I had the brilliant opportunity in July of 2014 to drive the Nissan NP300 Frontier at Nissan’s international journalist and dealer driving experience event in Thailand. I’ve often wondered about bringing a few elements, particularly from the testing grounds, to Trinidad and Tobago, and that’s exactly what Nissan Trinidad & Tobago made it their business to do, but this time with three of its top 4x4 models– the NP300 Frontier, the X-Trail and the QashQai. This would allow their Caribbean sales team leaders and local staff

 
After about a week of scouting, we were referred to the perfect venue at a lumberyard in Bonne Aventure, nestled somewhere between Claxton Bay and Gasparillo.

At the back of the facility, a large, gently sloped hillside, covered in grass hid an amateur 4x4 course charted by the owner’s son, an avid off-road enthusiast. 

 
Once the land had been cleared, our modifications could be made to ensure that we had the right mix of thrill, challenge and safety. We would, after all, be using brand new factory-spec vehicles, going to be driven by possibly regular drivers who may not have had any off-roading experience.

Nevertheless, our Nissan driving instructor, Fernando Calatayud of Mexico was happy with the off-road course, which featured a number of key elements to show off the capabilities of our three Nissan models on hand. 

With each mini crest followed by an equally deep dip, and staggered on either side, this test demonstrated suspension travel. While one wheel’s suspension was fully compressed, its counterpart on the opposite side was fully extended. 

 
First up was the NP300 Frontier. With its superior ground clearance, it was able to run every element of the course starting with the alternating mounds and dips. With each mini crest followed by an equally deep dip, and staggered on either side, this test demonstrated suspension travel. While one wheel’s suspension was fully compressed, its counterpart on the opposite side was fully extended. 

 
Naturally, as the day progressed, the mounds were further compressed. The Nissan X-Trail and QashQai, although they may have been able to successfully tackle this in an emergency, bypassed this section on a designated escape route, which was also a bit rutty. Out of the lot, the X-Trail seemed to have the cushiest ride with the least bouncing around. 

 
All three vehicles easily made turn one, a right-hander that started the uphill climb. A mid-way stop was inserted to demonstrate the hill start assist feature, which requires no special activation, a feature present in all three models. 

...when you release the brake pedal, the vehicle will hold on the hill for three seconds before rolling on its own.

 
Once you are moving forward on a hill, or reversing uphill, the feature holds the vehicle in position after you have come to a stop– when you release the brake pedal, the vehicle will hold on the hill for three seconds before rolling on its own. This is ample time to press the accelerator pedal to get going again– very handy in hilly cities such as San Fernando, Trinidad, where one can easily end up on a steep hill in the rain with another vehicle behind that’s probably too close for comfort. 

 
Next up was an uphill right-hander that filled the windshield with a view of the sky, requiring a look out of the driver’s side window to see the marker cones and navigate the turn. Driving along the course, the next challenge was the banking test, reserved for the Nissan Frontier only, which flirted safely under the 50-degree rollover limit but still gave drivers a proper thrill approaching it.

...the next challenge was the banking test, reserved for the Nissan Frontier only, which flirted safely under the 50-degree rollover limit

 
The X-trail and QashQai simply drove alongside and continued on to the next right turn at the beginning of the descent. This is where things got really interesting, with the QashQai at the virtual limit of its approach angles. As we drove downward, Nissan’s proprietary 360˚ Around View Monitor or AVM system allowed us to use the front nose camera to see the cones and flags that were momentarily out of sight as we drove near them.

...Nissan’s proprietary 360˚ Around View Monitor or AVM system allowed us to use the front nose camera to see the cones and flags that were momentarily out of sight as we drove near them.

At the bottom of the steepest crest, the QashQai’s parking assistance sensors lit up at their maximum red indication, requiring us to basically crawl down at the slowest possible pace to avoid contact with the lip of the front bumper. At this point, thanks to the steep angle of approach, the entire view out of the windshield consisted of the dirt road below. 

 
The X-Trail and NP300 Frontier both featured Hill Descent Control (HDC), and while the NP300 Frontier executed the test with aplomb, the X-Trail managed to surprise all participants with its hidden abilities. No one expected the feature-laden, smooth-riding SUV to match the NP300 Frontier in this particular test. 

The HDC feature is essentially a crawl mode made specifically for low to ultra-low-speed off-road or slippery downhill descents, where building speed could easily snowball into a myriad of challenges.

 
The HDC feature is essentially a crawl mode made specifically for low to ultra-low-speed off-road or slippery downhill descents, where building speed could easily snowball into a myriad of challenges. In the X-Trail, you simply, place the vehicle from drive to low, then engage the HDC mode by pushing the switch back. In the Frontier, you can use this mode in either high or low range 4WD. 

 
Once engaged, as shown by the icon on the multifunction display and dashboard light, the system modulates the vehicle’s momentum, applying its ABS-equipped brakes as needed to maintain its original crawl speed. All the driver has to do is steer without needing to apply the accelerator or brakes manually.

If the accelerator is pressed slightly, the crawl speed can be increased. To reset, apply the brakes to a stop then release the pedal to resume at the original crawl speed. 

 

...the system modulates the vehicle’s momentum, applying its ABS-equipped brakes as needed to maintain its original crawl speed. All the driver has to do is steer without needing to apply the accelerator or brakes manually.

Two turns and a few more step down crests later and we were back at our tents to reload with passengers for their orientation lap and a change of driver. Participants included regional and local sales persons, managers and, of course, invited customers. The Nissan Navara / NP300 Frontier Club also made an appearance and a few members even tried out the course in their modified vehicles.

Everyone was just as surprised as we were that these showroom vehicles, riding on standard road tyres were capable of safely and easily navigating our off-road course. From what we heard, a few down payment cheques were signed on the spot, heralding the event’s success!

 
Interested in a demo drive of the Nissan Frontier, X-Trail or QashQai? Call Massy Motors today or visit their showrooms at Morvant, Chaguanas or San Fernando. You can also visit nissantt.com where you can request a quote, book a test drive or download a brochure.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•  

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•