Riding comfort is among the best in its class, even if you still feel the chassis vibrations inherent in any pickup-based SUV. The third row is still good for kids (the seat bottom is barely five inches off the floor), but the front and middle-row passengers have extremely generous overall space. The overall feel in the cabin is one of refinement—not one of heavy-handed luxury that’s trying too hard to mask an unsophisticated foundation. The Terra is no Infiniti QX50 (Nissan’s luxury brand SUV), but it does a pretty good job of asserting its own upmarket aspirations.         

The new Nissan Terra will be available in six colors: Nebula Metallic Red, Forged Metallic Copper, Lunar Metallic Gray, Brilliant Silver, Galaxy Black and Aspen Pearl White (for an additional PHP15,000). The elegant exterior colors are matched with a premium two-tone, black with burgundy interior leather trim for the VL variants and black interior colors for the VE and EL variants.

The new Terra also comes with a vehicle warranty of five years or 150,000 kilometers, whichever comes first. Similar to the Nissan Navara pickup, the warranty of the new Terra is a first in its segment.

“The new Nissan Terra is a smart and reliable family SUV that gives you and your loved ones confidence, comfort, control, safety, and peace of mind. We took the well-known all-terrain toughness and capabilities from Nissan’s 70 years of SUV heritage, and added the latest technologies, to turn the new Terra into the perfect partner for sharing experiences with your family and loved ones,” says Nissan Philippines President and Managing Director Atsushi Najima.

The new Nissan Terra is now available at all Nissan dealers. (Customers can go to their nearest Nissan dealerships, following local health and safety guidelines. To ensure everyone’s safety, customers can check the latest health protocols with their nearest dealer before visiting.)