As you know, Nissan Philippines officially introduced the new and better Terra midsize SUV today. This is an update of the popular vehicle that had been launched in our country just three years ago.

The changes are apparent in the exterior, starting from the front fascia that now boasts a new V-motion grille and quad LED projector (and auto-leveling) headlamps.

The rear is now adorned by redesigned LED taillights. And there’s also a new shark-fin antenna if you’re a keen observer.

The new Terra comes with a new 18-inch two-tone alloy wheel design.

But peer through the rear wheels and you will notice something more: The Terra is now equipped with rear disc brakes (at least for the VL 4×4 and the VL 4×2). Something to placate those who used to complain about the previous model’s rear drum brakes.

The VL 4×4 also gets a rear differential lock.

Residing under the hood is the same dependable 2.5-liter YD25 turbodiesel engine rated at 187hp and 450Nm, but the vehicle should benefit from a quick steering gear ratio. Also, vehicle dynamic control and hill-start assist are now standard across all four variants.

Speaking of safety features, the Terra continues with the vaunted suite of Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies that already include forward-collision warning, emergency braking, driver-alert warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, blind spot warning, intelligent rearview mirror, and the advanced around-view monitor. Nissan Philippines says the Terra now has the so-called Safety Shield 360, but we don’t know if this is just another fancy term for Nissan Intelligent Mobility.

Inside, instantly evident is the makeover of the dashboard. The steering wheel gets a new D-shape design, and the center console has been refreshed. A new seven-inch “advanced driver-assist display” finds its way into the cockpit of all variants. Our VL 4×4 demo unit will entertain you with eight Bose premium speakers—the better to enjoy the Terra’s first-in-segment wireless Apple CarPlay. These complement the nine-inch touchscreen audio display.

Other useful features added are speed-sensing door locks and rain-sensing wipers.

Rear passengers will be delighted to know that the Terra now has a 11-inch flip-down rear monitor. Heavy traffic making the trip too long? No problem.

We just wish that the heavy liftgate had automatic power operation. Sadly, it doesn’t. Guess you can’t have it all.

Prices for the four variants are as follows:

• VL 4×4 AT – P2,339,000
• VL 4×2 AT – P1,999,000
• VE 4×2 AT – P1,829,000
• EL 4×2 MT – P1,649,000

For the specific features per variant, please see the spec sheet below. Be guided accordingly, because the features we mentioned above are mostly for our demo unit, which is the top-of-the-line VL 4×4 AT.