On a driving spell

Like a pair of shoes you’re seriously eyeing to buy online, you probably won’t hit the “buy” button without hesitation since they might end up giving you a poor fit. You’ve got to physically try them out, to be sure.

Now let’s scale that thought up to purchasing a car. Now that perspective really emphasizes the importance of testing the merchandise before committing with finality. Well, brushing aside the sales talk and specs of their vehicles on the brochures, Nissan Philippines let us Motoring journalists walk the walk… er, drive, actually- on their GoAnywhere Drive in Siquijor!

Siquijor is a small island in the Central Visayan region. It’s quite an exotic destination, as one would have to fly to Dumaguete then take a 1-hour seacraft ride to get there. Well, that, and the fact that its history is steeped in mystical lore. It’s said that in the olden times, its inhabitants practiced magic and sorcery. That was enough to add excitement to the trip, but the fact that we’d all be traversing its interesting roads with varied terrain while checking out its historical attractions and amazing sights in a convoy of very capable Nissans more than sealed the deal. They made sure we had enough seat time both as drivers and passengers in the latest iterations of the Nissan Patrol, Terra and Navara. And though one can cover the island from end to end in less than two hours, Nissan made sure our routes covered at least 200 Kilometers in total.

Patrol takes the lead

It’s quite expected that the Nissan Patrol would easily be the convoy favorite due to how it’s set up and configured, but getting ample seat time behind it in a moderately brisk drive sure emphasizes the reasons why. For an SUV of its size (yes it’s imposingly huge), its agility and handling ease are simply exceptional. Abundant power from its 5.6-liter V8 engine makes you feel what 400hp and 560 Newton-meters of Torque really means, effortlessly. Acceleration is intoxicatingly smooth yet dramatically assertive, and its steering is pleasurably light. Matched with an adaptive suspension with hydraulic motion control, its responsiveness and grip on the twisties at speed make you forget very quickly about its massive dimensions. All that, while in a cabin tastefully swathed in luxurious amenities. I’ll admit without shame that I wanted to drive the Patrol the whole time and not share it with anyone, haha.

Best seats in the house

Just by the look of the Nissan Terra’s profile, you can tell that there’s got to be loads of space in the cabin. True enough, as it shares the chassis and frame of the Navara pick-up, its length is its asset. As a 7-seater mid-sized SUV, it’s really the second-row seat that gets the most legroom, but it doesn’t end there. The best seats in the Terra have reclining backrests and have the capacity to slide forward, to provide more space for the two third-row seats, which in this case are no token seats at all. Controls at the center console also enable the second-row seats to instantly fold and tumble at the press of a button, for easy access to the back. Add to that a crisp 11-inch video display that swings down from the ceiling- it’s a setup that says “bring on the road trips!”

Navara, the un-trucked pickup

Finally, it’s the Navara we’ve come to know but with a totally refreshed look for 2019. It’s sleeker and sportier, equipped with LED daytime running lights, and LED headlamps as well. It’s equipped with a fuel efficient and amply powered 2.5-liter Turbo-diesel engine mated to a smooth shifting 7-speed automatic transmission. While it has the loading and towing capacity of a bona fide pick-up truck, it sure doesn’t ride like one. I’ve always mentioned that it’s the pick-up that feels like an SUV; the most comfortable in its class. So with the Navara, it’s like having your cake and… well, you get my drift.

As impressive as the main attractions we got to visit, like the 200-year old Lazi Church and the other worldly Quarry we were given access to, were the roads (and non-roads) we cruised on and traversed. They were strewn with tightly coiled twists and switchbacks, smooth high-speed straights, and the occasional dirt and gravel stretches that really showcased the impressive performance and unique characteristics of the Nissan vehicles we drove. Sure, we were just basically scratching the surface of what our rides were really capable of, but we sure got an immersion with them on a real-world adventure setting, and each Nissan nameplate on the lineup: the Patrol, Terra and Navara went through their paces effortlessly and emerged with flying colors. We surely felt the GoAnywere spirit with that amazing drive in Siquijor… okay, pun intended.