Serious SUV
Nissan comes out swinging with all-new 2020 Patrol
The new 2020 Nissan Patrol is now available in SA.
Built to take on the Toyota Land Cruiser, this burly mudslinger comes with a raft of cosmetic updates including a striking new “V-motion” radiator grille and distinctive boomerang-shaped LED headlamps.
Other tweaks include 18inch machine-cut alloy wheels and revised taillights that also adopt the boomerang shape and feature sequential rear turn indicators a first for a Nissan vehicle.
While they were at it Nissan also updated the interior of the 2020 Patrol with revised trim and technology offerings.
Climb inside and you will be met by extra padded diamond-stitch
– quilted leather seats and a hand-stitched steering wheel. In addition, climate control and powered lumbar support are now available for the front seats.
Sunk into the middle of the dashboard is an eightinch touchscreen infotainment system that offers Bluetooth streaming and is linked to a 13-speaker Bose premium sound system.
Passengers seated in the rear have access to their own personal eight-inch video monitors and wireless headphones. This lets them enjoy music and DVDs without disturbing those up front.
The new Patrol comes with “Intelligent Emergency Braking”, with pedestrian detection and the “Intelligent Forward Collision Warning” system that warns the driver of risks that lie beyond the driver’s forward field of vision.
This advanced radar system does not only sense the relative velocity and distance of a vehicle directly ahead, but also that of a vehicle travelling in front of the preceding one.
Also included is standard “Intelligent Cruise Control” and “Intelligent Driver Alert”, which analyses the driver steering behaviour to signal and alert if signs of drowsiness or inattention are detected.
For safer handling the 2020 Patrol features a four-wheel limited-slip diff (LSD) and Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system, which automatically prevents the vehicle from sliding sideways on slippery road surfaces when changing lanes or negotiating a curve.
Steering is provided by an engine-speed-sensitive, power-assisted, rack-and-pinion steering system.
Only one engine derivative is available from launch and that’s the 5.6-litre naturally-aspirated V8 petrol that’s big on muscle (298kW and 560Nm) but pretty dire when it comes to fuel economy – something that might steer many towards the diesel-powered Toyota Land Cruiser camp.
Power is delivered to the ground via an Intelligent 4x4 system that offers four different drive modes, so expect formidable off-road performance.
Pricing for the new 2020 Nissan Patrol starts at R1,515,700.