The body-on-frame off-roader will debut in China this spring
It was only a matter of time before Nissan used the Navara's rugged frame on an SUV. After all, some competitors already do it: Ford has the Ranger-based Everest, and Mitsubishi offers the L200-based Pajero Sport.
Meet Nissan's truck-based SUV, the Terra, which uses the underpinnings of the Navara pickup. It's the first vehicle from Nissan's frame and LCV division to launch under the company's mid-term plan called "Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022."
Debuting in China this spring, the Nissan Terra will later be available in other markets throughout Asia. The new model is described as a rugged SUV that is "practical, authentic, and designed to go anywhere."
We don't have any specs yet, but we suspect the Terra will use the same engines offered on the Navara. Expect the 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel and the 2.5-liter gasoline four-pot, as well as the same four-wheel-drive system with low-range from the truck. Official information will be released in April.
Nissan says one in every six of its vehicles sold globally is a frame-based vehicle or an LCV. The company wants that market share to grow, with objectives under the midterm plan including the increase of sales by more than 40 percent by 2022 so that the brand becomes a global leader in pickups and frame-based SUVs.
Last year, Nissan's global frame and LCV sales reached 907,929 vehicles, accounting for an increase of 7 percent compared to 2016.
READ MORE: Our in-depth review of the 2016 Nissan Navara 190 PS Tekna AT