Nissan’s Pathfinder vacated the Fortuner class when it evolved into a unibody ‘softroader’ largely aimed at the American market, but now the old formula is back - in spirit at least - with the new Nissan Terra.
The newcomer is based on the latest Nissan Navara’s ladder-frame chassis, and will go on sale in China imminently, shortly followed by other Asian markets.
But will this new Nissan ever get to Terrarise the Fortuner and Everest on local shores? Nothing is cast in stone as yet, but the official statement from Nissan SA implies that it might come here in one form or another:
“Nissan Group of Africa is excited about the launch of the LCV based Terra in certain parts of the Nissan world.
“We are working closely with our parent company to develop a vehicle that is suitable to Sub Saharan market, however we are not in a position to confirm details at this point.”
Nissan is only set to release more information on the Terra in April, but it’s a sure bet that the large SUV will offer seating for seven, with power coming from the Navara’s 140kW/450Nm 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel engine.
Navara mechanicals also mean that the 4x4 version will be a proper off-roader, complete with low-range gearing, while rear-wheel-drive is also likely to be offered as a more budget-friendly alternative.