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June 27th, 1997 |
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Nissan Terrano II --- take your seats, please. |
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| But the driving
position does not win so much favour. The driver sits high with plenty of room for the left leg, as there is no footrest, yet the accelerator pedal is located far enough rearwards to make the right leg bend uncomfortably. My 185 cm height was still uneasy at the conclusion of a week in the wagon, though admittedly others of average height voiced no complaint. There are two trim levels - RX and TI - and Nissan's beancounters apparently kept a close eye on what equipment was fitted in the lower spec RX. They restricted it to manual door mirrors, wind-up windows and minimal seat adjustment, but did allow central locking, good headlights complete with a levelling control, and well designed seats. (Nissan was once about the only Japanese manufacturer who knew how to make a really supportive seat - the others have caught up, but this Spaniard's seating maintains the standard.) While mentioning headlights, what look like spotlights in the nose are actually fog lights, and their elevated location makes them exceptionally effective as they are focused down to easily penetrate the heaviest fogs we are likely to encounter here in Australia. Engines are a 2.7 litre turbodiesel or the 2.4 litre four cylinder petrol unit tested, with part-time 4WD and a 5-speed manual gearbox - no auto option ! Gearshift action was a bit stiff and baulky, despite full-synchromesh and a lovely clutch action, but the engine's torque makes Terrano a leisurely cruiser and at 110kmh it is ticking over comfortably on 2700rpm. Fuel consumption averaged 12.5 L/100km (22.5mpg). On-road handling is reasonably predictable, with a bit of roll-oversteer noted in faster corners. The recirculating ball steering seemed a trifle vague and slow-reacting at times, particularly in the straight-ahead position, but it is quite easily manouevred around town. Generous ground clearance sees it cope well in rough country, and on corrugated gravel the four-coil suspension allows a decent level of ride comfort, with commendably low NVH levels even when the corrugations create high-frequency vibrations. A question mark still hangs over whether or not it could actually pose a threat to its own sibling - the Pathfinder - but Nissan's Terrano II offers yet another choice for 4WD wagon buyers : especially those who need extra seats when they double as a neighbourhood bus service.
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Nuts-N-Bolts
