First drive review: Nissan Patrol
Japanese brand’s big new V8 4WD exhibits plenty of potential but has a mammoth thirst.
If seeing low fuel consumption figures is something that makes your skin tingle, don't buy the new Nissan Patrol.
We've just driven the Japanese brand's new big off-roader on a 300 kilometre loop near Mount Gambier in South Australia and saw the sorts of fuel consumption numbers that make a mockery of the company’s green-friendly mantra.
That's partly because the new ‘‘Y62’’ Patrol is powered by a 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine producing 298kW of power and 560Nm of torque. The official claimed consumption for combined urban and highway driving is 14.5L/100km - and many of the cars on test were registering closer to 16.0L after a day of mixed driving, though some were close to that after the first highway-heavy stint. In another hit, it requires premium fuel.
That it tips the scales at more than 2700 kilograms - no matter which model you choose - surely doesn't help its cause. On the road you can feel the weight of the big off-roader when pressing through corners or braking from highway speeds.
But you can also notice just how much punch the mammoth engine has.
It builds momentum rapidly, and the seven-speed automatic gearbox rarely makes a wrong move.
There is no other large 4WD with as much stonk, and it’s a tremendously flexible unit. It sounds brilliant, too.
Drive had already put the Patrol through its paces off-road, but this was our first chance to have an extended period behind the wheel on sealed roads.
As is to be expected of a vehicle this size, the steering is quite slow to react, but is light enough for city duties at lower speeds, despite requiring a lot of turning to get a result.
The suspension copes commendably over larger bumps but fidgets over most sharp-edged sections, with the body shaking noticeably in the two models we drove - the mid-level Ti ($92,850 plus on-road costs) and the Ti-L flagship ($113,900), despite those two models being fitted with Nissan's unique hydraulic suspension system. The Patrol is built on a ladder-frame chassis, which does tend to exacerbate the bounciness over little lumps.
Read all the specification details and prices of the new Patrol here.
It is quiet on the road, with just a rustle coming from the enormous door mirrors at highway speeds.
Inside it feels quite plush, with leather trim and brown piping making for a interesting finish, and plenty of shiny wood across the dash and doors. The media screen is easy to use, but sat-nav is only fitted to the top model - thoroughly disappointing given owners of this type of car will likely get lost at least once in the bush. The lack of an electric park brake could also be a frustration for some, and many may bark their shin on the foot brake.
The front seats are focused more on comfort than support, with thick cushions in the seat bases that likely would be very comfortable for those planning on buying a car to do the great Aussie road-trip.
The two lower grades (ST-L and Ti) have eight seats, while the top version gets seven.
The third row is unexpectedly tight for headroom and legroom, but has cup-holders and air vents for the back-row bandits. The flip tumble seats make it easy to get in and out, too, and rearmost sitters will be happy for the grab handles in all three rows.
Second row space is terrific, with lots of width across the bench and loads of legroom. And those in the back can access any goodies stowed in the centre console box using a clever two-way lid. There are also air-conditioning controls for second-row passengers to fiddle with, and big door pockets all around.
The Y62 Patrol's boot is a decent size with the seats all up, but if you were planning on taking seven or eight people and lots of luggage, you might be best loading up a trailer or stocking up the caravan. The tow rating is a hefty 3.5 tonnes, though we'd hate to see the fuel-use figure from towing something that large.
Nissan has admitted it wants to do a diesel version of the new Patrol, but just last week confirmed an oil-burning variant was no closer to becoming a reality.
Our impression is that the company will need that variant if they want to bash it out with rivals such as the Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series and the more illustrious Land Rover Discovery4. In the meantime, buyers keen for a Nissan can still opt for the considerably cheaper - and much older - diesel Y61 model.
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