FULL REVIEW: 2023 Nissan Terra Sport -- Beautiful in black

DISCLOSURE: Nissan Philippines Inc. kindly lent me a 2023 Nissan Terra Sport for one week. It arrived with a full tank of fuel and loaded RFID cards.

Special-edition vehicles typically bring something fresh to the market.

They often have features previously unavailable with the nameplate to differentiate them from the standard model.

This is what Nissan Philippines did with the Nissan Terra Sport as it reignites the nameplate with a few aesthetic additions that give the vehicle a new lease on life for the local SUV market.

It begs the question: what exactly did Nissan do in the “Sport” version of the Terra and does it live up to its new variant name?

Beautiful in black

The Nissan Terra Sport is a dressed-up version of the VL model.

It still retains its imposing SUV looks, but this time with a blacked-out grille and a new bumper that comes with, you guessed it, black accents. 

However, the changes don’t stop there, as the SUV also gets a unique set of black 18-inch alloy wheels with a distinctive design that separates it from the rest of the variant lineup.

It gives the Terra a “sportier” and stealthier look, while complementing the rest of its bodylines. The door handles have also been painted gloss black to fit the theme. 

At the back, the Terra Sport also gets a unique tailgate accent in black, which is essentially a de-chromed version of the stock accent design found on the VL model. The lower bumper also has more black accents to complete the look. 

The same premium interior

Like the Terra VL, the “Sport” model has premium leather seats, a power-folding seat function for the second row and a massive infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

However, Nissan has changed the formerly red accents to black and given the SUV a new Bose sound system.

Regardless, the interior still carries premium materials befitting an SUV in its price point and is still as comfortable as the other Terra models despite the “Sport” getting a new set of alloy wheels.

Good, old turbodiesel

Under the hood is a 2.5-liter turbocharged diesel engine that produces 190 horsepower and 450 Nm of torque mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

As we did get the 4x4 variant, the engine sent power to all four wheels.  Even with the new body kit and black accents, the Terra Sport retains decent fuel economy figures, with the SUV being able to do around 7 to 10 km/l in the city and 12 to 16 km/l on the highway.

These figures align with those of its competitors that also have to lug around a 4x4 system.

Verdict and price

The Nissan Terra Sport 4x4 comes in at Php 2,459,000, which is a tough ask.

This is because the VL model, which has the same features, is Php 45,000 cheaper. You must really want the new looks of the “Sport” model to justify the extra price. 

But remember that the “Sport” is unique amongst its Terra brethren, offering you a stealthier and tougher-looking SUV compared to the rest of the lineup. It also helps that it comes with an impressive gray color only found in the variant, giving it more appeal than the rest.

However, the Terra generally shows its age as an SUV, with its competitors all leveling up and entering their new generations. Nissan will have to give the vehicle more features in the future, such as a power tailgate, to help the nameplate keep up.

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