dna drive: Nissan Terrano - On solid terrain

The SUV terrain is getting hotter by the day. And the new kid on the block is Nissan’s Terrano, which is positioning itself to take on relatively old players like XUV500, Renault Duster, Ford Ecosport.      

We took it for a spin through the bucolic landscapes of Rajasthan  from the Udaipur airport, travelling back in time to the 250 year old palace at Devigarh and then to the famous Kumbhalgarh fort. And guess what? We came back truly impressed!

The compact SUV is very much on the lines of Duster, but far better in terms of interiors, show-stopping exteriors and a trail-blazing performance.

EXTERIORS
The red top-end Terrano was indeed a head-turner. The curves on the car’s shoulders are placed in such a way that you just can’t stop noticing them.

While a huge band of bulging metal on the centre of the bonnet creates the right first impression of an SUV raring to go the mile, a large face with the Nissan badge tapering off at both ends to fit into the square-ish headlamps promises complementary power.

The fog lamps in the top end too are smartly cased into curvaceous sockets, pacing them as the design enhancements of the tough chrome-plated front grille.

The muscular shoulder carries two parallel recesses along the side panels which culminate yet again into a well worked out curves in the rear side panel. The rear boot bonnet does the needful toning down of the aggression and makes way for the premium design element for Terrano. And it serves the purpose well. Thankfully, there is no spare wheel flashing from behind and spoiling the show as the makers of Ecosport preferred, although the opinion here is subjective.

INTERIORS
This is where the car extensively scores over its oft-compared peer – the Renault Duster. The interiors are plush, premium, noiseless and hospitable.

The duel-toned interiors and the plastic quality exude class while the leather wrapped steering wheel and gear shift knob in the top end add class to the looks. The front and the rear door arm rests are either piano black or zebra wood giving a vintage feel to an ultra-modern SUV with a wide and attractive instrument panel. The top end grades provide lumbar support, too.

The rubber casing makes the interior sound-proof even at 100 kilometres per hour (kmph) speed and has almost all standard safety features. The boot space is massive and expandable with the foldable rear seat back rest.

ENGINE
With a 4-cylinder 1.6 petrol and 1.5 diesel (86 Ps), the car is good for city driving with punctuated expeditions outside while the 110 PS is an outdoor beast with 6-speed manual transmission.

Though we could not cross-check the mileage in a day’s drive, the company claims 19.01 kilometres per litre (kmpl) for 110 PS and 20.45 kmpl for 85 PS diesel.

PERFORMANCE
So, this is the one standout feature of the beast that you can’t beat and we risk calling ourselves a fan – we would still say it is for sure the best in its class, as claimed by company officials.

Though the top speed is 165 kmph as claimed by the company, we felt that going beyond 140 kmph could be a risk. But at lower speeds, the pick-up and response were just what one would expect from a 110 PS engine – fast, powerful and no lag, but the second gear was slow in delivering the power at lower speed. The powerhouse reaches 0-100 kmph in 12 seconds in the top end variant of 110 PS.

VERDICT
Indeed a better option and a tough competitor than the reigning warlords.

With a best-in-class ground clearance and a tank capacity of 50 litres, it is a premium compact SUV in look and feel and a great companion for outdoor adventures. And the footfalls are sure to gather faster momentum at dealerships if priced between Rs10-12 lakh.

Nissan Terrano
Available in 3 variants: XL, XV and XV Premium

Engine: 1.5 diesel (110 PS), 4 cylinders

Displacement: 1,461 cc

Max Power: 110 PS @ 3900 rpm

Max Torque: 248 Nm @ 2250 rpm

Kitna deti hai : 19.01 kmpl

Fuel tank capacity: 50 litres

Transmission: 6-speed manual