Nissan Terrano - The Duster That Couldn't

The Nissan Terrano crossover has already managed to find the notoriety of an SUV that is almost impossible to sell on the secondary market. But is everything so bad with a car that has been sold quite successfully in the Russian Federation since 2014? Let's see what kind of car it is, whether it is expensive to operate, and what you generally need to know before applying for a Terrano crossover at a dealership or used market.

For what merit is it worth buying Terrano?

Let's start on a good note and first of all consider the advantages of the car, due to which it has been on the Russian market for more than 7 years due to good demand. "Fault" to this pluses:

• ★ Stylish design. Compared to its "brother" Renault Duster, the crossover looks more modern and pretty. Unfortunately, this is its only striking advantage compared to the alternative model, but we will talk about this later.
  
• ★ Practical interior. Not much different from the internal arrangement of the Duster, but in itself it is quite comfortable, moderately spacious and functional. Long trips will not cause you serious discomfort.
  
• ★ Patency. The car has a complete order with the suspension, the ground clearance is large and does not interfere with overcoming roads of not the best quality.
  

Otherwise, the advantages are the same as those of the Renault Duster, especially on the technical side. Still, do not rush to add the Nissan Terrano to your car purchase plan, because we have not yet explored its pitfalls. Believe me, there is something to think about.

Operational "sores" Terrano

Be prepared for the fact that during the operation of the Nissan Terrano from the secondary, a number of shortcomings may appear. Of course, this is also true for new cars, but used cars bring trouble much earlier. Some of them are significant, others are almost not a problem:

• ? body weak to rust - “saffron mushrooms” appear and grow very quickly
  
• ? poor sound insulation, the audibility of the environment is high and causes discomfort
  
• ? in winter, headlights can fog up a lot due to leakage
  
• ? the front-wheel drive version often flies out the rear spring, like the Duster
  

As for the suspension, up to the first 100 thousand kilometers, the chassis does not cause problems if you drive relatively calmly and do not jump through deep pits. The only thing that will require replacement before the mentioned period is the stabilizer bars and bushings, and then if you prefer an aggressive ride.

Why is it difficult to sell on the secondary?

Despite all the advantages, the Nissan Terrano fell victim to marketing, which made it one of the most illiquid crossovers on the secondary market. The reason is simple - the car is an improved version of the popular Renault Duster, and the changes are mostly cosmetic, there are no really unique additions. It would seem that the car should be running on the market, but take your time.



The fact is that marketers managed to increase the price of the new Terrano to 250 thousand rubles compared to Duster. However, this extra charge completely "dissolves" literally within 3 years of operation of the crossover. As a result, an interesting situation develops - it is more profitable to purchase a much more “fresh” Duster than to risk the budget when buying a used Terrano.

So which is better - Duster or Terrano?

Terrano is that paradoxical case when the Nissan nameplate suddenly appeared on the Duster. At first glance, it really may seem that the Japanese crossover looks better: a solid grille, “designer” rims, large taillights and a number of small changes, for example, a modified geometry of rails and bumpers.

Despite the attempts of Nissan engineers to move away from the Renault Duster, it turned out to be almost the same car. If there was still enough fantasy for the exterior, then the interior for changes is much poorer. The devices have changed a little, a “own” steering wheel and a multimedia system have appeared. However, the steering wheel music control system is gone, while the Duster has it and a large multimedia display.

If you look closely at the technical characteristics of both cars, it immediately becomes clear that the overpayment for the Terrano in 80-250 thousand rubles, depending on the configuration, goes exclusively for the updated appearance. At the same time, the Nissan suspension is noticeably inferior to the Duster chassis, for which there is no difference where to go: on a flat surface or on a broken road, or on a gravel road.



Renault Duster at one time became a sensation and confidently took first place among crossovers in the Russian market. Terrano will definitely not have such a chance. Yes, you can pay more and get a smarter look, but does it make sense if the cars are technically 95% identical? Wouldn't it be better to be simple but honest, and save the "extra" money for maintenance?

How much is a Nissan Terrano worth on the used market?

Consider the price drop of the latest generation of the model, namely the Terrano III (D10). So, the most “fresh” copies of 2021 release are sold at a price in the region of 1,7-1,85 million rubles. After two or three years, the cost of a car drops by an average of 250-350 thousand rubles - you can look at very good options for 1,3-1,45 million rubles with a mileage barely exceeding 30-50 thousand km.

You can find a five-year-old Terrano III (D10) in good technical condition for 1,1-1,2 million rubles. Thus, over 5 years of operation, the car becomes cheaper by almost 500-600 thousand rubles. Of course, a lot depends on the mileage, serviceability and appetites of the seller. The most "old" representatives of the generation from 2014 are sold at a price of 670 thousand rubles or more.



The most interesting thing is that you can buy a new Nissan Terrano from an authorized dealer at a price of 1,2 million rubles in the minimum configuration. For the maximum version, the manufacturer asks for at least 1,55 million rubles, and then the cost rests on the ceiling, depending on the installed special stages. Here's another reason why the crossover on the secondary is not very popular.

How much does maintenance cost?

If you still decide to take Nissan Terrano from the salon or want to buy a relatively “fresh” copy in the secondary market, be sure to find out how much regular maintenance (TO) costs.

Practice shows that TO-1 and TO-2 play the greatest role, which are carried out after the first 15 and 30 thousand kilometers, respectively. The exact cost of maintenance depends on a number of factors:

• ✅ body - original from 2014 to 2016 or later restyling
  
• ✅ engine - cars are sold with two engine options for 1,6 and 2,0 liters
  
• ✅ transmission type - in the case of a 2,0-liter engine, both manual and automatic transmissions are available
  
• ✅ drive - it is obvious that four-wheel drive requires more expensive maintenance than front-wheel drive
  
• ✅ what components are used - original or compatible analogues
  

For clarity, here are the reference numbers. TO-1 of a restyled Nissan Terrano with a 2,0-liter engine, manual transmission and all-wheel drive will cost an average of 7,5 thousand rubles, taking into account work and spare parts. TO-2 for a car with a similar configuration will require an investment of at least 11 thousand rubles.

Conclusion

If you treat money as practical as possible, pay attention to Renault Duster instead of Nissan Terrano. It is especially worth doing this if you plan to conquer off-road and do not want to worry about whether the geometry of the car will lose to the next potholes. If you still want to drive a Japanese brand car, remember that it will be very difficult to sell a used car.