Nissan Terra edges closer to Oz

The all-new Nissan Terra made its South East Asian ‘regional world premiere’ outside Manila in the Philippines this evening, offering our first look at the version that may come to Australia.

A 135kW/251Nm 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-powered five-seat version of the Navara ute-based Nissan Terra is already on sale in China, following its reveal in February.

Now Nissan has revealed the Terra in seven-seat right-hand drive form complete with a diesel automatic powertrain – the combination Nissan Australia is mostly to want to launch the Terra with Down Under, where it would be a direct rival for ute-based 4x4 wagons like the Ford Everest, Toyota Fortuner, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Holden Trailblazer and Isuzu MU-X.

Interestingly, however, instead of our Navara’s 140kW/450Nm 2.3-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder, the seven-seat Terra was revealed with Nissan’s larger 2.5-litre (2488cc) YD25 DDTi single-turbo four-cylinder diesel with variable-geometry tech.

Offering the same 140kW at 3600rpm and the same 450Nm of torque from 2000rpm, the 2.5 is matched with the same seven-speed automatic transmission and does duty in the Navara across Asia.

Senior vice-president for Nissan's light commercial vehicle business Ashwani Gupta said the Terra will offer class-leading engine performance in the ladder-chassis SUV market in South East Asia, where the Everest is only available with Ford’s 2.2-litre diesel engine.

“The new Nissan Terra is built on our more than 60 years of SUV heritage, which includes iconic models such as the Nissan Patrol,” he said.

“The Nissan Terra design is both tough and practical, reliable for everyday use while also giving our customers the ability to unhook from daily life and undertake adventure.”

Riding on a 2850mm wheelbase, the Philippines-spec Terra revealed tonight was 2mm longer than the Chinese version at 4885mm, 15mm wider at 1865mm and the same 1835mm high.

Ground clearance is par for the course at 225mm while approach angle was listed at 32.3 degrees and departure angle at 26.6.

The Terra will be available in the Philippines from August in five versions, including three equipment grades, one six-speed manual and just one 4x4, with the remainder being 4x2.

A rear-drive Terra would give Nissan Australia a direct entry-level rival for the Everest and MU-X 4x2s.

Asian markets including Thailand, where the Terra will be built alongside the Navara, will follow by the end of this year, as well as Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Nissan is also claiming best-in-class cabin space, and a flat-folding second row of seats that tumbles away. Top-grade equipment features include LED headlights, leather seat trim, eight-way power driver’s seat adjustment, dual-zone climate control and Apple CarPlay connectivity.

Underneath there’s the same suspension set-up as the Navara, meaning double wishbones up front and a five-link coil-sprung solid rear axle. Drivetrain tech includes low-range gear ratios, a 4WD-DIFF lock system, Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control.

For the Philippines, key safety equipment will include six airbags, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, Intelligent Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection, and Smart Rear View Mirror.

Right-hand drive production of the Terra is not in question, given all South East Asian markets are RHD except the Philippines and Korea.

What Nissan Australia needs is a RHD seven-seat diesel/auto Terra with the requisite safety equipment for a five-star ANCAP safety rating, which from this year includes AEB.

Stand by for more news from the regional launch of the Nissan Terra, which remains some time away from Australian showrooms if it is confirmed for our market.