Imagine purchasing hard to find parts, nifty accessories, and other merchandise for your Nissan vehicles without the need to squeeze in through the world’s worst traffic. Nice, right?
Thanks to our friends at Nissan Philippines, owners of the the Japanese-made vehicles will be able to look for the spare part any time, any day by just logging into www.nissanparts.com.ph starting November 3. That is with a guaranteed 24 hour shipping within Metro Manila.
While the shipping may sound too good to be true, having an online reference for any purchase is always handy. Aside from using the world of internet to reach out to their customers, Nissan is having 11 new more dealers nationwide.
Check out their new compact SUV in PH, the Nissan Juke, that was launched yesterday here.
Nissan Philippines on their Facebook page revealed the dates and venues for their live event of the GT Academy in which aspiring gamers could try out and give a shot at becoming a pro racer.
Nissan’s GT Academy was launched late last month and aims to remove gamers out of their couches and put them into real racing cars. There are stages in which the participants should pass and overcome the challenges set before them. The initial step is to try out and the company is welcoming everyone, both men and women, to join and try to qualify for the next round.
As we’ve mentioned before, the first phase of the try-outs will be happening at malls nationwide starting April 10. Below are the dates to watch out for:
April 10 and 11, 10AM-10PM at the Glorietta 5 Activity Center
April 12, 10AM-9PM at Glorietta 5 Activity Center
April 17-18, 10AM-10PM at Glorietta Activity Center
Nissan Philippines Incorporated recently flew us all the way to Ilocos Norte to try out the capabilities of their recently-launched NP300 Navara. This off-road vehicle promises the comforts of a car with the ruggedness of a pick-up truck. Did it prove true to its claims? Join us in this special feature and find out!
The 4×4 Nissan NP300 Navara ready to take on the sand dunes of Paoay in Ilocos Norte.
Watch the video above to see this pick-up truck climb hills and lunge on slopes during our trip to the north!
Exterior
The NP300 Navara stands tough and is very masculine up front. Although definitely wider, it still features the company’s signature V-motion grille that adds more toughness to its front fascia and is also partnered by boomerang-shaped head lamps seen on other models like the testosterone-driven X-Trail.
Dimensions-wise, the top-tier Navara is now longer, wider, and taller than its previous generation. Its wheelbase, however, has been slightly reduced but ground clearance was taken a notch higher. The rear is also a looker with a tail spoiler that exudes a more agile presence, while tail lamps are bulky that adds to the overall beefy look of the truck.
Its tires are geared with 18-inch rims and make the all-new Navara stand its ground with authority.
Interior
The seats are given the same Zero-gravity treatment just like the recent models from the company, while helping you find your destination is a Garmin sat-nav system displayed on a 5-inch screen with Kenwood sound system on-board. Altogether, it was a pretty enjoyable ride and we didn’t experience any fatigue from sitting on its seats for a couple of hours.
Reminiscent of the Nissan Altima that we previously reviewed, the steering wheel has controls for audio as well as buttons to activate and navigate its cruise control.
One notable touch of a luxury vibe is the A/C vent and cup holders for the rear passengers. It can be done without, but the company was thoughtful enough to add this touch for the back passengers’ comfort.
Located at the lower central panel next to the Hill Descent Control button, Nissan opted to go for a knob switch to control the gearing of the truck. Another convenient feature is the presence of more than one USB port which is only commonly seen on SUVs or higher-end sedans.
Fuel efficiency
We did a mini eco-run challenge to get a feel of how the NP300 Navara is efficient in fuel consumption. The winning team was driving the 4×4 7-speed AT variant and they were able to squeeze out 18.30 kilometers to the liter after traveling more or less 140km on the way to the sand dunes in Paoay, passing Bangui and its famous windmills.
Performance on Sand Dunes
The top of the line Navara carries a 2.5-liter turbo diesel engine that coughs up 190 horses at 3,600rpm and 450 Newton meters of torque at 2,000 rpm. They let us leave the 6-speed MTs behind and use the 7-speed automatic transmission instead so we could concentrate more on the trail and the pick-up’s performance.
It’s important to understand that some areas in the dunes have really loose sand and can easily trap a vehicle when shortage of power comes into play. With that said we’re happy to report that its engine is no stranger to heavy duty performance and took on the course like a 4×4 would, with the addition of extra comfort thanks to its suspension system.
This unique 5-link rear suspension accompanied by coil springs not only promises a comfier ride, but it should also result to better handling. True enough being on it during the bumpiest parts of the trail (see video) really shows how going off-road on this kind of setup is different from having commonly-used leaf-type suspensions.
In order to not lose power over technical areas, we had to keep flooring the gas pedal. This resulted to us being tossed around while on uneven surfaces but the safety belts conveniently strapped us to our seats.
Also, considering that we were using stock tires that were meant for road, the Navara was able to conquer all the uphill and still maintained aggressive traction against sand. Of course, it’s not all the vehicle that’s doing the work — the driver still plays a big part on how he/she handles and uses the truck to triumph over the obstacles.
Lastly, its Hill Descent Control (HDC) proved useful on steep slopes. We didn’t have to step on the brakes since the truck itself made sure that we traverse down the slope smoothly and all we had to do was hold on to the steering wheel.
Nissan’s NP300 Navara indeed is like having the best of both worlds — it can provide the comfort offered by sedans on the road, but is always ready to swerve onto the dirt lane anytime you wish it to. Plus, it also has a handful of comfort features that you wouldn’t usually find in this segment like Cruise Control and Zero-gravity seats.
Priced competitively at Php898K for the base model, it’s something that should definitely be on your list if you’re on the prowl for something rugged yet smart. Good job, Nissan Philippines!
Nissan NP300 Navara VL specs:
2.5-liter DOHC 4-cylinder engine
4WD
190PS of power
450Nm of torque
7-speed AT
Diesel
5-link coil suspension with stabilizer bars
Push-button ignition
Nissan V-motion grille
Boomerang-shaped head lamps
Kenwood audio system
Garmin GPS system
Rear A/C vents
Zero-G seats
The 2015 Navara is available in 7 different variants with the following price tags:
Nissan Philippines today launches the NP300 Navara which is the company’s newest offering in the pick-up truck segment. Read past the break for its list of offerings.
Nissan NP300 Navara 4×4 specs:
2.5-liter DOHC 4-cylinder VGS engine
RWD
190PS of power
450Nm of torque
7-speed AT
Diesel
5-link coil suspension with stabilizer bars
Push-button ignition
Nissan V-motion grille
Boomerang-shaped head lamps
Kenwood audio system
Garmin GPS system
Rear A/C vents
Zero-G seats
The new Navara has also been incorporated with the company’s signature V-motion grille and boomerang-shaped lamps up front. Nissan’s Zero-gravity seats that NASA helped in designing also made it here, promising a comfortable ride.
The NP300 Navara is available in 7 variants with the following price tags:
February 20, 2015 marks the day you can start purchasing your new Nissan Navara.
We recently took the 3.5-liter Nissan Altima SL CVT to a drive up north. Does this luxury car have what it takes to provide an enjoyable experience for a long road trip? Find out.
Exterior
The Altima exudes a muscular yet elegant exterior. One of the first things you’ll notice on the front fascia is the V-motion grille which is reminiscent of the company’s signature design seen in their other models (think Testosterone-driven X-Trail). Its front fender somewhat bulges out giving it a beefy look and at the same time complements the boomerang-inspired head lamps. As a top-of-the-line variant, the Altima SL comes with bells and whistles such as fog lights, HID headlights, and a sun roof.
Its side mirrors have also been equipped with signal lights and just below them is an embossed line that gives an accent to the side of the body and stretches far down until the rear fender. This leads you to a pair of tail lamps that are similarly-styled as the head lamps. In addition, a dyad of exhaust tips add a touch of luxury to its posterior.
Whether you look at the front, back, or sides of the Altima you’ll see chrome trims that positively give flavor to the monotonic color of the body. I personally liked how these were sensitively-utilized in this car since they could easily come off as tacky. Finally, the Altima wears sporty 17-inch rims.
Interior
The few elements of it being sporty somehow vanishes once you step inside the vehicle. Its interior is almost entirely covered in cream so you get more of an executive feel when you enter. Steering wheel as well as seats are both wrapped in leather with the same color scheme. It’s not as exciting as if it were all black, but it has its own charm that we think would appeal to a targeted market.
One thing we noticed with this color, though, is that it easily catches dirt so be sure to always have your leather-cleaner ready.
Just like other cars in this category, the steering wheel is populated by controls for music navigation. In this same space, the Altima has the buttons for cruise control as well as paddle-shifters if you want to take control over your transmission. In terms of comfort, Nissan boasts its Zero-gravity seats with an electronic lumbar support for the driver. These seats are made side-by-side NASA to ensure a comfortable ride.
The Altima uses a 5-inch screen to display info and acts as the monitor when backing up. It also has dual climate control on-board as well as seat warmers for the driver and front passenger.
Over at the audio department, the Altima is supported by a 9-speaker Bose sound system which proved perfect for road trips. Sound quality was nothing short of impressive, but we weren’t surprised considering the amount of time we’ve spent with their products.
Performance
This Altima runs on a 3.5-liter V6 engine that coughs up 266PS of power and delivers it to the front wheels with its Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). This engine can definitely pull you to a good acceleration in open roads, clocking in at a little over 7 seconds from 0-100kph.
Steering the Altima was light and it was easy to maneuver when overtaking in-between cars – almost disregarding its long and wide body. Cruise control was definitely enjoyable during long drives. Partner that with its Zero-gravity seats and 9-speaker Bose system and road trips will suddenly get more fun. Suspension has a good bounce to it, although we experienced the rear wheels already scratching the pavement on curves at around 60kph.
On a pure highway run over at SCTEX, we were able to reach 14.6km/l, but only managed to squeeze out 6-7km/l on a usual day (with traffic, of course).
Conclusion
Watch more of the Nissan Altima during our trip.
The Altima is a car that’s definitely fun to take on a road trip. It’s got both the necessary as well as the extra functionalities that one would look for in a vehicle — from its able engine, to its good-looking exterior, comfortable ride, immersive speakers, and even down to seat warmers: The Altima has got you covered.
3.5L Nissan Altima SL CVT specs:
3.5-liter DOHC V6 cylinder engine
FWD
266PS @ 6,400rpm
340Nm @4,400rpm
Continuously Variable Transmission
17-inch aluminum wheels
5-seater
Keyless entry
Rear camera for backing up
Design: 4-door sedan
Wheelbase: 109.3 inches
Dimensions (lwh): 191.5 x 72 x 58.1 inches
Curb weight: 3,355lbs Price: Php2,030,000
