The Philippine automotive scene offers a niche for those looking for midsize sport utility vehicles (SUV) that are a cut above the rest. Two vehicles that fall into this category include the Mitsubishi Montero Sport Black Series Ralliart and the recently-launched Nissan Terra Sport.
Both automobiles give their nameplates a more aggressive look and a more adventurous aura that are perfect for those who use their rides for more than just daily commutes.
Interested to know which of the two vehicles best suits your budget and your needs? Find out in this sporty SUV scuffle.
Nissan built the Terra Sport with an overall length of 4,900 millimeters (mm), an overall width of 1,865mm, and an overall height of 1,865mm. It has a wheelbase of 2,850mm and a minimum ground clearance of 225mm.
Mitsubishi, on the other hand, gave the Montero Sport Black Series Ralliart an overall length of 4,825 millimeters (mm), an overall width of 1,815mm, and an overall height of 1,835mm. Its wheelbase is 2,800mm and its ground clearance is 218mm.
The now range-topping variant of the Nissan Terra nameplate wears a gloss black front grille flanked by quad LED projector headlamps with auto-leveling function and daytime running lights (DRL) with LED signature. Its front end is also fitted with a body-colored bumper with a blacked-out under garnish.
As for its sides, the Nissan Terra Sport boasts gloss black side mirrors, black fender garnishes, black side steps, black door handles, as well as black roof rails. It rides on 18-inch gloss black alloy wheels.
Its rear is decorated with LED taillamps with black trims, a black rear spoiler, a black tailgate garnish, and a black rear bumper that mimics the design features at the fore.
Meanwhile, the Mitsubishi Montero Sport Black Series Ralliart proudly dons the brand’s Dynamic Shield front fascia bordered by LED headlamps as well as large combination turn signals and fog lamps.
Just below its honeycomb grille is a model-specific front under garnish with red appliques.
The side profile of the Mitsubishi Montero Sport Black Series Ralliart is bedecked with Ralliart side decals, body-colored side mirrors with repeaters, body-colored door handles, blacked-out wheel arches, Ralliart mud flaps, and a set of new 18-inch black alloy wheels.
Further, its rear gets a roof-mounted spoiler, a pair of new LED rear combination lamps, and a rear under garnish that echoes the one fount at its front end.
Overall, both SUVs are head-turners. However, the cosmetic appointments — inspired by the brand’s rich rallying heritage — found on the Mitsubishi Montero Sport Black Series Ralliart truly stand out. That said, we give this round to Mitsubishi’s dressed-up SUV.
Inside, the Nissan Terra Sport comes with the carmaker’s famous Zero Gravity seats, which are swathed in black leather. The same premium hide can be found on the SUV’s multifunctional steering wheel, its gear shifter, its center console armrest, and on other touchpoints around the cabin.
Nissan also gave the Nissan Terra Sport a high-contrast seven-inch instrument meter cluster with an advanced drive-assist display as well as an eight-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Additionally, the Nissan Terra Sport boasts an 11-inch flip-down screen with HDMI input to keep its second and third-row occupants engaged in both short and long trips.
As for the Mitsubishi Montero Sport Black Series Ralliart, the SUV does sport a few leather appointments of its own, such as leather-trimmed seats, a leather-wrapped multi-functional steering wheel, as well as first and second-row armrests finished in the same material.
It has a slightly larger eight-inch instrument cluster and an infotainment system that is identically sized to that of its rival.
And for design continuity’s sake, the Mitsubishi Montero Sport Black Series Ralliart comes with Ralliart-branded floor mats.
There’s no doubt that many Filipino families will be impressed by the Nissan Terra Sport. Thanks to its luxurious interior and its standard 11-inch flip-down screen, it does make for a great vehicle for road trips, both near and far. On that note, we give this round to the Nissan Terra Sport.
The Nissan Terra Sport is powered by a 2.5-liter diesel engine mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission with manual mode. This setup gives the Nissan Terra Sport’s two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive version 187 horsepower with 450Nm of torque.
Likewise, the Mitsubishi Montero Sport Black Series Ralliart offers a 2.5-liter diesel mill paired with an eight-inch automatic gearbox with Sports mode. This setup allows the SUV to achieve a maximum power output of 178 horses with 430Nm of pulling power.
With more power to offer, we give this round to the new kid on the block — the Nissan Terra Sport.
In terms of safety, the Nissan Terra Sport comes with standard offerings like airbags, seatbelts, an anti-lock brake system (ABS), an anti-theft system, and parking sensors.
Further, Nissan equipped it with its Intelligent Mobility system, which adds an intelligent around-view monitor, an intelligent rearview monitor, an intelligent forward collision warning system, intelligent emergency braking, lane departure warning, and intelligent driver awareness, to name a few.
As for the Mitsubishi Montero Sport Black Series Ralliart, is suits of safety features include seatbelts and airbags, active stability and traction control, hill start assist, hill descent assist, a forward collision mitigation system, blind spot warning with lane change assist, ABS, and an ultrasonic miscacceleration mitigation system.
Overall, both SUVs are neck and neck safety-wise. That said, we call this round a tie.
Nissan Terra Sport
Nissan Terra Sport 4X2 – P2.119 million
Nissan Terra Sport 4X4 – P2.459 million
Mitsubishi Montero Sport Black Series Ralliart
Mitsubishi Montero Sport Black Series Ralliart – P2.122 million
With two wins against its rival, the winner of this sporty SUV scuffle is the Nissan Terra Sport. It may not have flash liveries like the Mitsubishi Montero Sport Black Series Ralliart but it still wows with its sleek and stylish exterior.
Would-be owners will find that there’s more in store for them as the Nissan Terra Sport packs plenty of toys, not only for the person behind the wheel but also for other occupants.
For a more quick look at the Nissan Terra Sport, check out Carmudi Philippines’ Managing Editor Ruben Manahan IV in this video.
Photos from Nissan and Mitsubishi
Also read:
A tale of two Terras: Comparing the old and new Nissan Terra models
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