Pickup-based SUV comes with the brand’s latest twin-turbo diesel that will eventually appear under the bonnet of the Thai-spec Navara donor vehicle.
Nissan has become the sixth pickup maker in Thailand to launch an SUV variation for the hotly contested, so-called PPV (pickup passenger vehicle) segment.
Called Terra, the brand’s seven-seat SUV is largely based on the Navara NP300 workhorse but, like in rivals, features a more car-like rear suspension for a more optimum balance between handling and ride.
Although a traditional chassis-on-frame underpins the Terra, there’s a five-link suspension at the back. While the jointly developed Chevrolet Trailblazer and Isuzu MU-X also employs such a matrix, those found in the Ford Everest, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Fortuner are slightly different technically.
Like in the Pajero Sport, which comes with a sole 181hp 2.4-litre diesel-turbo and eight-speed automatic to choose from, the Terra’s only choice is 190hp 2.3-litre variation mated to a seven-speeder.
The Thai-spec Terra is different from those sold in other Asean markets despite all being built at the same factory in Thailand.
While the twin-turbo 2.3-litre (coded YS23) is a new development, the previous single-turbo 2.5-litre (YD25) is still in use in Indonesia and the Philippines. Outputs of 190hp and 450Nm are the same.
But rather than seeing maximum torque attained at 2,000rpm in YD25, the YS23 has a more usable range of 1,500-2,500rpm. The YS23 unit is set to reach the Navara NP300 in updated form in the foreseeable future.
There are three grades for the Terra, all with seven-speed automatic, six-airbags and some driver-assist items: V 2WD at 1.316 million baht, VL 2WD at 1.349 million baht and VL 4WD 1.427 million baht.
Ford recently updated the Everest with a mid-life facelift, new 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engines and 10-speed automatic. The single-turbo motor produces 180hp and 430Nm, while the twin-turbo variation makes a class-leading 213hp and 500Nm. They cost 1.299-1.599 million and 1.799 million baht accordingly.
