The Nissan Patrol has long been considered a real adventure machine, a large 4WD wagon with a rock-solid rep, and the capability to tackle tough terrain.
It had been in a long-time tussle with the Toyota LandCruiser for large SUV supremacy in Australia’s – but that all changed when the Nissan became a petrol-only proposition with all-round independent suspension and a posh interior. It has since lost a bit of credibility as a tourer and it has also lost a chunk of ground in terms of sales.
But the Patrol is still selling – and for a big, expensive, petrol 4WD that’s quite an achievement in this day and age.
Well, this is the new Patrol, facelifted for 2020 and beyond. It has a freshened-up appearance, new safety tech (including AEB) and it also has a heftier price-tag than its predecessor.
So, is the new Patrol worth your money?
The Nissan Patrol Ti is a massive adventure machine, packed with features.
It drives surprisingly well in all situations for something so big – and it’s very comfortable on-road and very capable off-road.
Sure, you do get a solid kick in the guts every time you fill the fuel tank, but the cash you saved buying a Patrol and not a more expensive LandCruiser will likely balance that out.
If you want even more Patrol, the top-spec Ti-L ($91,990 plus on-road costs) gets second-row entertainment screens, driver-seat and mirror memory, a Bose sound system, a sunroof, roof rails, and heated/cooled front seats – but I reckon the Ti is plenty good enough.
The Patrol is not perfect – yep, the fuel bill, plus that third row is very squeezy and the Patrol needs a decent set of all-terrain tyres – but it’s right up there in terms of functional space, features, performance and capability.
