Lexus NX vs Nissan Patrol

What's the difference?

So, is the cheapest Lexus NX the grade you’d skip? Depends on where you live and drive.

If you’re urban based and bound, save up a bit more and go the petrol-electric hybrid; otherwise, out on country roads especially, the spirited and sporty NX 250 is more than up to the task.

Either way, though, the latest NX is finally fit to fight the other premium brands’ medium SUV efforts, head on and held up high. Welcome to big mid league, Lexus.

Ignore or underestimate at your own peril, everybody else.

The Nissan Patrol Warrior is nice to drive on-road for a big 4WD wagon. It’s refined, it’s comfortable and it’s also a very capable off-road vehicle and retains solid potential as an all-terrain touring platform.

And PremCar’s work has made a damn good 4WD even better.

All of that crucial conversion work, engineering upgrades and fitment of adventure-ready accessories is the kind of sensible and subtle work an experienced 4WDer would usually apply via the aftermarket.

But the difference is, all of that work on the Warrior is factory-backed and covered by a five-year, unlimited km warranty.

Lexus says that nearly one million of the original-shape NX versions were produced, so there’s no way that the brand was going to mess with the styling of the latest version. Which explains why picking new from old is a serious case of trainspotting.

But that migration to the TNGA GA-K platform has brought some benefits from a design point of view. The styling now breathes more, especially when viewed rear-on, thanks to a body that’s 20mm longer and wider, as well as a handy 30mm wheelbase stretch.

Drilling into the details, the headlights have an LED ‘tick’ motif, the corporate ‘spindle’ grille isn’t as in your face and the rear gains ‘LEXUS’ lettering spelled out, probably to accentuate stance.

Crisp and elegant, the design works well. This is a handsome machine. Looks expensive too.

The Nissan Patrol Warrior is 5269mm long (with a 3075mm wheelbase), 2079mm wide, 1990mm high, and it has a kerb weight of 2884kg (72kg heavier than the Ti).

It’s 94mm longer than the Ti at 5269mm, and 84mm wider at 2079mm.

The Warrior looks very impressive in the metal. It’s a tough-looking blocky behemoth, like a Patrol on steroids.

Though distinctively attractive and obviously well built, the previous NX was quite small for a medium-sized SUV inside, with tight rear legroom.

It also had a nonsense mouse-operated multimedia controller that was fiddly, annoying and counter-intuitive to use.

Thankfully, the new-from-the-ground-up design has rectified both these issues in the latest version.

Now the NX is properly medium-sized, and so easier to get in and out of, as well as palpably roomier front and rear. Employing the RAV4’s TNGA architecture results in a lower and roomier cabin, that benefits all in terms of packaging.

Being the entry-level 250, you might not expect much in terms of interior presentation or style, but Lexus Australia’s product planners have been deft in specifying this grade to make it look luxurious and on-brand.

Body-hugging bolstered perforated leather front bucket seats, in our example finished in a black/cream hue with orange stitching, belie the base-grade reality of the 250. This scheme is also found on the centre console, armrest and door cards, lifting the ambience no end. It looks, feels and smells expensive in here.

The only thing that seems to be missing is a smartphone charger. That's part of a $3K option pack that also throws in a sunroof and foot-operated actuation for the electric tailgate. Not bad.

Then there’s the driving position, with an electrically-operated reach/height adjustable steering column and a multi-configurable seat to help find the right spot. All-round vision is also better than you might expect, no doubt helped out by huge exterior mirrors and a large reversing camera screen.

Typical Lexus-style classy digital instrumentation, directly ahead, are positioned in such a way that you’re not really aware of/missing the available head-up display in higher grades. Though it takes a quick amount of familiarisation, all the info there is ultimately clear and easy to take in.

The same applies to the now touch-only centre screen, which has a slick rich finish and tactility, and also encompasses the climate-control display.

Along with banishing the dreaded mouse pad, kudos to Lexus for also installing physical switches or buttons for the most-used items – audio volume, temperature setting, and front and rear window demisting.

These and the simplified sub-screen menus for navigation, wireless telephony/audio streaming, vehicle diagnoses and vehicle settings amongst other features, is quickly second-nature in their accessibility and operation. And the sound system quality is great too.  

One of our very few complaints concerns the Apple CarPlay experience, which seems needlessly complicated to return to if you temporarily switch away from it to the NX’s native multimedia system. Confusing and distracting. 

Never mind. There are minivan levels of practicality at work here, from the superb and easily manipulated ventilation system to the seemingly endless storage options, that include bottle holder capability in the doors, a clever lid operation for the huge centre console and properly engineered cupholders.

Lovely lush materials of satisfying quality are further plus points.

We’re also fans of the NX’s electric door opening system with a failsafe handle, meaning you can grasp the door handle inside or out and a solenoid activated by a press in of a thumb releases the door quickly and naturally in a single action; it feels… upmarket and ergonomic once accustomed to.

Accessing the back seat is easy due to the latest model’s larger proportions. Much of the same applies out back as the front seat area in terms of quality of finish and attention to detail. Sculptured and enveloping backrests (adjustable for two reclining positions), a well-padded cushion and more-than-sufficient space for two burly adults or three smaller people means this NX is more family friendly than the swoopy exterior styling suggests.

We’re also happy to find large people-facing air vents, two USB and a 12V outlets, one-touch electric windows with that premium-car soft close mechanism, overhead LED lights, grab handles, centre armrest with cupholders, map storage behind both front seats, coat hooks and good lines of vision further enhance the appealing and comfortable back seat environment. It feels like a Lexus should.

Further back than that, after releasing the electric tailgate via either an interior button or exterior switch, you’ll find that the boot has a fairly high loading lip, but then offsets this with a long, flat floor with matching levels of appropriate-quality finishes. Another 12V plug and two bag hooks are included, along with ample lighting and tie-down hooks. There’s also a hidden deep storage compartment underneath the floor, due to the discontinuation of a spare wheel (due to runflat tyres, remember).

Capacity is rated at a fairly ordinary 520 litres, extending to 1411L with the split/fold backrests folded. You’d expect a remote actuation for the latter like Mazda wagons have had for decades, but none is found at this price point.

Note there is no solid cargo cover either, just a flexible/flimsy fabric item that’s foldable and easily stored.

Overall, though, despite of its base positioning within the NX hierarchy, the 250's interior experience is in keeping with the brand's image.

All in all, the Nissan Patrol Warrior cabin is quite a practical space, but with a healthy dose of premium feel.

It’s a Ti interior – plush, spacious and very easy to spend time in – with a few ‘Warrior’ touches as mentioned earlier and for this reason it is comfortably familiar, and I like it, but it does feel old. 

Up front, a Warrior-specific gloss black centre console and gloss black centre multimedia fascia have replaced the standard Ti Patrol’s 1970s-style woodgrain-look panelling, but the expanses of soft-touch surfaces remain. 

There are plenty of storage spaces for driver and front passenger – glove box, cupholders, bottle holders in the doors etc – as well as some concealed spaces (with pop-up lids) for keys, phone and other pocket debris.

The 8.0-inch touchscreen is too small and, as mentioned, there is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which is very disappointing in this day and age. And I struggled to establish Bluetooth connectivity with my phone, as has happened in the past in standard Patrols.

The centre console is a confusion of buttons, dials and knobs, and if you haven’t spent much time in a Patrol then, initially, it’s not quite clear what you should press or twirl to operate things. But if you are familiar with a Patrol’s in-cabin machinations you’ll easily work it out.

Second-row passengers get very comfortable seats, as well as two USB charge points, and temperature and fan controls in the back of the centre console. Those in this row also have access to the back of the centre console. 

There are cupholders in the fold-down armrest, and map pockets in the seat backs and bottle holders in the doors. 

The second-row seats have a top tether point and an ISOFIX point on both outer seats.

The third-row seats are flat and hard compared to the other seats and, in terms of space, are really only for kids, or adults for very brief stints.

All three rows get air con – there are roof-mounted vents – and there are a few handy storage spaces in the third row, but no cupholders. 

The third row has one top tether anchorage point. 

The rear cargo area has cargo tie-down points and a 12V socket, as well as tyre-changing tools under the floor. The new full-sized spare tyre is underslung at the rear.

The Patrol has a solid reputation as a touring platform and in terms of packability, nothing has changed. 

With the third-row seats in use, boot space is listed as 467L. With the third row stowed away, there’s a claimed 1413L of cargo space. With the second and third rows stowed, there’s a claimed 2623L.

The Nissan Patrol Warrior is an eight-seat 4WD wagon with a price-tag of $101,160, excluding on-road costs.

Standard features include a 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system (without Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto), three-zone climate-control, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera and a tyre-pressure monitoring system.

Warrior-specific interior touches include an Alcantara Warrior embossed garnish, clear-coated gloss black centre console and centre multimedia fascia as well as leather-accented and Alcantara door trim.

Warrior-specific suspension modifications include Warrior-tuned 'Hydraulic Body Motion Control' suspension (front and rear), front Warrior red springs, rear Warrior multi-rate red springs, and Warrior rear bump-stop.

Exterior changes include a red bash plate with Warrior branding, front Warrior-embossed bumper valance, black grille, Patrol Warrior decals, black side mirror caps, an upgraded exhaust system with bi-modal valve and exhaust tip, black flare kit with grained finish, Warrior towbar (towbar cross member, tongue, harness only, all modified to fit the new, bigger full-size spare), two rear recovery points, Warrior rear bumper valance with grained finish, and black chrome tailgate Warrior badge.

The Warrior wheel-and-tyre package is the Yokohama Geolandar 15 All Terrain tyres (295/70R18) on 18 x 9 J cast-aluminium Patrol Warrior black machined-face alloy wheels.

The Patrol Warrior has a specially modified space for the new full-size alloy spare wheel.

Exterior paint choices include the no-extra-cost 'Gun Metallic', or premium paint jobs such as 'Brilliant Silver', 'Black Obsidian' and 'Moonstone White'.

But the big news is the more than $15,000 worth of crucial conversion work, engineering upgrades and fitment of adventure-ready accessories brought onboard to turn the Patrol into a Warrior.

And as such the Warrior wagon has a re-engineered version of Nissan’s Hydraulic Body Motion Control system, a 50mm total suspension lift with new springs front and rear (increasing vehicle height to 1990mm, +50mm over the Ti), and increased ground clearance (323mm, +50mm) and wheel track (1735mm front and rear, +40mm).

There are two ways of looking at this.

Yes, the NX 250 is powered by a variation of the same engine found in the humble base Camry Ascent in Australia at almost half the price. On the other hand, it’s a Toyota powertrain and everything that’s good and reliable and dependable about that. Which is not always the case with premium SUVs.

Dubbed Dynamic Force, which may imply forced-induction like a turbo or supercharger but there isn’t any, the 2487cc 2.5-litre naturally aspirated direct-injection D-4S twin-cam four-cylinder engine delivers 152kW of power at 6600rpm and 243Nm of torque at between 4000rpm to 5000rpm.

Drive is sent to the front wheels only, via an eight-speed torque-converter automatic. Tipping the scales at a pretty hefty 1705kg, it’s nonetheless the lightest NX, and manages a power-to-weight ratio of 89.1kW per tonne. That’s about the same as a GLC 200, which uses a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine.

The Warrior has the Patrol line-up’s 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine – producing 298kW at 5800rpm and 560Nm at 4000rpm – and that’s matched to a seven-speed automatic transmission.

This is a solid combination, but it lacks a dynamic edge, which is fine with me because it yields a driving experience that’s equal parts relaxed, assured and undemanding.

The Patrol has full-time four-wheel drive with high- and low-range modes.

Rated Euro6b, the NX 250 demands 95 RON premium unleaded petrol. Same as Camry, actually,

We recorded a decent 9.7 litres per 100km during our time using the NX 250 in city, urban and rural conditions, against the trip computer’s 9.5L/100km and the official combined average of just 6.9L/100km.

Note this may be so because there was a lot of fast back-road driving, as the engine loves a rev and there’s a palpable wave of power that comes on strongly between 5000rpm and 6500rpm. A bit like Mazda’s naturally-aspirated units, but just not as sonorous.

At 55 litres, the fuel tank will allow for up to 797km based on the combined average cycle between refills.

The Nissan Patrol Warrior has an official fuel consumption figure of 14.4L/100km (on a combined cycle). 

I recorded 23.2L/100km on this test. I did a lot of high- and low-range 4WDing but the Warrior never seemed to be working too hard.

The Patrol has a 140L fuel tank capacity, so, using our on-test consumption figure you could reasonably expect a full-tank driving range of about 603km. 

The NX 250 truly is a tale of two cars.

Around town, it is utterly capable and benign. The 2.5-litre atmo four-pot petrol unit is a revvy, raucous sort of engine, pulling away strongly off the line, responding quickly to pressing down on the throttle, shuffling up through seven of the lower gears smoothly (top is a highway overdrive), and generally being an easy vehicle to drive.

About the only concern is how noisy the engine can become if you’re needing to accelerate hard, with a definite mechanical zing that gives the Lexus a bit of a hoon attitude. We’re also a little hesitant about using the Sport mode in built-up areas, as ratios are held on to whether up or down shifting, amplifying the loud nature of this powertrain.

Other aspects of the NX 250’s driveability around town rate highly: light yet linear steering, with a tight turning circle providing easy manoeuvrability and parking; firm yet still absorbent suspension, offering an appropriately isolating ride over most bad road surfaces; and an overall sense of sound engineering. It seems quieter than an equivalent RAV4, more importantly.

Which led us to initially conclude that, in an urban environment, you’d naturally pay the extra $3K for the NX 250 Hybrid, to eliminate that noisy engine when pushing down hard on the throttle. Easy.

However, then we ventured out on a long rural drive, a few couple of hundred kilometres from the big city. On country roads, the NX 250 really sparks up in a most compelling way.

Yes, the engine is still a bit rowdy, but as the revs rise and the needle edges near the 6800rpm red line, the Lexus just keeps on building up speed rapidly, providing an unexpectedly sporty edge. Above 5000rpm this thing still has plenty of oomph, relying on a deep well of power to really extend its legs.

It also makes sense to slot the auto lever into manual, and use the finely positioned paddle shifters. That’s when you’re most aware of the gearbox being a torque-converter auto, with defined and assertive selections. It’s a good way to feel involved in the experience too.

Actually, as a mechanical ensemble, it all comes together at speed; that light and easy steering remains relaxed yet reactive, weighing up nicely if you choose Sport. The handling maintains a fluid, connected feel, with ample levels of grip from the Bridgestone tyres.

It occurred to us that driving the NX 250 Hybrid out on rural backroads would deny the enthusiast of the base model’s lightness and agility, since the latter weighs hundreds of kilos less; the brakes are perfectly modulated instead of feeling vaguely mushy and/or trigger happy as with many electrified SUVs; and – even with the road noise being well-supressed – you’re far less aware that the atmo petrol engine is singing loudly at speed.

Plus, the ride out in the sticks, even on our craggy old test strip that would jar the bones of some other midsized SUVs, remains calm and comfortably firm. That’s real progress for the NX.

We’d appreciate a bit more nuance in the way the stability control kicks in (quite late) to catch the tail; while the driver-assist tech like the adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist do their jobs admirably, the latter’s constant chiming can be annoying; and there's a fair amount of road-noise intrusion over coarse bitumen. Like most midsized luxury SUVs, actually. Still quieter than a RAV4, though.

No jarring faults then. Lexus has done its homework and fixed most of the things that annoyed or infuriated us about the previous generation version. Good work.

At its Patrol heart the Warrior has all the solid reliable four-wheel drive mechanicals, plenty of torque over a wide rev range and it has a rear diff lock. 

So, you are pretty much covered for anything you want to tackle. 

On road and on dirt tracks, the Patrol Warrior is a bit tighter, more controlled and more composed than its standard stablemates. 

And that's largely due to its upgraded suspension and Hydraulic Body Motion Control (HBMC) system.

HBMC essentially acts as a sway bar and sway bar disconnect equivalent and combines with the Aussie-tweaked suspension to rein everything in when you're on bitumen and loosen everything when you're on dirt or off-road. 

And out on the open road or a quiet back country road you get the opportunity to appreciate how comfortable and refined the Patrol Warrior is. 

The Warrior’s fully independent suspension features springs specifically designed for this vehicle all around. They're longer at the front, softer at the back and offer various rates - soft, firm and extra soft.

And, while that's not such a big deal when you are low-range 4WDing, it really comes into play when you're on a dirt track travelling at speed.

Especially if there are light to moderate, even extreme corrugations and you're trying to fly across the top of that stuff without ruining your spine. 

The Patrol as standard is a nice wagon to drive, but the Premcar work undertaken to create the Warrior – all the conversions and upgrades – have made it that much better. 

There's more ground clearance in the Warrior (323mm, +50mm over the Ti), so approach (40 degrees) and departure angles (23.3 degrees) are an improvement over the standard Patrol.

Ramp-over angle is not listed, neither is wading depth but I reckon the latter is about 700mm.

The tyres – Yokohama Geolandar 15 All Terrain tyres (295/70R18) – are bigger and offer more grip, so they provide the Warrior with plenty of traction on terrain where a standard Patrol may struggle. 

The HBMC system, which works so well on-road, provides more articulation off-road as well as a little bit more wheel travel through difficult sections of ground that require highly technical low-range 4WDing.

And the cluey thing about Premcar’s work here – the conversions, the modifications, the engineering upgrades and the fitment of accessories – is it’s all the kind of stuff a sensible experience 4WDer would have done to their Patrol if there wasn't the option to climb into something like the Patrol Warrior straight out of the showroom. 

What Premcar has done is that clever. 

But while all of these Warrior-specific changes are so clever and so welcome, it doesn't make this vehicle a perfect four-wheel drive.

For one thing, it's still a big vehicle and at 2884kg you have to drive it with that in mind, all the time. 

It fills the track off-road and with its wider wheel track, you have to be mindful of wheel placement.

The Patrol’s off-road traction control doesn't feel as dialled in, as sharply tuned as, for example, the system in the 300 Series Toyota LandCruiser.

It's not atrocious, in fact, it’s very effective, but it just doesn't feel as dialled-in as other systems. 

When you get into a Patrol Warrior, make sure you appreciate that bi-modal exhaust with two exhaust tips underneath the right-hand side step.

It’s nice and quiet during general driving but opens up in audio terms if you flip to manual on the auto shifter or give it a heavy right boot. You hear that engine growl. It’s unreal. 

The bi-modal exhaust is awesome, but those little exhaust caps that stick out underneath the Warrior's right-hand side step are a too vulnerable to potential damage for my liking.

They compromise the vehicle's ramp-over angle, so you have to drive with careful consideration, especially if the Warrior tips even slightly to the right-hand side going up or down a steep rocky hill, because there’s a risk of grinding those exhaust tips against rock, dirt or a tree stump. 

The Patrol is a well-respected towing platform and the Warrior’s towing capacities remain as 750kg (unbraked) and 3500kg (braked).

The Warrior's GVM (gross vehicle mass) at 3620kg is 120kg more than the Ti Patrol’s.

Premcar has modified the towbar position to accommodate the new bigger full-size spare wheel and tyre.

Another good thing is the fact the Patrol Warrior has two recovery points at the rear.

But unfortunately when our videographer’s HiLux became bogged in a mudhole I discovered my stamped 4.0-tonne bow shackles were too big for those points.

So, I had to do a snatch-strap recovery of his vehicle using the tow bar hitch pin, which is not ideal, but still effective. 

The lesson here? Recovery points are great, but make sure you have the correct bow shackles – at least stamped 3.25 tonne bow shackles – in your vehicle-recovery kit.

The Nissan Patrol range does not have an ANCAP safety rating because it has not been tested.

As standard it has dual front airbags, front-side and curtain airbags that cover all three rows, as well as two ISOFIX points and two top tether points in the second row.

Driver-assist tech includes AEB, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning/intervention, blind-spot warning/intervention, adaptive cruise control and more.

Since the beginning of 2021, Lexus offers a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assistance. It used to be four years.

Service intervals are at 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

The NX also includes three years and 45,000km of capped-price servicing, with each one costing $495 – and as we’ve noticed in the recent past, that is very highly competitive pricing for a luxury brand.

Plus, there’s also Lexus’ ‘Encore’ aftersales subscription program offering myriad offers and services.

The Nissan Patrol Warrior has a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, and comes with five years of roadside assistance.

Servicing is scheduled at 12 month/10,000km intervals, and capped price service rates apply, averaging about $626 a year over the warranty term.

A five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty also applies to all of Premcar’s work.