Nissan Patrol TI-L

Like the Prado but not as old, the Patrol is getting on in years – but ongoing facelifts and updates have kept it in the watch-house of many 4x4 buyers. It’s a large wagon that competes in size with the 300 Series, but priced from $82,160 to $95,115 it falls in to the same category as the Prado, Everest and many smaller 4x4 wagons.

THE Patrol’s strong point of value-for-money is its stonking V8 engine, and its overall dynamics has seen it grow in popularity, especially since the second-generation facelift came along to give it a sharper and more aggressive look that seems to have drawn in buyers.

VALUE FOR MONEY

WE have the top-spec TI-L Patrol for this test, and at $95K it represents a hell of a lot of car for the money. It’s bigger than a Landcruiser 300 externally and, most importantly inside, has most of the luxury features you expect of a top-spec variant, and it delivers a driving experience that anyone who loves driving cars should appreciate.

Three rows of leather seats – heated and cooled up front – up-to-date safety tech and the dynamics to leave any Landcruiser behind on a mountain road ensure this is the driver’s car of large 4x4s, and it’s just as rewarding once you leave the roads and get in to the rough stuff.

The one point we find lacking in the Patrol is the design of its dashboard which, with its shiny faux wood and chintzy chrome trim, looks to come from the 1990s, and it’s so old it doesn’t have Apple Carplay or Android Auto, which is almost unheard of in any new car today.

The Nissan Patrol of 2022 represents much better value than it did when the Y62 first launched in Australia and the three models offered were all priced upwards of $100,000. The price is now right, and the newfound popularity of this model reflects this.

Evan summed it up saying that, “The Patrol is good value for money, comfortable and capable on- and off-road. The petrol engine proved to be thirsty, but not by a crazy number.”

FULFILMENT OF INTENDED FUNCTION

THE Patrol does the large three-row wagon thing very well. Not only does its cabin size allow plenty of room for seven passengers, but there’s still space behind the third-row seat for luggage; something you won’t find in a Landcruiser. The Patrol cabin has the space and luxury to satisfy most families.

The launch of the Y62 Patrol might have set the Nissan faithful in to a spin when it was revealed back in 2010 featuring independent suspension both front and rear – and the only engine offered would be a petrol V8 – but they soon came around once they experienced what the new car offered.

To the surprise of many, the suspension gives nothing away offroad and the Patrol clambered up our rutted hill without raising a sweat. The ETC is responsive but the Patrol seems to respond better with the rear differential lock engaged.

The one drawback of the Patrol as a touring vehicle, is its fuel range. Yes, it has a 140-litre tank as standard, but all that V8 performance does come at a cost at the pump. As the only petrolfuelled car on test, the Patrol was the thirstiest among our top six, using 17.0L/100km over the week of testing.

SOUNDNESS OF ENGINEERING

MANY questioned the Patrol’s 298kw V8 engine and fully independent suspension, but both have proven themselves over

a decade now and demonstrated their on- and off-road prowess. A 5.6-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine might sound like something from Jurassic Park in this day and age, but it works well and is so much fun to drive. With its T-rex-like roar when you put your foot down, we’d happily accept any dinosaur comparisons.

Just because the VK56 uses displacement rather than forced induction to create its abundance of power, doesn’t mean it’s old technology. It’s a DOHC design with variable valve timing and lift, and direct fuel injection to attain optimum performance. For many travellers, not having any turbochargers or the complexity of the emissions-control systems that are fitted to modern diesel engines, more than makes up for the fact you are using a bit more fuel at the pump – and I reckon there’s a good argument in that.

BUSHABILITY

PATROLS have been tough bush vehicles for 70 years now and, despite what naysayers might think, the Y62 continues on that heritage. The independent suspension not only makes it handle better but also gives the Patrol more ground clearance. The way it is sprung maintains that clearance well; even when dropping down steep descents, the front end doesn’t compress enough to compromise diff clearance, something you find in many stock IFS vehicles. The Patrol uses an automatic on-demand 4x4 system that also gives you lock high and low range 4x4, a rear diff lock and multiple drive modes for sand driving, rock crawling and so on.

Even though it has independent suspension, the Patrol still has heaps of wheel travel so it doesn’t work its ETC too hard. It seems to work better with its rear differential lock engaged than relying on the ETC.

If there’s a niggling complaint when driving the Patrol (and the Navara) off-road, it’s that you need to pull up to a complete stop to tap the transmission back to first gear when you are in low range. This is annoying when you crest the top of a hill ready to go down and you want to tip it back to first to achieve maximum engine braking and vehicle control. Thanks to its relatively large capacity, the VK56 engine exhibits pretty strong engine braking for a petrol engine and the gearing is just right.

The Patrol rides on 18-inch wheels and its standard 256 tyres still have a healthy sidewall so are well-suited for gravel and off-road use. The great thing is that you can tuck a set of 35s on there without having to mess with the suspension – and 37s aren’t uncommon on them with the right mods.

Due to their relatively low sales numbers, the Patrol has been slow to be embraced by the aftermarket and it can take some time to get gear for them every time Nissan does an update or makes changes that affect the accessories. But there is a lot of stuff out there for them and certainly all the kit you could want to build a long-distance tourer or a serious off-roader.

One of those accessories will want to be a long-range fuel tank, because even though the 62 carries 140 litres standard, there’s no hiding the fuel use of a V8 petrol engine. The Patrol required a ‘betweeny’ fuel fill when the other cars didn’t need it on this trip, but that’s something that can be worked around with extra fuel capacity.

“The Patrol TI-L could be a fully modded outback tourer for less than the cost of a stock Cruiser or Defender and it’ll drive (and sound!) like a million bucks while doing so,” said Dex.

The Patrol is a capable, fun to drive and spacious 4x4 that at less than $100K represents a helluva lot of bang for your bucks.