DRIVING IMPRESSION
The Nissan Patrol needs no introduction. Anyone who owns one – and those who’d love to own one – will eagerly list the virtues of this giant SUV. They’ll tell you it’s tough, formidable, reliable and up-for-anything, yet luxurious. And let’s be honest… th
The new Patrol launched online last year during the national COVID-19 lockdown. This meant many a motoring journo sat drooling at the pics on their computer screen instead of slipping behind the wheel. You have to pity them, nobody can get the true experience of the power (and sound) of that 5.6 ℓ V8 engine from a YouTube video. No, you’ve got to drive it.
So when given the chance, we grabbed the whole hand instead of just a pinky, installed a roof rack, tied down a brace of jerry cans – and ventured on an epic trip to Namibia – driving 6 000 km on tar and dirt, and over dunes for days on end.
What do we have here?
In the market for a new Patrol? Well, your choice won’t be a hard one to make. It’s either the Nissan Patrol 5.6 V8 LE or a second-hand model. Yes, only one model is available in South Africa, but this is the seventh generation of the Patrol, and Nissan’s been building the car for more than 50 years. To date, the new one is the best version of this reliable vehicle.
You do get to pick a colour. There are seven to choose from: black, white, dark brown and silver, and then also the more exotic Desert Dune, Gun Metallic and Titanium.
The Patrol is huge –it is 5 165 mm long,
1 995 mm wide and 1 940 mm high. This means you take up a fair amount of real estate on the road and pretty much look the drivers of small lorries straight in the eyes.
Inside and out
Let’s explain it this way: on the trip, there was also a Nissan Navara double cab, and when you (somewhat reluctantly) had to give another driver a chance in the Patrol and get into the Navara, the difference in space was so marked, it was almost as though you’d switched to
sitting in a Nissan Micra.
The interior is as luxurious as it gets. Leather seats (of which the front two are temperature controlled and can remember up to three of your favourite positions), neat finishes, airconditioning for the front and rear passengers, an information and entertainment system with everything from Bluetooth, USB sockets and satellite navigation to a tyre pressure monitor, fuelconsumption calculator and even a bar fridge in-between the front two seats where you can keep up to six pints. We especially liked the Bose sound system, and also that you’re still able to play CDs. You also use this slot for DVDs that play on eight-inch screens on the back of the front head rests.
Road noise is surprisingly low – all you really hear is the engine growling as you put foot.
When it comes to gadgets, the Patrol has them all. In the centre console is a round button where you can choose which driving mode you want – road, rocks, snow or sand – so you don’t have to do any thinking. Simply press the right button.
The outside revamp is stylish, with just enough chrome finishes, daytime running lights and an aggressive grille.
Under the bonnet
The Patrol uses a 5.6 ℓ V8 petrol engine and sevenspeed automatic transmission.
And, yes, here’s the answer to the second question everyone asked us along the way… It’s indeed a thirsty beast.
On the open road – with 140 ℓ petrol in the tank and even more on the roof rack, three passengers and all their luggage for a week – it returned a consumption of 16,5 ℓ/100 km at a typical speed of 130 km/h. It was a different story in the dunes: here the fuel consumption needle constantly hovered on 30 ℓ/100 km.
But for that you’re rewarded with an oversupply of power and a gearbox that shifts effortlessly every time, in any given situation.
By the way, the first question everyone asked was about the price tag...
How’s the ride?
The Patrol eats up the miles. We drove all the way from Humansdorp in the Eastern Cape to the border, through the Namib to Meob Bay, along the beach to Walvis Bay and back past Solitaire… and not once did anyone in the vehicle complain that they were no longer sitting comfortably.
On the trip, we also tested some of the technology up front, especially the adaptive cruise control. It works astonishingly well. The car brakes itself when there is slower traffic up ahead, and then accelerates as you leave your lane to overtake. As for the gearbox, we had no complaints, but there is a manual mode if
The Patrol is like a great blended wine in which exactly the right elements are combined for something that has your heart beat a little faster