Nissan Patrol review and buyer’s guide
The Nissan Patrol is a proven, rugged 4X4 wagon with pedigree, 7- seats and a grunty, reliable engine. Buying a V8 Patrol will save you more than 20 grand compared with a LandCruiser.
Should you buy a Toyota LandCruiser or a Nissan Patrol? These two have been battling it out for decades at the top end of the super-size SUV market segment.
Both 4X4 wagons offer proper off-road capability and both offer proper seven-seat accommodation. However, one is about $30,000 cheaper. Seems like a no-brainer, right?
You guessed it, the Nissan is the more affordable option. Sure, the current generation model, codenamed the Y62, has been around now for over 10 years - damn near 15 years, actually.
But Nissan has applied some updates in recent years in an effort to keep the old girl fresh. Or as fresh as you can make an old girl without reaching for the divorce papers.
Nissan is busy working on an all-new model and one of the biggest changes being reported is a switch from the current petrol V8 to a twin-turbo V6 petrol. Like the LandCruiser 300 Series >>, which went from V8 to V6 stepping up from the 200 to the 300 Series – albeit diesel – there could be a mad rush of buyers swarming to the Y62 in the lead up to the next-gen model. It’s set to arrive in the next year or so. If you've always wanted a V8 4WD, now is the time to sign up before it becomes extinct.
Let’s check out the Patrol in detail to see if it still has what it takes to put up a fight against its arch nemesis, and have a close look at that V8 to investigate if it is actually as expensive to run as it might initially seem.
QUICK DISCLAIMER: While this is a review and guide to buying a Patrol, which is fundamentally a decent vehicle in itself, you should also be aware of the sometimes mediocre customer service record at Nissan Australia. The brand has a reputation of occasionally treating consumer law as malleable, which it is not supposed to be.
However, there was an example where Nissan Australia dealt with this paint-related example >> You might be okay with this and willing you take the chance. And that’s okay, you may never have a problem, and/or they might also treat you differently (as in good).
Price
Nissan Australia currently offers three different versions of the Y62 Patrol. All are at the upper end in terms of trim grade in Australia, starting with the Ti and then up to the Ti-L and then the Aussie-developed Warrior (based on the Ti). Compared with the LandCruiser, it’s basically like starting out from the VX grade.
And this is where things get interesting. The Ti starts from $84,900 (before on-roads). Prices have crept up with the introduction of the MY23 model, but not because of new features or any fundamental changes. It seems Nissan has bumped the price simply because it wanted to – much like what we’ve seen in other industries lately.
Compared with the LandCruiser VX, which starts from $118,301, the Patrol is an absolute bargain. And you still get a lot of vehicle for the money. Just under 5.2 metres of vehicle to be precise.
Moving up the range, the Ti-L starts from $97,600 and the hardcore Warrior (modified to enhance off-road capability) is priced from $101,160. All of these prices will start to seem totally reasonable once you begin shopping around and seeing what the rivals are charging.
Mazda recently introduced the CX-90 and Kia launched the fully electric EV9. For example, both of these push through the $100,000 barrier in some trim levels. Who could have predicted Mazda and Kia pitching a $100k vehicle?
You can easily spot the Ti-L from the Warrior, aside from the fact it’s stickered across the sides, simply by looking at the centre console. If there’s no woodgrain surrounding the transmission shifter and multi-terrain mode and 4WD low-range controls, that’s the Warrior. if it looks like a late-90s Jag in there, that’s the Ti-L or Ti.
You’ll laugh at how blatantly Nissan tries to hide the woodgrain in the official Patrol brochure >> But to be fair to Nissan and their tightarse lack of innovation in updating and refreshing such an old model, Patrol was designed back when woodgrain was still somewhat acceptable.
It’s the same time-based archaeology that is the reason you can’t find the officially quoted volume of the luggage compartment/s, because back when this dinosaurs ruled the earth, those measurements weren’t prolifically taken.
ANALYSIS: Fuel consumption and petrol costs
Let’s focus in on the Ti for this review, although, all of the key specs are the same across the range. Its 5.6-litre naturally-aspirated petrol V8 develops 298kW, making it the most powerful vehicle in its specific class. According to VFACTS, it competes with the LandCruiser (227kW max), the Kia EV9 (283kW max), and the Land Rover Discovery (265kW max).
Fuel economy is listed at 14.4L/100km and it comes with a 140-litre fuel tank. It requires 95 RON fuel at minimum. With those figures you can calculate the possible average range, which works out to be 972km.
The LandCruiser does win in this area, with its official average of 8.9L/100km and 110-litre tank translating to a possible range of 1236km. However, these are based on the on-paper figures.
In the Patrol it is possible to achieve slightly less than 14.4L in the real world if you spend some time on the open road and away from city conditions. We’ll stick with the official figures for consistency.
To fill the Patrol’s tank it’s going to cost $294 from empty, based on today’s average fuel price of $2.10 for 95 RON, according to the fuel checker website for NSW. To fill the LandCruiser VX it’s going to cost $221 to fill its 110L tank based on an average diesel price of $2.01.
Based on the average yearly distance covered by Aussie motorists of about 15,000km, it’s going to cost you $4536 in fuel to run the Patrol per year. Again, based on the official consumption average. It doesn’t matter if you can’t achieve the 14.4 figure in the real world, we’re only looking at this from a comparison point of view.
In the LandCruiser it’s going to cost you $2683 to run it for a year, covering 15,000km. That’s a difference of about $1852 across the entire year. Now let’s throw in the initial prices to form a really juicy cluster pie.
The price difference between the Patrol Ti and the LandCruiser VX is $33,401, at the time of writing. That amount of money could get you 110,453km in the Patrol, based on the figures above. So that’s approximately 7.36 years of driving before you reach the cost of the LandCruiser VX.
As we’ve discovered the Toyota is more economical to run so we have to subtract the difference. Driving that distance in the VX is going to cost you, theoretically, $19,758.
So that means to buy the LandCruiser VX and drive it for 110,453km it’s going to cost you $138,059, excluding on-road costs and maintenance. The Patrol will cost $118,301 to buy and run for that distance. The overall savings means you get to drive the Patrol for a further 65,337km before you reach the total cost of the VX. By that time you’re probably looking to buy a new car.
This is all theoretically speaking and real-world experiences are likely to be different, but it gives you some idea of the headache-inducing dilemma presented by these two kingpins. It also clearly shows the Patrol is more economical to buy and run for the typical vehicle ownership period.
Not very often a 5.6-litre petrol V8 wins a running costs arm wrestle - against a diesel, too
If you want to understand why diesel is usually the superior fuel against petrol, check this out >>
Cabin space and features
If you need space, the Patrol offers a huge interior package. Headroom seems endless and the floor drops down so your feet fall into actual footwells, unlike in the ‘Cruiser which uses quite a high floor (better since the 300 Series, though).
However, there’s no mistaking this vehicle’s age. It looks like a boardroom from the 1990s. Or a current-day boardroom in America – it's surprising to see it doesn't come with an in-built cigar case. There’s so much wood. And not rich, exotic wood. This looks like the kind of wood-look fixtures you'd see in campervans.
There are a heap of buttons spread across the dash with a small (8.0-inch) touch-screen providing engagement for only the fundamental multimedia operations. And there aren’t many. No digital radio, no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, and a basic surround-view camera system.
Ti-L Patrol’s centre console is chilled and does actually cool down your drinks en route - it’s not a gimmick
It does come with a reasonable level of safety tech, including blind-spot warning and low-speed autonomous emergency braking. But it doesn’t feature some of the more modern stuff like post-collision mitigation (automatic roll-away braking/steering), automatic emergency call assist, or pedestrian detection, like in the LandCruiser.
Some buyers might actually prefer this more basic concoction of systems as the latest stuff can be quite annoying.
The boot measures in at 468 litres with all three rows of seats up. That’s roughly the same full-size measurement seen in mid-size SUVs. In five-seat configuration you’ve got an enormous 1413L to play with, and then 2632L with all rear rows down. It’s big.
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NISSAN PATROL CONTINUED…
Drive and handling
The Patrol is surprisingly nimble for its size, thanks in part to its fully independent suspension setup with coil springs all round. It isn’t as heavy-duty as the live-axle rear end under the LandCruiser, but some experts will argue that this provides similar articulation and off-road performance.
Unless you’re competing in a 4x4 technical series, you’re unlikely to get stuck in either the Patrol or LandCruiser. The Patrol does rely more on smarts and electrical-based drive modes and programs, whereas the LandCruiser uses things like locking front and rear differentials.
It’s purely down to your personal tastes because, either way, you’re going to get through.
The Patrol offers 273mm of ground clearance, which is more than what most 4x4 utes offer, while the approach angle of 40 degrees is very impressive. The 23.3-degree departure angle isn’t – fit a tow bar to save your rear bumper.
What the independent suspension also provides is an excellent ride. This is a very comfortable SUV, and with big 295/70 tyres mounted on 18-inch wheels, there is heaps of give even through the nastiest of potholes.
Finally, the V8. It is a bellowing, growling and powerful beast. The noise is crisp and clear, but not too loud. It burbles like distant thunder at highway speeds and lets out a baritone gargle at higher revs. It is a marvellous unit.
Acceleration and overtaking performance are both near the top of the class, with 0-100km/h coming up in about seven seconds. The engine runs a high compression ratio of 11.2:1 and features variable valve timing, allowing it to rev right up to 6000rpm. Peak power is reached at 5800rpm, with 298kW, and the maximum torque of 560Nm is achieved at 4000rpm. It offers a very strong mid-range with great top end, but it also provides plenty of low-down grunt – although not quite reaching its absolute peak until 4000rpm.
The seven-speed auto transmission is reasonably responsive, kicking down when prompted but usually after a decent push of the pedal. It does – or can – clunk at low speeds when releasing the throttle. In all other conditions it is as refined as it needs to be.
Last thoughts
The 2023 Nissan Patrol is an honourable and respected contender in the large SUV segment, offering a blend of luxury, strength and capability. Its classic design, very spacious interior, and powerful V8 engine contribute to its appeal as a grand, all-terrain cruiser. However, in a market that is evolving rapidly, the Patrol falls short in some key areas.
The dated infotainment system, lack of modern safety tech, and a thirst for fuel are aspects that may deter some buyers. On the other hand, traditional buyers and lovers of ‘old-school’ driving characteristics and features will enjoy it tremendously.
If you’re shopping for a small hatch or sedan, the Hyundai i30 has become the benchmark for value, performance and quality. Small families with a modest budget, or merely individuals who don’t need a bloated SUV, i30 offers bang for your buck.