Nissan Terrano AMT (Early ownership report)
I've been following the Nissan Terrano since it's launch, and a couple of key ideas jumped out at me. These are:
1) SUV Heritage - The Nissan stables have brought forth some legendary SUVs (Pathfinder, X-Trail). I refused to believe that a Nissan product would equal a Dacia legacy build.
2) Attitude - Self-explanatory for anyone who has seen the Terrano ad spots (Not doing much for your ego, am I?)
For me, a car has never been about sensibility, but passion. Having owned some bigger (and tougher) boys (like the Endy) in the past, I was fascinated by this little guy who spoke big. However, it remained a "back of mind" thing until I heard about the Nissan Terrano AMT about a month back.
After researching a little bit, I decided to reach out to Shahwar Nissan here in Bangalore. Now, I need to give a massive shout-out to Naveed from Shahwar Nissan. All sales guys can learn a lesson or two from this young chap. To give you a sense of the experience:
a) Naveed got me the first Nissan Terrano in Karnataka (a full two months ahead of schedule, as I was only supposed to get it in January end)
b) Got me the TD vehicle in early November (again, I believe I was the first person to test drive it in Bangalore).
c) He ensured that the accessories department went beyond the standard equipment in their menu (as I was particular about the component system)
d) Post delivery, he called me up at night to ensure that I got home safe and sound and requested me to call him for any issues/challenges I might have moving forward
I strongly recommend Shahwar Nissan based on my experience with them. Excellent people, responsive and definitely exceeded my expectations. But now, on to the main course - The Nissan Terrano AMT!
Now, let me state something - this is not a vehicle for those people trying to justify the price difference compared to the duster. This is not a vehicle for those who like sun-roofs and seat warmers and follow-me-home functionalities.
This is vehicle for those who love what it represents - The raw, the untamed, the abuse-friendly.
Like I said earlier, this is SUV heritage at work. From the magnificent alloys (the best stock alloys I have seen in a car in this segment) to the imposing grill (with just the right amount of signature Nissan chrome) to the little things which might save your life (ABS, EBD with BA, ESP, Hill Start Assist etc) to a functional yet very well put-together interiors (I love the piano black accents inside the cabin) to arguably the best ride quality in not just this segment, but maybe the next one too, this is tradition at play.
Now, I'm not going to rattle off the tech specs (interested readers can head over to the Nissan page for that). I'm going to share what it feels like to drive this bad-boy.
For an AMT, I think the ride is brilliant. I usually turn on "Eco" mode in city, and the ride is relaxed and predictable, with excitement on-tap when you floor the accelerator (even in Eco mode). The AMT is only available in the 110 PS version, and I've read reports that the 110 was sluggish in city compared to the 85 (in the older manual versions). However, it certainly doesn't feel that way in this fellow. Or if it does, I'm not enough of an aficionado to appreciate the subtle difference.
![Nissan Terrano : Official Review-20161202_1358272.jpg](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attachments/official-new-car-reviews/1581593d1690464781t-nissan-terrano-official-review-20161202_1358272.jpg)
Now, one gripe I had was the original music system. Hey Nissan - 1980 called, they want their silly HU back.I put in the Blaupunkt 530 HU and replaced the stock speakers with Hertz components. Keep in mind, I am not an audiophile, but I do love my music. For me, the current setup is aces. I apologize for the potato quality of the photo itself, but the interiors feel nice. The beige is not over-done, and the black elements are quite tasteful. I specially love the piano black gloss on the door handles and the area around the HU. I wish the steering had those thumb rest areas, but it's definitely not a showstopper. I do not miss the steering mounted controls -now this is a matter of personal choice, but I never enjoyed controls being steering mounted. I tend to drive with a relaxed hold on the steering (one-handed), and therefore always had to put equal effort whether the controls were steering mounted or on the HU.
![Nissan Terrano : Official Review-img20161202wa0001.jpg](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attachments/official-new-car-reviews/1581599d1690464781t-nissan-terrano-official-review-img20161202wa0001.jpg)
Now the above picture was taken by a colleague of mine, who later realised it was my car. There you go people. If someone takes the time in a traffic jam to snap a picture of your car, then you have a head-turner!
On a serious note, I love the design language which Nissan has employed for the rear. While it looks so minimal, the effect is brilliant. I also opted for the spoiler, which I think Nissan should make into a default attachment. It greatly improves the look of the rear.
Another potato quality pic of the stock alloys. The wheels are Apollos, as opposed to the earlier Wanderers. I wonder why? Noise perhaps?
The cabin interiors are efficiently anointed. The key word here is efficiency. You do not have a lot going on inside the cabin, but whatever is there is excellent. The rear seat is angled just right to make it comfortable. The suspension tuning (which Nissan have done a brilliant job on, btw) makes for a planted and rather fantastic ride experience. The Terrano chews up Indian roads like no-ones business, and does so silently. A couple of friends remarked that the interior was incredibly silent, even at higher speeds. From a drivers perspective I can confirm that while it is no Endeavour, the Terrano certainly earns a place amongst the most comfortable SUVs I've ever driven. In terms of comparison, in my opinion based on my test-drives, I rank the driving comfort as Terrano>Duster>Creta.
![Nissan Terrano : Official Review-20161202_1359032.jpg](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attachments/official-new-car-reviews/1581595d1690464781t-nissan-terrano-official-review-20161202_1359032.jpg)
All in all, I would say you buy a Terrano AMT with your heart, not your mind. You drive it with passion, not sensibility. Nissan's design language has always been something I've subscribed to - Designed to Dominate. The little SUV which talks big has done just that!