Nissan Patrol 2024 News

New car launches don’t get much bigger than the Y63 Nissan Patrol.The rugged four-wheel drive has been the darling of Aussie off-road enthusiasts and suburban families for years and the new Y63 version is due to land on Australian roads at the end of 2026.Americans don’t have to wait that long with the Patrol — called Armada in the US — due to go on sale this year.The Japanese brand has just revealed prices for the Armada in the US, which is sure to shock potential buyers.The Armada line-up kicks off at US$58,530 ($90,000), which is the exact same price as the outgoing version. Car companies keeping the price the same for an all new model is almost unheard of.It only applies to the base SV variant, though, and Australia doesn’t sell an equivalent version, instead offering better equipped variants.All other variants rise by less than US$2000 ($3000), which is still a bargain when you look at the extra gear and engineering that has gone into the Y63 Patrol.If this strategy carries across to Australia it could point to a $100,000 starting price, which would put the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series on serious notice.The LandCruiser 300 Series was between $7000 and $10,000 more expensive than the 200 Series it replaced.The Y63 Patrol is built on a new platform and is bigger in almost every way. It is now 5205mm in length (+35mm), 2030mm in width (+35mm), though the 1955m height remains unchanged. It’s also bigger in the third row, thanks to the rear section and boot being 30 per cent wider than in the Y62.Under the bonnet is a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 replacing the outgoing model’s 5.6-litre V8.This new engine muscles up compared to the outgoing model with outputs of 317kW and 700Nm, or 19kW and 140Nm more than before.It’s got some hi-tech suspension too, with the new Intelligent Dynamic Suspension system complete with air suspension that can give you another 7cm of lift. This also helps improve approach and departure angles when tackling properly tough terrain.It is expected to be able to tow the benchmark 3500kg, too.There is also a raft of tech upgrades including twin 14.3-inch screens, one for the multimedia and the other for the driver display.It’ll have a head-up display and be capable of over-the-air software updates.Not to mention the upgraded styling, with a muscular boxy physique that gives it plenty of presence on the road.We won’t know the official Australian prices of the Y63 Patrol until just before it launches at the end of 2026, but here’s hoping they follow the US’s lead.

Nissan revealed the 2026 Patrol in LandCruiser 300 Series GR Sport-baiting Pro-4X trim in the United States this week. The Pro-4X is the first of its name in the 'Y63' Patrol line-up but is the same variant name that forms the basis of Premcar and Nissan Australia’s Navara Warrior ute. In the States, the Pro-4X can be identified by a tough-looking body kit, standard 275/60R20 all-terrain tyres and a metal skid plate to improve off-road capability. Changes under the skin include an electronically controlled locking rear differential as well as air suspension that can raise up to 55mm over the standard ride height. It’s said to give 245mm ground clearance, approach angle of 33 degrees and 25.4 degree departure angle.The Pro-4X also gets eight modes, including Tow, Rock, Mud-Rut and more, influencing the response of the engine, gearbox, differentials and air suspension. It is the perfect jumping off point for Australian-based Premcar to once again work its magic on a global Nissan product. Speaking to CarsGuide back in June, Premcar Partner and Engineering Director Bernie Quinn promised he knew nothing about the Y63 Patrol but that is keen to get stuck into a program. “I not only hope so, I expect so,” Quinn said of Premcar’s continued involvement in producing more capable, Aussie-friendly versions of Nissan’s off-road products. “This has worked for everyone. The counter to that is, if we get it wrong the whole thing can fall apart. We’re doing everything that’s within our control to make as successful as possible, so that we keep on doing them,” Quinn added. Some of the differences between the current Patrol Ti and Aussie-modded Warrior include a 50mm body lift for 323mm ground clearance, re-engineered suspension, underbody protection, bespoke 18-inch cast alloy wheels and bellowing side-exist bi-model exhaust. There are shades of Patrol Warrior in the Y63 Pro-4X’s exterior, with ‘Lava Red’ paint highlighting functional tow hooks, ‘D-pillar’ accent and lettering on the wheel caps. There’s more black too, including the mirror caps, roof rails, grille and fender flares. Aside from the Pro-4X model, the new Patrol is an even better starting point with the fresh underpinnings boosting torsional rigidity by 25 per cent and lateral stiffness by 57 per cent.The body is 35mm wider and longer, further boosting grip and stability, while the new Patrol also features electronic power steering and a quicker steering ratio. Using a slightly detuned version  of the Infiniti QX80’s engine, the Patrol’s 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 pushes its 317kW and 700Nm through a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Patrol’s V6 has featured — albeit in a slightly different state — in sports cars such as the GT-R and Z and should be easier to screw a few extra kilowatts from than the current Patrol’s naturally-aspirated V8.In the States, the Armada is certified to tow up to 3800kg (8500lbs) which bodes well for a Toyota LandCruiser and Ford Everest-matching 3500kg when the Patrol arrives in Australia. There are massive changes inside, too, with huge twin 14.3-inch screens running Google automotive software and much classier appointments. Pricing will, naturally, climb with the Middle East’s luxury Range Rover-targeting top spec lists at around A$160,000. With all the technology, bigger footprint, stronger chassis and punchier powertrain, though, it’s hard to imagine the Y63 was ever going to match the current Ti-L’s $100,600 price. Unfortunately for us, right-hand drive will not kick off for another two years, a similar story to when the Y62 patrol launched in Australia. For now, the venerable Y62 V8 will continue to be produced for our market. Expect the first Australian Y63 deliveries to land in the fourth quarter of 2026, with a Warrior version — if it is happening — to follow later. 

We have received our first look at the 2025 Nissan Patrol – at least at part of it – as the brand counts down to the official unveiling of a twin-turbocharged petrol rival to the LandCruiser 300 Series.

Premcar and Nissan’s Warrior program has spawned a trio of capable, factory-backed off-roaders giving the Navara and Patrol nameplates some extra firepower as their eventual replacements approach. Left ungoverned by sensibilities like value and user-friendliness, though, the Parol Warrior could have been a very different beast. “For example, if Nissan came to us and said ‘we want to do 50 Patrols (and) we can charge $200,000 each’, that’s a totally different project. Then you’d supercharge it, put 37-inch tyres on and you’d homologate it in a totally different way,” says Bernie Quinn, Premcar Partner and Engineering Director.The finished product – although more capable, powerful and drool-worthy – would not have had such broad appeal without the Warrior’s bang for buck, Quinn describes more changes than the existing car as ‘diminishing returns’.“The very initial part of the program is called the affordable business case development, which is finding a balance between content versus cost versus volume, all of that stuff,” he said. There are products readily available to boost the Y62 Patrol’s power output. A Harrop supercharger kit adds around 100kW and 150Nm at the wheels yet costs over $13,0000 – and that’s before installation or ECU tuning. To retain its factory backing, the Warrior’s powertrain would then have to undergo some serious validation testing, which isn’t cheap. Add some supporting mods on top, like an enhanced cooling system, beefier brakes and stronger driveline and the price will only climb. The Warrior’s $104,160 (before on-road costs) price tag, however, gives it a leg up on newer rivals. Toyota’s LandCruiser 300 Series GR Sport is probably the better all-rounder with a more modern interior and greater capability thanks to a trio of locking differentials, yet it costs over $40,000 more today.A circa-$100K price was no accident. “It’s part of this iterative development process and the affordable business case development”, explains Quinn.  “We’re working as partners to develop that: price point, volume, time to market, duration of the program. Then we put all of that into the mixing box and see what spits out the best set of numbers.”Like the Navara Warriors that came before, there was no power increase for the Patrol and Bernie Quinn answered this as he has before. “I would say definitely, it’s possible, it’s just hitting that sweet spot? There are so many elements to it.”With the next-gen Patrol confirmed as a twin-turbo V6, software-based tuning should be more affordable and achievable than it is with the naturally aspirated ‘VK56’ V8 engine, so watch this space.

The partnership between Nissan and Premcar started in 2018 birthing the first Navara N-Trek Warrior by October the next year. This project was followed up by a new Navara Warrior, based on the facelifted Pro-4X, which blossomed into the three-strong Warrior range available today.Far from Ford’s in-house Ranger Raptor program and Toyota’s Australian-focused – but not executed – HiLux GR Sport, Premcar’s take on tough off-roaders is keeping Australian manufacturing alive.We’ve been invited down to Premcar’s Epping manufacturing facility where Navaras and Patrols are stripped back and turned into Warrior products to see how this – now rare – Australian remanufacturing plant operates.So far, the partnership has produced a little more than 10,000 vehicles – 1500 N-Trek Warriors, 2000 Patrols and a combined 6500 Navara Pro-4X and SL Warriors. This is ongoing with 15-16 more examples rolling out of the doors each day.“It's been a very successful program for us, for Nissan, for the customers, for the dealer,” says Engineering Director and Premcar partner Bernie Quinn.  “It’s not often you get win-win-win-win, so that has been really good and a really good company to work with.“One of the objectives of the program was to lift from being regarded as a challenger into more of a genuine competitor for the likes of Ranger and HiLux that are very well regarded in the market,” he said. A similar treatment has been carried out for the Patrol to make it a rival for the LandCruiser 300 Series GR Sport though it’s not as simple as ripping OEM parts off, binning them and buying new. There is careful planning to minimise excess spend and waste.The first step in the transformation of the Patrol starts in the cabin. Mottled wood-look trim pieces, the factory multimedia system and leather accents are all removed.The trims are refinished in gloss black, the accents swapped for ‘Warrior’ embossed Alcantara pieces and it gets the MY24 multimedia touchscreen. These tweaked parts are installed at the end of the production line.Next it’s wheels and tyres are swapped out for Premcar’s alloys and knobbly all-terrain rubber. The Navara SL’s standard steelies become dealer spare parts, the Pro-4X’s alloys are offered as dealer upgrades on regular SLs and the Patrol’s alloys go to the Middle East as spares. The suspension is where Premcar works most of its magic. The Patrol’s springs are sent to be recycle and replaced by heavy-duty front and triple-rate rear items increasing GVM by 120kg and improving road holding. Navaras get new dampers but Patrols keep their factory items. What does change is the Hydraulic Body Motion Control (HBMC). The fluid is dropped, newly-machined parts are attached to the head of the shocks and the reserved oil is then used to top the re-engineered system back off. To oblige the 21mm wheel/tyre lift, Premcar needs different arch liners. Again, instead of buying fresh items the originals are cut up, reshaped and put back to use to minimise waste and cost. Improving capability further is a modified front bumper – one of the key reasons the Warrior is based on the lower spec Ti – that improves approach angle to 40º. A signature red 'WARRIOR' insignia bashplate and two recovery points completes the package.The patrol Warrior’s pièce de résistance is the bi-modal exhaust with side-exit tips. The guts of the exhaust remain the same with the OEM system simply having a new valved pipe added locally. A made-in-Australia exhaust controller is fitted at the same time.It passes stringent drive-by noise tests, naturally, and while there's no button to force the flap open it will always give full noise in the seven-speed automatic's tiptronic mode. Sadly, there's no extra power yet – perhaps one day, says Premcar.This level of compliance, re-use of materials and factory five-year warranty is what makes the Warrior unique. These modifications could be fitted in the aftermarket but if you’re paying for labour the costs will be much higher. Additionally, a non-compliant aftermarket exhaust can land you in hot water with the constabulary.Within the production facility the quality control standards are equivalent to that of an OEM line with spot inspections and torque checks on fasteners. Of the 10,000 Warriors on the road, only two have had warranty claims according to Bernie, both for leaky dampers. The thing is, the Navara and Patrol are entering the end of their sales lives. The Warrior project has elevated Nissan’s standing in the ute and 4x4 segments yet replacements are on the way and negotiations will need to happen. Regardless of the next steps, Bernie and Nissan are excited by their achievements. “As soon as we started getting mentioned in headlines ‘Nissan’s Raptor competitor’, or ‘Nissan’s Rugged X competitor’ we’d ticked that box.“That was part of that objective; get it in the mind of those customers.”With the next generation Patrol and Navara, Nismo versions have already been confirmed by Nissan’s Vice president, Product Strategy & Planning Ivan Espinoza. He told CarsGuide that "Patrol Nismo is something we will keep building on. It was really well received," noting that the nameplate is likely to go beyond the Middle East this time around. Nissan’s newly appointed Managing Director of Oceania Andrew Humberstone was quick to say a Nismo would not be the end of Nissan AU’s relationship with Premcar.“The relationship we have is a solid one. When it comes to future product, it is not something we talk about openly, with full transparency , but we are in discussions with Bernie and the team about what we can do with future products,” says Mr Humberstone. “Nismo? I wouldn’t say . We’re looking at the Australian component and I think of the relationship we have with Bernie and Premcar, it’s the ‘made in Australia’ component that’s more important to us,” he added. It’s a sentiment echoed by Bernie. When asked if he thinks Premcar will be involved in next-gen product development, he said: “I not only hope so, I expect so. Because this has worked for everyone.“The counter to that is, if we get it wrong, then the whole thing can fall apart. So we’re doing everything within our control to make it as successful as possible so that we keep on doing it,” he said. The new gen Y63 Patrol and Navara were included in a teaser video announcing a 30 new models by the 2026 Japanese fiscal year, with the new Patrol and Navara expected sooner, by 2025. We will have to wait and see if Premcar and Nissan’s partnership continues in the new models but on the face of it, things look positive for more Warriors.

It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of new-model releases. Lately, product cycles have been getting ever shorter with China in particular’s immense speed of design, development and production eschewing traditional carmakers' usual six, seven or eight-year model replacements.But that doesn’t mean everyone wants the latest and greatest and, in Australia, there remains a huge appetite for familiar nameplates like the Mazda CX-3, MG3 and Nissan Patrol despite fresher models being available in the same class. In fact, until this year, the now nine-year-old Toyota HiLux has dominated sales charts. It’s taken the ‘T6.2’ Ford Ranger over a year to usurp Toyota’s ute despite its much newer cabin, more powerful engines and fresher tech. Even still, the Ranger held a slim 210 sale margin over the HiLux in May. It’s a little easier to imagine how ute buyers – those after a dependable, rugged vehicle with less concern for the latest and greatest – might be less interested in buying the newest model.Though the media expected the CX-30 to become Mazda’s new entry-level SUV, the plan all along was to sell them side by side. At 10 years old, the CX-3 is no spring chicken any more yet with 1300 sales in may it remains firmly ahead of the Yaris Cross and Hyundai Venue in the light SUV class. It is, amazingly, still more popular than the CX-30 (1010 sales in May) as well. Entry-level Pure leads the way as a first-car option that is bigger than a Mazda2 but not unwieldy. Safety features like AEB and collision warning feature and the CX-3 is a known quantity for both reliability and parts availability. MG is finally replacing the MG3 as it celebrates its 13th year on sale – such age is very rare in cars from China. In its final 31 days in dealerships as a ‘new’ model, 1077 MG3s were registered. This puts it leagues ahead of the Mazda2 and Toyota Yaris. The same vintage Mitsubishi ASX may not be quite as popular as a CX-3 (842 sales in May) though like the others in this list, the ASX is having a bumper year of over 5000 sales – up nearly 30 per cent on 2023. Nissan sold 622 Patrol off-roaders last month for 3274 year-to-date. That may be less than half of Toyota’s LandCruiser 300 Series volume but when you consider the basic design is 14 years old (and therefore cost is long since amortised), Nissan is doing very well. Like ASX, the Patrol’s sales are up for 2024 as well, by an impressive 46.3 per cent. Put that down to demand for the new rough-and-tumble Warrior model. We couldn’t write this article and ignore the oldest car on sale today in Australia. Celebrating its 40th year in production and continuing to sell incredibly is the 70 Series LandCruiser range. An iconic vehicle for Australians who buy more of these things than any other nation – mining fleet is a huge part but a renewed popularity with the off-road crowd helps, too.Toyota’s old fourby may not get another ANCAP test any time soon but the new four-cylinder turbo-diesel will extend its sales life further as emissions regulations take hold. There were 1096 sales of the LandCruiser 70 Series in May for a total of 5030 this year, not including Troop Carrier body styles. Its enduring popularity is unlikely to end soon, either, with the new downsized diesel carrying the ageing Toyota into its next decade of sales.

With brands like Toyota, Jeep, RAM, Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover preparing to replace their remaining V8s with smaller-capacity electrified engines or even pure electric powertrains, choices are shrinking in Australia.

The next-generation Nissan Patrol is getting set to launch in the next 12 months, but the brand has already given us a glimpse into its future beyond that.

Nissan has teased its next-generation Patrol and the Navara ute in a promotional video outlining its plans to roll out 30 new models by the 2026 Japanese fiscal year.

The next-gen Nissan Patrol SUV’s engine specifications have been revealed, to some extent, as Infiniti has confirmed outputs and some details for the same drivetrain in the Patrol’s QX80 cousin.