Nissan Philippines (NPI) recently invited us to a 2-day expedition to Zambales. The agenda was to showcase the capabilities of the Terra SUV and Navara pickup via Drive Pinas, its project in collaboration with the Department of Tourism (DOT).
Autocar Philippines was one of the media outfits present in the said activity. The thing is, being visually handicapped, I’m physically unable to drive. However, thanks to my perfectly sighted buddy and Autocar Philippines teammate Neil Pagulayan, we still made it. This is a shotgun rider’s point of view of the Nissan “Drive Pinas” Unbound Drive with the Terra & Navara.
For this activity, NPI fielded 5 units of the Terra and 5 units of the Navara. Best part is we were with the Overland Kings, a group of off-road and camping aficionados. This is why our rides were all rigged with twin car tents. I was unable to get the exact weight of the camping rig, but I would guesstimate it to be in the ballpark of about 70 to 100 kilos, considering the frame and the tents stacked up neatly on the roof/truck beds to balance the total weight of the entire vehicle.
Our journey started off early in the morning of March 13 at Nissan North EDSA. There, Neil and I were assigned to be with the Terra VL 4×4, a unit which from here on I’ll call “Nex” as reference to its license plate. Our Nex comes in a sleek Forged Metallic Copper paintwork.
Now, I generally like how the Terra looks on the outside – robust, brawny, and all. But what made Nex special was the color. To me, the Forged Metallic Copper is the best color option of the current generation Terra. Although in the dark, even I couldn’t fully admire the elegance of the paint.
Good thing we were already moving when the sun came out as we headed for our first stop, a restroom break at PTT SCTEX, about 1 hour and 30 minutes drive from Nissan North EDSA. As I have observed, the paintwork made Nex look dapper.
Inside, particularly the front passenger seat, the space is roomy if your frame is on the average. But for someone on the plus size like me, I found it a little on the tight side, my legs in their normal seating position are up against the center console, dash, and the door card. Yeah, I did pull the seat back and reclined it a little. Doing so made things comfortable, so no big issue there, just a sign for me to go on a diet! The rest of the interior was loaded with all sorts of things like camping essentials, tools, and a cooler, making full use of the Nex’s tried and true carrying capacity.
This is where the Drive Pinas aspect of the trip comes in. Our convoy was led to a place called Mangatarem in Pangasinan for breakfast. There, we were treated to a showcase of Daang Kalikasan views, giving us a chance to admire its scenic nature and landscape, something DOT recommends tourists should consider heading to this summer.
And there’s more. With Daang Kalikasan’s construction still ongoing, participants eventually reached the point where the pavement ended and Nissan’s 4×4 systems were put to the test. I’M happy Nex pulled it through, of course with Neil’s seasoned driving skills. Yes the ride was bumpy, we were shaken, but because of Nissan’s 4×4 and Intelligent Mobility systems, we were out of the dust all in good shape. And yes, we were advised by our off-roading team leaders to air down our tires to 20 psi to gain some extra traction.
According to Neil, he had a chance to pilot the exact Terra unit we were in. He said the Terra, “handled pretty well on the open country highway and the power on tap didn’t leave us wanting”. I agree because out on the open highways, Nex felt stable and responsive to Neil’s every driving input. And when we were out tackling the rough terrains, Nex was just as responsive.
And we finally made it to our destination, a place called Crystal Beach Resort in San Narciso, Zambales. There, a camping setup was prepared for us to settle down for the night. The setup was designed with Nissan’s push for more sustainable tourism practices in mind, with tents set up over the vehicles. Nissan says this move is part of the Drive Pinas initiative for better eco-friendly tourism.
The next day, we were out with our rides on the beach front. NPI prepared a couple of off-road activities for us to tackle at the beach front and at the lahar-covered Santo Tomas River Mouth to further explore the vehicles’ driving capabilities.
Similar to the previous day’s journey, Nex was able to provide Neil with the response he needed the most. But differently from the previous day’s journey, the challenge we had in Day 2 was nothing short of tough. Faced with the hurdle of very loose sand and lahar, we almost got stuck a number of times.
Of course, I have to mention Nex’s 2.5L DOHC turbo diesel engine and 7-speed auto gearbox with manual mode. With 190 ps and 450 Nm distributed to all four wheels, and the option to lock the differential for uneven terrain, Nex showed off why it’s an off-road capable machine. Power and torque delivery was prompt, although we had some instances in the off-road challenges wherein it seemed to me like we suddenly hit the rev limiter. But due to the advanced drivetrain, we were able to power and torque out of the ordeal, thus saving the engine.
The activities gave Neil a good arm and upper body workout as he frantically turned the wheel, navigating through pylons. But again, Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility and 4×4 systems shined through, arming Nex with the power and capability to stride forward and get as much grip as it could. As for me? Boy was I feeling all the rush with my phone on hand shooting almost point blank at whatever was happening around me. Good thing the seatbelt did its job well enough to restrain my movements.
Finally, it’s the long journey back to Nissan North EDSA. Neil and I took a shorter route which saved us some time and gave us a chance to experience more of Nex out on smoother paved roads.
Aside from what I’ve noticed about the riding comfort and notably pleasant NHV levels, the entertainment system onboard Nex was quite a gem. Neil blasted many of his favorite tunes, mostly from the ‘80s and ‘90s pop and dance genre, and some choice rock and heavy metal music to keep his senses awake. I must say I love the 8-speaker Bose sound system. It delivered crisp and clear-sounding music, which to a person like me who relies more on my hearing, is quite an audible experience I’d definitely want to try again. And yes, Nissan’s decades-long borderline “mythical” air conditioning system was always at the ready to provide us a cool and comfy journey against the blistering sun.
All in all, the Nissan Philippines Drive Pinas Unbound was one for the books on my experience. Nex, our Terra VL 4×4 didn’t disappoint, and it left me with a whole new appreciation for the amount of research and development Nissan has put in to come up with vehicles that is as capable on the road, as well as off it. Thank you Nissan Philippines, DOT, and Overland Kings.
For more information about Nissan Philippines, visit the official website at https://www.nissan.ph/
