2023 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport or 2024 Nissan Patrol Warrior? Which 4WD large SUV is better suited for off-roading in Australia's rugged country?

Toyota vs Nissan is an age-old rivalry as fiery and bitter as that of Ford vs Holden, and it's been the foundation of many a campfire argument through the years.

For a long time, the fireside friction was fuelled by one burning question in particular: Which is the best 4WD – Nissan's Patrol or Toyota's LandCruiser?

Well, the debate has taken on a decidedly contemporary tone these days with that most contentious topic now morphing into... Which is the best 4WD – Nissan's upcoming Patrol Warrior or Toyota's already-here LandCruiser 300 Series GR Sport?

In this yarn, we're going to consider the two vehicles based only on their off-road capability – no mention of Apple CarPlay, or heated seats, or sunroofs, or anything like that.

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Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series GR Sport

The 300 Series GR (Gazoo Racing) Sport is one of two latest-generation top-of-the-line LandCruiser variants aimed at broadening the buyer appeal of the renowned 4WD.

As the highest off-road grade in the LandCruiser line-up, the $142,101 before on-road costs GR Sport is certainly kitted out for that title – on paper, at least. It has front, rear and centre diff locks, E-KDSS (essentially an electronic active swaybar), and the bolted-on off-road effectiveness that comes with being part of the long-time LandCruiser 4WD heritage.

In fundamental suitability to 4WDing, the GR Sport is built for purpose: visibility is good all around; steering is light and precise; and throttle response is good, giving the driver plenty of control in order to sustain safe and sustained momentum.

As the highest off-road grade in the LandCruiser line-up, the 2,101 before on-road costs GR Sport is certainly kitted out for that title. (image credit: Glen Sullivan)

The GR Sport is 4995mm long, 1990mm wide and 1950mm high. It has a listed kerb weight of 2630kg. It sits atop a new separate chassis, and has a lower centre of gravity, a higher listed ground clearance (235mm) and a wider wheel track than the Cruiser proper.

Wading depth is 700mm, and approach, departure and rampover angles are 32 degrees, 25 degrees, and 25 degrees respectively.

The GR Sport's full-size spare is mounted to the underbody, but it doesn't impact running clearance.

The Dakar Rally-inspired LC300 GR Sport has the 300 Series' 3.3L V6 twin-turbo-diesel engine – producing maximum outputs of 227kW at 4000rpm and 700Nm from 1600-2600rpm – up 27kW and 50Nm respectively over the 200 Series' much-loved 4.5-litre V8's outputs.

It has a 10-speed torque converter automatic transmission with manual shift mode, and this auto cleverly handles high- and low-range 4WDing, micro-managing power and torque to maintain an even-handed but lively driving experience.

The GR Sport is 4995mm long, 1990mm wide and 1950mm high. (image credit: Glen Sullivan)

The GR Sport has full-time, dual-range 4WD, a well-calibrated off-road traction control system, as well as front, rear and centre diff locks, so it's pretty much unstoppable.

And we haven't even mentioned Toyota's E-KDSS (electronic kinetic dynamic suspension system) yet. This set-up acts like an electronic active swaybar, adjusting tension on the front and rear sway bars to suit the terrain and driving conditions. While it's a high-value addition on-road – tightening them for better body control at higher speeds on sealed surfaces – it gives the vehicle a lot more flexibility in terms of wheel articulation off-road, offering full stretch on the axles when tackling off-road scenarios.

The LC300 also has selectable off-road driving modes – including sand, snow, mud, rocks, and dirt – and those tweak vehicle systems to suit the conditions, driving style and terrain.

Off-road driver-assist tech includes crawl control, downhill assist, hill-start assist, the aforementioned multi-terrain select, a four-camera multi-terrain monitor with panoramic view monitor, active traction control, and electronic front, rear and centre locking differentials.

Those off-road driving systems are no longer a bit clunky in operation as they sometimes were in previous Cruisers – especially downhill assist control – because now these have been reined in and work well when it comes to the crunch.

The GR Sport’s full-size spare is mounted to the underbody, but it doesn’t impact running clearance. (image credit: Glen Sullivan)

Underbody protection – including steel bash plates – is appropriately substantial for a vehicle that is marketed as the be-all and end-all of off-roaders.

The only weaknesses in the GR Sport's off-road toolbox are its Dunlop Grandtrek AT30s (265/65 R18) all-terrain tyres. These tyres aren't quite up to scratch when it comes to difficult, traction-compromised 4WDing. But that's an easy fix: buy a set of more aggressive tyres.

Besides that, whether it's being able to access 700Nm of useable torque across a wide rev range, or relying on the LC300's well-calibrated traction control, or if you are engaging front, rear and centre diff locks, this Cruiser is nearly unbeatable on the rough stuff.

Even without the diff locks engaged, this Cruiser conquers every obstacle you drive it at, through and over.

Nissan Patrol Warrior

Okay, it's confession time: I haven't driven the Patrol Warrior yet. But not a lot of independent testers have – and the automotive writers who have driven the Patrol Warrior were only given a slight preview of a pre-production prototype version and that preview reportedly included a very mild off-road loop.

But I've driven plenty of Patrols – on-road and off-road – and I've towed with them, so all in all I've clocked up many kilometres in them.

I've also driven plenty of Nissan's Warrior utes, so I'm very familiar with how the Warrior treatment positively impacts a vehicle's off-road performance.

And I have a lot of faith in the quality of work Premcar does.

And I have a lot of faith in the quality of work Premcar does. Premcar is the Melbourne-based vehicle engineering company responsible for Nissan's Warrior program and this firm has proven time and again that it can be entrusted with crucial conversion work, engineering upgrades and the fitment of adventure-ready accessories in order to add real-world value to a vehicle.

The Patrol Warrior is based on the Ti grade Y62 Patrol. It is 5269mm long, 2079mm wide and 1990mm high. It likely has a kerb weight of more than 2715kg, because that's how much a Ti tips the scales at.

Official ground clearance has not been confirmed yet, but bank on upwards of 273mm (the standard Patrol's listed ground clearance) because the Warrior version has been boosted 50mm by way of Premcar's revised suspension – more about that soon.

Wading depth will likely be upwards of the 700mm mark, which is the standard Patrol's measure.

The Patrol Warrior is based on the Ti grade Y62 Patrol.

The front and rear bumpers have been redesigned for improved off-road performance, so count on an improvement to the standard Patrol's approach, departure and rampover angles of 34.4, 26.3 and 24.4 degrees respectively.

The Patrol Warrior also has heavily revised suspension, including a Premcar-tweaked version of the Patrol's Hydraulic Body Motion Control system, a network of hydraulic cylinders cross-linked between wheels, which works like a swaybar/swaybar disconnect. It automatically tightens on road to keep the Patrol more controlled on sealed surfaces and then it loosens, allowing for more flex in the suspension, more wheel travel, when you're 4WDing – very handy.

The Patrol Warrior has the standard Patrol's 5.6-litre petrol V8, which produces 298kW at 5800rpm and 560Nm at 4000rpm, and it has a seven-speed automatic transmission, a full-time 4WD system, selectable off-road modes (sand, snow, rock), and a rear diff lock.

It has high- and low-range 4WD and, while it doesn't have the low-down torque of something like the 300 Series, it has plenty of grunt when it counts. There's ample torque for sustained-momentum low-speed 4WDing and the big petrol V8 keeps things ticking along without any stress. The Patrol is right at home when 4x4ing.

It is 5269mm long, 2079mm wide and 1990mm high.

Off-road driver-assist tech (hill descent control, hill start assist etc) onboard the Ti is non-intrusive and effective, so it'll be fine in the Warrior.

A red 3mm steel bash-plate has been included as the Patrol Warrior's underbody protection.

The only let-down in the Patrol Warrior's off-road set-up is its set of Yokohama all-terrain tyres. If Nissan is serious about pushing its Patrol Warrior as an off-road beast why not throw some rubber like the Ford Ranger Raptor's BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tyres on their top dog?

Pricing is also currently unknown for the Patrol Warrior, but as the new flagship grade in Nissan's off-road SUV line-up, it will sit north of the luxury-focused $97,600 Ti-L.

The Patrol is a very impressive off-road vehicle in standard guise, so the Warrior variant will be even better.

What I reckon

The 300 Series GR Sport and the Patrol Warrior come from a long line of well-proven, hardcore 4WDs.

And both vehicles have benefited immensely from the off-road-focused engineering that's been thrown on them.

There's no disputing their supremacy off-road and if one is indeed better than the other, then the differences between the two are infinitesimal.

The big discrepancy is in price. The Patrol Warrior may cost around the $100,000 mark; the GR Sport price is listed as $142,101 plus on-road costs.

Fuel consumption is another crucial factor... but that's for another story.

But we're talking about off-road efficacy, pure and simple, and that will be the subject of a real test, hopefully, in the not-too-distant future.

When all is said and done, both vehicles have a deep entrenched 4WD history in this country, both have their legions of fans, and both have proven their worth time and time again in the toughest of off-road circumstances.

Let the campfire debates rage on...