Review: 2020 Nissan Patrol

The Nissan Patrol has finally received a well deserved facelift. Since the Y62 model came to the market in 2010, it only got refreshed in 2014, which is over five years ago. With styling out dating so quickly nowadays, Nissan decided it was time to get it ready for the next decade - and it now it definitely is.

INITIAL IMPRESSION

The Nissan Patrol is tried, tested and proven to be a reliable, capable and comfortable off road people mover. For decades, it has had a rock solid reputation to tackle the toughest of terrains with its petrol powered V8 certainly having the power to keep going.  Add that to the all-round, independent suspension for a smooth ride and a posh interior with wood grain and lots of leather, and you can be sure to be very comfortable inside.

No reason for Nissan to change any of this, nor the gearbox, or any other mechanical part. This 2020 update is purely cosmetic, with a new front and rear bumper that takes the largest of Nissan vehicles into the new next decade. They did add plenty of safety technology, which is what you would expect from a modern car in that price range nowadays. Let's have a closer look.

DRIVEABILITY

What else can you expect from a 5.6-litre V8 than an immense amount of torque and power in abundance? Obviously the Patrol is not a sporty car, weighing in at almost 3 tonne, but with 298kW and 560Nm, there is very little that will stop you. All of this power is controlled by the seven-speed Auto which does the trick smoothly.  If you want, you can put it in manual mode and push the engine just a little bit harder.  This also comes in handy when you just want to hear the V8 growl a little bit, as otherwise, the Patrol is comfortably silent.

Whether you're accelerating from a stand still or have to overtake somebody on the highway, the engine and gearbox don't hesitate for one moment.  Surprisingly, it still drives quite nimble and is easy to maneuver in the city, something you perhaps wouldn't except from such a big car.  Its steering is sharp and precise, but don't except a real engaging driving experience. The Patrol is there to enjoy the comfort in silence, not to be pushed.

Offroad, there is no doubt that the Patrol is in a league of its own. It doesn't only look the part; rugged and tough, but also has 273mm of ground clearance, an approach angle of 34.4 degrees and departure angle of 26.3 degrees with a wading depth of 700mm. Suffice to say, that nothing will stand in its way. With several off road modes you don't even have to think about what your Patrol has to do, it knows.

LIVEABILITY

Considering the Patrol is over 5 metres long, almost 2 metres wide and 2 metres high, it's no wonder there is ample space inside its cabin. The driver and passenger seats are lush and supportive, where second row passengers (three adults easily) also have nothing to complain about. It gets a bit tight in the third row, but even a tall person wouldn't mind sitting there for a shorter trip. And even if you fill it up with people, you still got almost 468 litres of cargo space.  Drop the third row and you're got 1413 litres - not to mention the increase to 2632 litres - if you also fold the second row. It's almost like a ute inside if it wasn't for the seats not folding completely flat.

Everyboy gets to enjoy the leather, the aircon and some woodgrain inserts. The front passenger and driver can use the 8.0-inch touchscreen for the multimedia or any of the overload of buttons in the centre console. This looks a bit old school (and hasn't updated since 2010 - unlike the outside with the new LED head- and tail lights), but still works the way everybody expects it to. It still looks stylish though and has all the creature comforts you can expect, like sat-nav and in-car entertainment.

COST

Choosing a Patrol is easy: the entry-leven Ti or Ti-L. The first starts around 85k, the latter just over 100k. Both come with the aforementioned 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine and seven-speed auto. The Ti is equipped with:

On top of that the Ti-L gives you:

Whichever one you choose, you can count on a fuel consumption of 14.4L/100km, which with its 140-litre tank gives you a range of over 900km. Also standard in both, is the updated safety gear like AEB, front and side-impact airbags for driver and front passenger and curtain airbags for all three rows, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and blind-spot monitoring. The Patrol comes with five-year, unlimited kilometre factory warranty.

CONCLUSION

If you're looking for the biggest, most capable and extensively equipped offroad people carrier, the 2020 Nissan Patrol is definitely for you. It's got a reliable reputation and will take you anywhere in comfort and style. It's definitely making a statement, as you'll be swooshing along in comfort with all the power you need right under your foot. Come see us at Motorama Nissan to experience the new Patrol for yourself.