How Nissan is defying limits with the Navara, Terra, and Patrol | Quick Drives
Nissan may not be a top choice for everyone right now, dropping from third to fifth place in the latest sales rankings from 2025 (we don’t have the final numbers yet), but they’re still out to prove that they can be with their 4×4 lineup.
The Japanese automaker invited us on a drive last year, in fact the last one we attended for 2025, featuring once again the Navara and Terra midsize pickup and SUV siblings (for good reason), with the addition of their flagship Patrol full-size SUV.
Nissan’s chosen route for this drive would take us from every brand’s new favorite jump off point–Solaire Resort North in Quezon City, to the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan, a drive of about 200km on the first day.
Assigned to us for the first leg of the drive was the Patrol. Lucky for me, I was designated as a passenger by the organizers for the first leg, driven by Leandre Grecia of TopGear Philippines, as our chauffeur for the first leg, along with Heather Raymundo, also of TopGear Philippines, on the front passenger seat.
With the morning rush hour taking place, this was the perfect time for me to enjoy being chauffeured in the behemoth. I do in fact know from the time we reviewed the Patrol that it’s quite easy to maneuver inside the city despite its size, and I’m sure Leandre felt the same.
Of course, the backseat was the prime place to be in with its comfortable bench seat that comes with loads of leg and headroom for someone at my height of five feet and seven inches. Add in features such as the dual 12.3-inch entertainment screens (now optional), which can mirror your laptop or phone screen, and you’ve got yourself a good VIP suite to keep you cocooned from the outside world.
We did find the ride to be a bit firm, no thanks to the overinflated tires. Thankfully, the standard Adaptive Air Suspension compensated for that, keeping the ride smooth for most of the drive.
There is a downside to it though as it has the tendency to turn the ride into quite a bouncy affair. While it gives occupants a smooth ride (with proper tire pressure), it also has the tendency to deliver a lot of bounce. This can be remedied by putting the vehicle in Sport mode, though at the expense of a little bit of fuel economy. Like as if that matters here anyway.
And speaking of fuel economy, powering this beast is a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine making 431 horsepower and 700Nm of torque, mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. The naturally-aspirated V8 will be missed, but this V6 more than fulfills its job, especially on my driving leg from the Total gas station along NLEX, to the SCTEX Southbound Rest Stop in Floridablanca, Pampanga.
If the Patrol is great in the city, it’s even better on the highway. Acceleration is very linear, the nine-speed transmission is smooth, and handling is great for a large SUV. Again, we’ve already reviewed it so if you want our detailed thoughts, including the fuel economy, watch the full review below:
After driving the Patrol, we were assigned to switch to the Navara. And while it may be one of Nissan’s oldest offerings in our market, dating back to 2015, it doesn’t feel like it thanks to various updates throughout the decade.
Get inside, push the start button, and the tried-and-tested YD25 engine comes to life with its loud and distinct starter noise which remains a sweet treat for me. In case you still don’t know, it’s a 2.5-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder making 190 horsepower and 450Nm of torque, mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission.
For this leg, I would drive from the SCTEX Rest Stop, down 37km to the Daloy Bistro restaurant in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
Driving the Navara all felt familiar. The basic overall vehicle has remained the same underneath anyway, with most changes being cosmetic. Still, it’s a great driving vehicle, especially with the updated interior which obviously adds a modern touch, and still being one of, if not the best riding vehicle in its segment today. We also have a full review of it already so be sure to check that out below too:
And finally, the last vehicle for today, the Nissan Terra in its 55th Anniversary Edition form. You can’t buy it, but we got to try it.
Setting it apart from the regular Nissan Terra Sport VL 4×4 which it’s based on are special anniversary decals, upgraded wheels and tires, and the 55th Anniversary logo stitched onto the front headrests.
I won’t get into detail about this since you can’t buy it anyway, but there is a slight difference in the driving experience compared to the standard Terra such as the slightly firmer ride, better handling around corners, and heavier steering weight, all because of the wheels.
But the real highlight of this drive was really the off-road capability of these vehicles. Once we arrived at our end destination for the day, we immediately went to business, taking all three Nissan 4×4 models on an off-road course, and yes, that included the Patrol.
While off-roading the Php 5.385-million beast is something 99.9% of owners in the Philippines won’t be doing, there is no doubting its capability.
The course setup for us involved driving on an uneven dirt path, then driving over some very rough ruts, followed by a steep uphill climb and even steeper descent, then finally tackling loose sand on the beach at our preferred speed.
The Nissan Navara and Terra we’ve already experienced on a similar course almost three years ago. You can watch that below, so we’ll be focusing on the Patrol today.
Again, 99.9% of Patrol owners in the Philippines won’t be taking their vehicles off-road. It’s no surprise as large SUVs in our market are more focused on comfort than capability. Still, the Nissan Patrol is fully equipped to handle any kind of terrain.
We can start with its ground clearance which is stated at 244mm. This allowed us to take on some very deep ruts and bumps on the off-road course, plus gave us the capability of driving up a steep path without damaging any parts of the vehicle.
A 2-Speed Transfer Case and selectable off-road modes like Sand, Mud, and Rock all work hand in hand to give us the peace of mind in taking on any kind of terrain. My personal favorite was the sandy beach part which was the closest we will be getting to driving on the sand dunes of Dubai for now.
Its 3D Intelligent Around-View Monitor which was certainly helpful in driving through the narrow path that had drops that we won’t want to fall in on both sides. Making it even more helpful were the Invisible Hood View and Ultra-Wide View features, especially with the Patrol’s size which measures at 5,350mm long and 2,115mm wide.
I’m no off-road expert, but off-roading is certainly one of my favorite activities in my job as a motoring journalist. And while the Nissan Navara and Terra are already quite dated compared to their rivals, they still prove to be capable for those who want to get off the beaten path.
The Patrol is their newest product and showcases the technology and capability that the brand has worked on for years, while the Navara and Terra showcase how their more pedestrian and older tech and previous generation capability and design still remain relevant in today’s market.
Nissan Philippines has dubbed this drive as “defying limits,” and they definitely prove that they are doing that with their current lineup of 4x4s. Not only are they defying the limits of their vehicles, but also the market.
2026 Nissan Patrol 3.5 V6 LE | Key Information
| Engine | 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 (VR35DDTT) |
| Output | 431 horsepower 700Nm of torque |
| Transmission | 9-Speed Automatic |
| Drivetrain | Intelligent 4WD w/ 2-Speed Transfer Case |
| Seating Capacity | 8 (including driver) |
| Price | Php 5,335,000 to Php 5,385,000 (as of February 2026) |
| Pros | Very comfortable and easy to drive for its size, Worth its price tag, Feature-packed |
| Cons | Ride is bouncy in normal mode, Rear entertainment system was buggy |
2026 Nissan Navara 2.5 Pro-4X 4×4 A/T | Key Information
| Engine | 2.5-liter Inline 4-Cylinder YD25DDTi |
| Output | 190 horsepower 450Nm of torque |
| Transmission | 7-Speed Automatic |
| Drivetrain | 4×4 |
| Seating Capacity | 5 (including driver) |
| Price | Php 2,220,000 (as of February 2026) |
| Pros | Still the most comfortable midsize pickup on the market, New dashboard modernizes old platform, Still competitive |
| Cons | Aging platform |
2026 Nissan Terra 2.5 VL Sport 4×4 A/T 55th Anniversary Edition | Key Information
| Engine | 2.5-liter Inline 4-Cylinder YD25DDTi |
| Output | 190 horsepower 450Nm of torque |
| Transmission | 7-Speed Automatic |
| Drivetrain | 4×4 |
| Seating Capacity | 7 (including driver) |
| Price | Php 2,469,000 (VL Sport 4×4) (as of February 2026) |
| Pros | Wider wheels improve handling, One of the better midsize PPVs on the market |
| Cons | Aging platform, No reach adjustment for steering column, Not available on the market |
