Land Rover Defender vs Nissan Patrol

What's the difference?

The Land Rover Defender in its current form is a revelation in terms of, well, everything. The 110 is refined, sure-footed and comfortable on-road and it’s more capable off-road than ever before – and assuredly so.

It’s wholeheartedly embraced positive change – in terms of creature comforts, driveability and safety – and has lost none of the traditional Defender spirit.

The new Defender has managed to satisfy (placate?) die-hard fans and it’s attracted a whole bunch of new ones at the same time.

The 75th anniversary treatment doesn’t add anything of substance to the Defender package, but it doesn’t need to – that’s not the point – and to Landie lovers it’s all cream on top. 

Premcar faced a formidable challenge in improving a vehicle as competent as the Patrol Ti, but the Warrior succeeds in achieving the project's four key objectives of enhanced off-road capability, road presence, V8 soundtrack and refinement.

It offers astonishing performance and handling for a vehicle of its size and weight and with its recent cabin technology upgrades, the Patrol Warrior has become an even more desirable package. Fact is, we didn’t want to hand it back, which says plenty.

The new Defender manages to balance the distinctive shape and spirit of the old-school Defender with the new-generation’s style and presence – and the striking Grasmere Green exterior of this 75th anniversary variant and its interior touches all complement that blend.

This is unmistakably a Defender but one that’s been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, whacked in the face and torso by modern styling cues, while still retaining the heart of adventure these Landies have always been renowned for.

Just one thing about this special-edition Defender, though. The Grasmere Green is certainly an eye-catching colour, but that’s a ‘for better or worse’ scenario.

Mostly worse – for me anyway – because I noticed that during my time in this Landie I received quite a lot of annoyed eye-rolls from other drivers and passengers in traffic and I reckon the polarising colour was the culprit – or maybe they were just eye-rolling at me?

No matter, because if you can afford one of these I don’t think you’ll be at all concerned about what other people think of you…

Significant changes are focused on the active suspension system, which uses active dampers fitted to each wheel’s coil-sprung suspension arms to serve as shock absorbers and stabiliser bars in one.

This not only provides optimum wheel travel and traction off-road but also monitors cornering forces and distributes hydraulic pressure to minimise body roll when on-road.

Warrior upgrades include a 40mm increase in track width, to provide a wider and more planted stance with only a slight 100mm increase in turning circle.

The body also sits 50mm higher thanks to a 29mm suspension lift and 21mm taller wheel and tyre package, resulting in 323mm of ground clearance, a steep 40 degrees approach angle and 23.3 degrees departure angle with tow-bar fitted.

However, it will still fit under multi-storey or underground car parks with typical 2.0-metre-plus height limits.

There's also unique Premcar hydraulic valve componentry and calibrations to sharpen chassis response, along with revised front springs and new multi-rate rear springs with progressive-rate rear bump-stops.

The Warrior’s heavy-duty off-road hardware has contributed to a higher kerb weight, which Premcar has allowed for in the Warrior’s 120kg GVM upgrade that brings a handy 48kg increase in carrying capacity compared to the Ti. The Patrol’s standard 3.5-tonne braked tow rating is also maintained.

There’s generous space and sumptuous luxury for the driver and front passenger and when I'm seated in the second row, with the driver’s seat in my position, there’s still about 12cm of knee clearance which is admirable space given my 186cm height.

The second-row seats fold and tumble forward to allow easy access to the third-row. However, that convenience causes a space problem for third-row passengers (tall ones at least), because the second-row can’t be slid forward and its backrest angle can’t be adjusted.

So, although Nissan claims an eight-seat capacity in 2-3-3 formation, that could realistically only be achieved with small kids in the rear stalls.

Beyond the subtle colour treatment, the interior remains as it is in the HSE variant on which this special edition is based.

In other words, the cabin has a premium look and feel about it, without sacrificing anything in terms of how practical everything is.

It’s a pleasant mix of durable life-friendly materials – carpet mats and soft-touch surfaces – and stylish touches, such as a metal Defender-stamped section in front of the front passenger. 

The leather steering wheel and shifter are standard, but a premium non-leather wheel is a no-cost option. 

Just one example of where JLR gets attention to detail in the Defender so right is the small hard-rubber textured patches on the back of the steering wheel, where your fingertips naturally rest when you’re driving.

It’s those kinds of seemingly minor additions – as well as grippy cargo-area floor surfaces and the like – that add worthwhile tactile elements to the overall Defender package.

Overall, cabin layout is user-friendly with all controls easy to locate and operate.

Storage spaces include a deep centre console, glove box, twin cupholders in between driver and passenger, sunglass storage, door pockets, and shallow spaces peppered around for your pocket gear.

Charge points include USBs up front, and a wireless charging tray.

The driver and front passenger get plenty of room and amenities and those behind them also fare well with adequate room for everyone. 

All seats are very comfortable (can this really be a Defender?) and the front seats are 14-way power-adjustable with heating, cooling and memory.

The second row – a 40/20/40 folding configuration – is heated and has a centre armrest. Second-row passengers have access to air-vent controls and USB charge points in the rear of the centre console.

The rear cargo area seems a bit small in this five-seater, although it offers a listed 1075 litres. With the second row folded down, there is a claimed 2380 litres of space. It has cargo-restraint points.

That area has a sliding cover which conceals your valuables from the prying eyes of nefarious types.

Obviously, there is a lot more to admire here for those who love the interiors of prestige cars, but rather than spending my precious time fondling leather accents or going ‘ohhhh-ahhhh’ over a sunroof or the warming qualities of a heated seat, I like to actually drive. 

And drive I did.

The Warrior’s hefty 2884kg kerb weight is 72kg heavier than the standard Ti due to its unique off-road armoury. Even so, its uprated 3620kg GVM allows for 736kg of load capacity, which should be ample for five adults and their luggage on a trip.

It’s also rated to tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer but with its 7000kg GCM rating (how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) that would require a 120kg reduction in vehicle load to avoid exceeding the GCM.

Or you could lower the trailer limit by the same amount (from 3500kg to 3380kg) and maintain the Warrior’s maximum load. Either way, these are sizeable and practical numbers for a multitude of recreational pursuits.

Cabin storage for driver and front passenger includes a bottle-holder and bin in each front door, plus a glove box and overhead glasses holder.

The centre console has two small bottle/cupholders and various nooks for small items, plus a large box at the rear with a padded lid that doubles as a plush elbow rest. The console also has two USB-A ports and two 12-volt sockets.

Second-row passengers get a bottle-holder and bin in each door, plus large pockets on the front seat backrests and access to the console box thanks a clever two-way console lid.

There are also two pop-out small bottle/cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest and the rear of the centre console provides separate climate controls, two USB-A ports and another 12-volt socket. There are also bottle/cupholders on each side of the third row.

The large rear luggage area has another 12-volt socket, storage compartments beneath the load floor and multiple retractable hooks for anchoring load straps or nets.

It offers 468 litres of load volume with the third row upright, 1413 litres with the third row folded and a cavernous 2632 litres (or more than 2.6 cubic metres) with the second and third rows folded.

Our ‘Gun Metallic’ test vehicle (one of four Warrior colours) is based on the well-appointed Patrol Ti model. It’s available only with the Patrol’s standard 5.6-litre petrol V8 and seven-speed automatic for a list price of $104,160.

That looks like a bargain compared to the top-shelf model in the LandCruiser 300 Series range, the Sahara ZX, which lists at $146,876.

The Warrior costs $16,260 more than a standard Ti and for that extra spend you get a generous package of unique and well-engineered upgrades.

Exterior changes include a distinctive black grille and door mirror caps, Warrior body decals and badging, Warrior-branded front bumper assembly and an eye-catching red Warrior-branded engine bash-plate.

There’s also 18-inch alloys with taller Yokohama 295/70 all-terrain tyres and a full-size alloy spare, black composite wheel arch flares, stainless steel bi-modal exhaust system with side-body outlet, rear bumper assembly with black valance panel and a bespoke 3.5-tonne towbar with two recovery points.

Although the engine and transmission are the same as a standard Patrol, the suspension has been significantly revised (see Design).

The Warrior adopts a classy and understated interior theme, featuring high-gloss piano black trim elements on the centre console and black Alcantara synthetic suede inlays on the dash (with subtle Warrior branding) and door trims.

The MY24 Warrior benefits from a recent and overdue upgrade of the Patrol's decade-old cabin technology (we tested the pre-upgrade model) resulting in a redesign of the console layout and functionality.

These include a 10.1-inch touchscreen for the six-speaker multimedia system offering the latest in digital radio, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and Hema 4x4 navigation, plus wireless smartphone charging and USB-A and USB-C ports. Other technology upgrades include an ‘intelligent’ rear-view mirror and cool-box for the centre console.

By contrast, a foot-operated mechanical parking brake and large analogue speedo/tacho units are quaint reminders of the Y62’s longevity.

As mentioned earlier, this Defender is a P400 MHEV (mild hybrid electric vehicle), so it has a 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, supported by a small electric motor.

That engine produces 294kW at 5500-6500rpm and 550Nm at 2000-5000rpm and it’s matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

The P400 MHEV has a 48-volt lithium-ion battery, aimed at reducing engine load and fuel consumption, and it has a 7.0kW electric supercharger aimed at minimising turbo lag.

The Defender has permanent all-wheel drive and a dual-range transfer case with high- and low-range 4WD.

It has a comprehensive suite of driver-assist tech, including Land Rover’s 'Terrain Response 2' system, with switchable modes such as 'Grass/Gravel/Snow', 'Sand', 'Mud and Ruts', and 'Rock Crawl'. 

That system optimises throttle response, engine outputs, transmission shifts and diff control to best suit the terrain. It also has centre and rear diff locks.

Our test vehicle also has Land Rover's configurable terrain response system (giving the driver the ability to select and save powertrain, traction and diff settings for off-road driving) and a wade program, which increases air-suspension ride height and closes off the climate control vents to reduce the ingress of moisture in the air.

This Defender has an official 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.0 seconds, and I can confirm that this has plenty of punch off the mark and when overtaking on open roads. It has a listed maximum speed of 191km/h.

The ageless DOHC 32-valve 5.6-litre petrol V8 with variable valve timing produces the same 298kW at 5800rpm and 560Nm at 4000rpm as the standard Ti.

However, the Warrior's unique bi-modal exhaust system offers a choice of mild (using the full-length system) or wild (using a shorter side-exit system) exhaust notes via an internal valve.

The refined seven-speed torque converter automatic transmission has overdrive on its sixth and seventh ratios for optimum highway economy, plus adaptive shift control and the choice of sequential manual-shifting.

The full-time 4WD system offers a locking rear differential, electronic switching between high and low ranges, three off-road terrain modes ('Sand'/'Rock'/'Snow') and hill descent control.

Fuel consumption is a claimed 9.9L/100km (on the combined cycle), and we recorded actual fuel consumption on test of 11L/100km.

The Defender has a 90-litre tank so, going by that fuel-consumption figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of just under 800km on a full tank, factoring in a safe-distance buffer of 20km; 818km without the buffer.

Nissan claims an official combined average consumption of 14.4L/100km but the dash display was showing 17.5L/100km when we stopped to refuel after 306km of testing which comprised city, suburban, highway and dirt road driving.

Our figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, was higher again at just under 20L/100km. This admittedly included heavy throttle use exploring the Warrior’s handling and exhaust enhancements, so this consumption would improve with a lighter right foot.

Even so, based on our figures, owners could still expect a driving range of around 700km from its huge 140-litre petrol tank, which expands to 970km based on Nissan’s official figure.

The Defender’s 75th anniversary touches are all cosmetic which is fine because, as is, this Landie is surprisingly impressive on-road, and supremely effective off-road.

This 110 variant is 5018mm long (including the rear-mounted spare tyre), 2008mm wide and 1972mm high with a 3022mm-long wheelbase.

It has a turning circle of 12.8m and a kerb weight is 2297kg. 

So, it’s not a small vehicle, but it never feels unwieldy to drive and it even manages to consistently feel lively and dynamic.

The Defender has a real planted feel on the road; it’s composed and very comfortable, no matter how hard you drive it. 

It’s also quiet. Very quiet, and oh-so-refined, with noise, vibration and harshness levels having been subdued to almost nothing.

The new Defender’s cabin is a pleasantly cocooned space, in which you feel insulated from the world around you. There is a bit of wind rush around the Defender’s wing mirrors, but nothing atrocious. 

Throttle response is crisp, and the 3.0-litre petrol’s 294kW and 550Nm are readily available for a punchy standing-start, or to safely and smoothly overtake another vehicle on the highway – or during low-range 4WDing, but more about that later*.

(* Okay, if you can’t wait, skip ahead to read about the off-road section of this test.)

The eight-speed automatic transmission is very cluey – it’s smarter than you and me – but I found the shifter’s size (stubby) and position (just under the multimedia system’s touchscreen) a bit annoying to work with as I preferred to use Sport/manual mode, sometimes requiring quick shifts up or down.

Road-holding is tremendous, especially considering previous Defenders were about as composed as wonky tractors, and comfort levels are exceptional for something that was once considered a form of punishment to travel in.

Our test vehicle was on 20-inch rims and 255/60 R20 Goodyear Wrangler ‘all-terrain adventure’ tyres and those are perfectly fine for driving on blacktop.

However, they became quickly gummed up with clay and mud during our 4WD testing phase, but more about that soon.

So, how does it perform off-road? Very well, thank you very much. It does what older Defenders can do – and more. And it does it all with supreme levels of comfort and composure – something that can’t be said of older Defenders.

In terms of off-road measures, the Defender has a claimed 228mm-291mm of ground clearance (courtesy of height-adjustable air suspension) and a wading depth of 900mm (again, with the benefit of the air suspension).

If the Defender’s under-carriage hits dirt, the air suspension automatically applies an emergency 75mm of extra height.

This Defender has approach, ramp (breakover) and departure angles of 38 degrees, 28 degrees, and 40 degrees, respectively.

So, it well and truly ticks all of those boxes.

On the dirt-track drive to our 4WD testing and proving ground the Defender demonstrated, as it has before, that it’s able to master and make bearable pretty much any road or track surface, no matter what sort of terrible condition that terrain is in.

This Landie was always stable and planted on the track, with plenty of the credit for that going to a robust monocoque chassis, as well as a multi-link set-up and fully independent air suspension, which as a combination works supremely well to smooth out surface imperfections at all speeds. 

Ride and handling at speed through deep-rutted and potholed sections of dirt road was impressively smooth and composed.

With the air suspension raised to off-road height and tyre pressures dropped to 26 psi, we were ready to put the Defender through its paces.

For those of you who haven’t seen any of my videos or read any of my yarns, our testing site offers more than enough of a challenge to push any standard 4WD to the limits of its reasonable use. I’ve even seen modified vehicles struggle on some of our set-piece challenges.

The terrain here is a mix of steep rocky hill-climbs, slippery descents, mud-holes and water-crossings and, depending on the weather, it can either be seriously challenging or pretty bloody dangerous.

No need for any concern though because the Defender did everything asked of it – and did it all with relaxed ease. I’ve driven an all-conquering 90 at this test site before and the 110 this time was just as impressive.

Steering has a light but precise feel about it at low speeds and that's crucial for such a big vehicle during low-range 4WDing, especially when picking your right line on challenges or manoeuvring along tight, twisted tracks.

There’s plenty of low-down torque from the petrol engine and in low-range that’s evenly applied.

The Pivi touchscreen system is the new Defender’s command centre and, using it, you’re able to cycle through the terrain response programs, you can set driving modes, and essentially operate everything. 

It's generally easy enough to use, but it is a bit tricky to operate on the move – and that’s one of the few niggles I have about this Defender.

The terrain response system, which enables the driver to dial through driving modes, including Mud and Ruts, and Rock Crawl is a clever set-up and would certainly feel out of place in an old-school Defender.

You can calibrate the system’s responses – acceleration, traction sensitivity, and diff control – to suit your driving style and the terrain you’re traversing.

The tread of the Defender’s Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tyres, as mentioned earlier, swiftly became gummed up with sloppy mud and we lost a fair bit in terms of reliable traction from that rubber on the rock surfaces we moved to straight after driving through a series of shallow mud-holes.

Wheel travel is decent with the Defender able to get useable flex out of that multi-link set-up and air suspension combo.

Another of my very few gripes about the Defender is the fact that while all of the off-road-focussed driver-assist tech, especially terrain response, is so seamlessly effective – it’s almost too good for its own good.

As the driver I almost feel removed from the experience of tackling the terrain I’m on.

Driving this doesn't feel like such a visceral experience as it does in the Defenders of old, or even as hands-on as it does when driving off-road in rebooted old-school 4WDs, such as the Suzuki Jimny, or the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. 

The new Defender is very capable, and comfortably so, but it feels a little bit too clinical and calculated in its execution.

In terms of its potential as a towing platform, the Defender has a claimed maximum unbraked trailer capacity of 750kg and a maximum braked towing capacity of 3500kg.

It has a maximum roof load of 300kg. GVM (gross vehicle mass) is 3165kg and GCM (gross combined mass) is 6665kg.

My wife and I had no trouble finding comfortable driving positions, thanks to its combination of a height/reach-adjustable steering wheel, prominent left footrest and 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat.

The big V8 has a muscular deep-chested rumble at idle, which changes to a full-throated roar when you prod the accelerator hard enough to redirect the exhaust flow through the shorter side-pipes.

The Patrol comes standard with fantastic ride and handling thanks to its active suspension, but Premcar’s input has that ‘special vehicle’ feel to it.

With its wider track it feels even more surefooted on the road, which combined with revised hydraulic valving and spring rates provides a more responsive driving experience that doesn’t compromise its supple ride quality.

It feels lighter and more agile than you’d expect for a high-riding SUV that weighs more than 2.8 tonnes.

The 5.6-litre V8 is a torque monster, with 90 per cent of its generous 560Nm on tap from only 1600rpm. You can rev it all the way to 5800rpm to extract its 298kW of peak power, but we found the most rewarding performance was to revel in its abundant surge of pulling power below 4000rpm.

On the highway it requires only 1750rpm to maintain 110km/h, making it an effortless and quiet road-tripper, given low tyre and wind noise combined with low engine noise courtesy of the bi-modal exhaust using the full-length system in cruising mode.

Overall, this is a fun and rewarding vehicle to drive, within the obvious limitations of a large 4x4 wagon.

The Nissan Patrol is unrated by ANCAP but comes with driver and front passenger front and side airbags plus full side-curtain airbags that span all three rows.

There’s also AEB, an around-view monitor with moving object detection, front and rear parking sensors, lane-keeping, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, tyre pressure monitoring and more.

The second-row has ISOFIX child restraint anchorage points and top-tethers on the two outer seating positions and there's another top-tether for the third row.

The Defender has a five year/unlimited km warranty with five years roadside assistance. Pretty much the expected norm in this part of the market.

Service intervals are set for every five years or 102,000km (maximum), whichever occurs first – and that’s for a total cost of $2250, or an annual average of $450, which is pretty handy.

Nissan provides a five-year/unlimited km warranty (plus five-year roadside assist) for the Patrol Ti base vehicle, which Premcar matches with its own five-year warranty covering the Warrior conversion.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/10,000km, whichever occurs first.

Capped-price servicing for the first five scheduled services totals $3019, or an average of $603.80 per service.