Putting Nissan’s focus on crossovers and SUVs in Russia was the right decision, as the SUV segment has become the key to the Japanese brand’s success. Nissan’s lineup offers a crossover for every taste, from the most affordable to the most premium. But to get more hands-on, Yuzhny Avtomobil traveled to the Yaroslavl region and tested the updated Nissan Terrano on forest trails and uneven asphalt.
For most of our compatriots, an SUV is an indicator of success and wealth, a sign of cool, but with the Nissan Terrano this only partially applies. It’s not designed to show off or squeeze inattentive car drivers out of city traffic. It’s completely different and wasn’t created for show-off. The Terrano is, first and foremost, a workhorse: reliable, low-maintenance, and inexpensive to maintain. Its off-road capabilities also rival those of more sophisticated and expensive SUVs. It’s not bought by top managers and government officials, but by ordinary workers and rural workers, for hunting and fishing trips, or simply as a family car.
Nissan’s alliance with Renault made this affordable crossover a reality. The Terrano is based on the Duster, with the only difference being that the Nissan brand is considered more prestigious, giving the Nissan SUV a more striking appearance.
Yes, the Terrano is initially more expensive than the Duster due to its more extensive standard equipment. Otherwise, the Terrano and Duster are technically identical twins, with the only difference being that the French model has a diesel engine while the Japanese model does not.
Nissan’s most affordable SUV has been on sale in Russia for three years now, and it has received a minor, but still refresh.
Visually, the Terrano remains unchanged, but the updated version has become more convenient for the driver. Firstly, the poorly positioned horn on the steering column stalk is no longer there. The horn button, as befits a normal car, has moved to the steering wheel. The steering wheel itself has also been redesigned after the refresh, becoming more solid and receiving a metal-style insert. Secondly, the orange instrument panel backlighting, which irritates many, now glows white, which is also a welcome change, especially on long journeys. Thirdly, for those whose legs get tired on long journeys, the seat cushion has been lengthened. The rearview camera has also been updated, and cruise control with a speed limiter has been added.
The Terrano also received a new stereo system with a seven-inch display. The windshield now features heated windshield defoggers, and, naturally, in accordance with legal requirements, Nissan has added an ERA-GLONASS emergency call button.
All Terranos are now equipped with air conditioning, and the top-of-the-line Tekna trim even includes navigation. Accordingly, the new Terrano has become more expensive after the renovation. It’s time to get used to the fact that a new budget SUV now costs around a million rubles in Russia, and the Terrano confirms this. The price of the car, depending on the configuration, varies between 925,000 and 1,220,000 rubles.
During a two-day test drive, a colleague and I got a top-of-the-line Nissan Terrano in the Tekna configuration, with a two-liter engine producing 143 horsepower. Our car was paired with an automatic transmission. By the way, the Duster’s “clunky” automatic transmission has been replaced with a pleasant selector lever. Nissan is gradually bringing to a divine appearance what the French left unfinished on the Duster. It’s a shame that the automatic transmission itself remains rather archaic – four-speed, but this is already for the sake of reducing the cost of the car.
Personally, neither the Duster nor the Terrano ever disgusted me, and I even liked them somewhat. These are reliable, low-maintenance vehicles that deliver on their price and then some. On the broken asphalt of the Yaroslavl region, the Terrano can confidently reach 100 km/h without fear of a suspension failure. The main thing is not to get distracted and hit a deeper hole at speed.
However, we didn’t come here to drive on asphalt, but to test the Terrano on real off-road terrain. The off-road section prepared by the organizers turned out to be quite challenging, and in some places we had to cross deep puddles that looked more like fords. Moreover, despite its seemingly plastic exterior, the Terrano confidently navigated areas where only a UAZ could reasonably be expected.
Perhaps the main risk when fording such water is the prospect of losing your license plate in a puddle. And yet, when fording deep puddles, it was best not to get carried away and drive the Terrano too fast. Our mini-expedition participants navigated through puddles with ease, but the flow of water caused the rear bumper to crack on several vehicles at once.
The car emerges from a ford without any problems, as long as you maintain a steady pace and don’t let up on the gas, otherwise you could end up on your belly. Lock mode comes in handy in particularly challenging situations. The Terrano’s off-road capability is excellent, thanks to its short overhangs, all-wheel drive, and 210 millimeter ground clearance—a perfect vehicle for the Russian hinterland, where the roads aren’t the best. The car is ideal for summer residents and rural residents, but the price tag may be too high for many villagers.
