MAN’S BEST FRIEND

YOU know those ageing Labradors you see wandering about the place. Not too hurried, stopping for a sniff here and there. They greet you with a happy, slightly goofy look and a wag of the tail.

Our Y61 Patrol ST ended up reminding me of those Labradors; so good-natured, relaxed and co-operative you couldn’t help but end up loving it.

The first few minutes of our relationship didn’t bode that well, though. Still in big-city mode I noted the lack of modern comfort features, then I noticed the sheer size of the thing and the weight of its steering as we launched into the Perth metro traffic.

But the further we left the big smoke behind in our mirrors the more the Patrol impressed. This is where it belongs. Bowling along gravel country road at a steady 100-120km/h in the Patrol is a great way to look out on the world, as it strolls along soaking up the rough stuff.

The big armchairs up front are comfortable and there’s an ocean of room in the back to store possessions and gear, as well as an extra spare tyre.

It’s by no means cutting edge – the ZD30 engine isn’t what you’d call a superstar of power, torque and refinement, and the four-speed auto is an early and frequent downshifter at any suggestion of an incline.

There’s no doubt the new Y62 Patrol would provide a more modern and chilled experience, but with that big V8 engine thirstily sucking PULP in the mid-to-high teens per 100km, even a 140-litre fuel tank sounds a bit underdone.

The Y61, by contrast, has a 125-litre tank and during our 2000km-plus expedition swallowed diesel at a friendlier rate of around 11.0L/100km. That’s certainly not cutting edge, but it is acceptable.

Apart from a flat tyre, the big fella never let us down. Firing up on the first crank, negotiating any challenge we threw at it – none were extreme, it must be admitted – and taking us to some beautiful places in the middle of absolutely nowhere. Lovable, reliable and, on a dirt corner, you can it get its tail wagging!