Nissan Patrol 2026 News

One of Australia's few remaining petrol V8 engines has reached the end of the line, with the final shipments of the Y62 Nissan Patrol landing ahead of the arrival of the Y63 Patrol and its V6 engine.The latest dispatch from Nissan also locks in a 2026 launch for the Y63 Patrol, which is an early mark from its planned early-2027 arrival, putting an official end date on one of Australia's most iconic 4WDs.Nissan dealers have begun contacting customers, telling them that "our limited final allocation will be arriving in the next few months...before the new V6 models arrive at the end of the year".The V6 in question is the most powerful production engine the brand has ever offered – a 3.5-litre unit derived from the power plant in the GT-R that produces a sizeable 317kW and 700Nm, dwarfing the 298kW and 560Nm produced by the soon-to-be-defunct V8 of the Y62 Patrol.Independent testing in the USA found the Patrol – badged Armada in America – can sprint from zero to 60mph (96.5km/h) in 6.16 seconds. That's significantly faster than the Y62 Patrol, which takes more like 7.0-7.5 seconds to complete the admittedly slightly longer 100km/h dash.Crucially, this latest dispatch appears to confirm the models will arrive at the end of the year. It was thought orders would open in 2026, with deliveries beginning in 2027, but it appears the models will be on the ground and on sale before year's end.There had been talk of the Y62 and Y63 Patrols crossing over, such is the sustained popularity of the V8 model, but it would appear that is no longer the case, with the last of the eight-cylinder models now en route to Australia.Examples of the Y63 Patrol have already been spied in Australia, as far back as November last year.

Fuel prices are soaring across the board whether it is petrol or diesel. Some drivers are being more affected than others as lower fuel efficiency contributes to higher refuelling costs. Here are the most expensive cars to run currently in Australia based on fuel efficiency. Other contributing factors to the high fuel costs on this list include the fact many of the cars have big fuel tanks and require premium fuel.Fuel prices have been calculated using the average prices for fuel in New South Wales and at an average of 15,000km driven per year. Among the heaviest guzzlers is the Nissan Patrol four-wheel drive, with its 5.6-litre V8 drinking fuel at a rate of 14.4L/100km. Its 140-litre fuel tank and requirement for premium unleaded petrol means it costs $364 per fill-up and a total yearly cost of $5617.28. The Patrol will move to a more efficient 3.5-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo petrol, which is expected to reduce fuel costs. The Ford Mustang sports car is another V8 on this list, with its 5.0-litre unit registering average fuel efficiency at 13.6L/100km and a yearly cost of $5310.27.Ford’s other representative is the Ranger Raptor high-end ute, powered by a twin-turbo six-cylinder petrol engine costing $4482.76 per year. The Ineos Grenadier off-roader is the most expensive model to run and costs $5618.50 a year to run, in part due to it being diesel, which has been the fuel type that has increased the most. The Lexus GX550 has refuelling costs of $208 per fill-up currently, costing $4800 for the year, along with nearly $3000 for the Jeep Gladiator, which unlike many on this list can run off E10 fuel.The 6.2-litre petrol V8 found in the Chevrolet Silverado full-size pick-up has an economy of more than 12 litres per 100km, costing $4,356.30 over the year.  Genesis’ GV70 luxury SUV costs more $4400 per year in fuel, a similar figure to the supercharged 5.0-litre V8 variants of the Land Rover Defender. Highest fuel efficiency new vehicles on sale under $150,000 

Nissan Australia is waiting for more information before making any guesses about what the increasing conflict around the Persian Gulf might mean for Australian deliveries of its iconic 4WD.The new-gen 2026 Nissan Patrol is anticipated to be extremely popular in the Gulf region, in particular the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in line with its historic popularity there.But given the increasing effects of the US-Israeli war on Iran, there’s a possibility the UAE won’t be as interested in the full-size 4WD when it launches later this year.It raises the question as to whether, even though the UAE is a left-hand drive market and Australia a right-hand market, Nissan might shift its priority to supply Australia as the other major destination for the Patrol until the demand for Patrol in the Arabian Peninsula is clear.Nissan’s outgoing Managing Director for the Oceania region, Andrew Humberstone, told CarsGuide he doesn’t foresee the conflict affecting Australia’s supply of the Patrol yet.“In theory? No,” said Humberstone.“In theory, we have a product line that's coming, left-hand drive market, right-hand drive market.“So it's planned for when we're getting our product, the unveil is officially around September, October, end of the year.”In 2025, the ageing Y62 Nissan Patrol was the second-best selling model behind the Toyota HiLux, with 16,769 sales to its name. In Australia, 6263 sales over the same period saw it tail the Toyota LandCruiser by half alone excluding the 70 Series pick-up.Given the anticipated demand for the new-gen Y63 Patrol and the larger historical sales volume in the UAE, even a slight shift could mean much more comparative supply for Australia.“Is there a chance to anticipate ? I would welcome it. As a market, we would welcome it. “Yes, there's a lot going on in the Middle East. There's a lot of volume in the Middle East. “If that allows us additional productivity, let's see if they can do anything quicker.”While Humberstone didn’t foresee major changes to the plans already in place, he added the caveat that a protracted war in the region would obviously mean different circumstances that he wouldn’t be drawn to estimate.“But it's early days. It's only six-seven weeks. If it becomes three or four months, it'd be a different conversation, too early for me to say, and it's way above my pay grade. “But I would welcome the idea.”

We’ve already looked at the most important cars coming in 2026, but what about the ones that may not be big sellers but will generate a lot of excitement?Well, there’s plenty of those to choose from (because there’s no shortage of new models to choose from in the jam-packed Australian new car market anyway), but we’ve narrowed it down to the five most notable examples. These may not be the most popular newcomers, but they are the new offerings that make the biggest statement about the brand’s intent. Toyota RAV4 PHEVToyota was adamant for over a decade that its conventional hybrid system was all it needed to keep buyers happy. But with plug-in hybrid sales more than doubling in 2025 it has finally decided that the time is right to join the party.The RAV4 PHEV won’t land until later in the year, months after the rest of the range goes on sale, but it will bring with it a new flagship GR Sport variant. This will be powered by a dual-motor all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid powertrain that will make 227kW and be capable of driving up to 100km on electric power alone.There will also be a single-motor, front-wheel drive option, on the more affordable mid-spec XSE trim line, which should ensure the PHEV has appeal to a reasonable amount of the market.The biggest challenge for Toyota will be ensuring the RAV4 PHEV is price-competitive against its Chinese rivals, such as the BYD Sealion 6 (from $42,990), GWM Haval H6 (from $44,990) and MG HS (from $49,690).Mazda 6e Will it be second time’s a charm for Mazda with electric cars? And, perhaps even more curiously, is there still a market for the sedan?Local management has made no secret that its first electric offering, the MX-30, was a niche player that had limited appeal at its size and price. But that’s not the case for the 6e, which is a very different proposition on every level and therefore holds great potential - for better or worse - for the brand.For starters, the 6e is the product of Mazda’s partnership with Chinese carmaker Changan, makers of Deepal. That has allowed Mazda to confirm a starting price of “less than $55,000” for the 6e, which is pretty competitive for a mid-size sedan, regardless of powertrain. However, both electric cars and mid-size sedans are still niche propositions, so the combination of both makes for a significant challenge for Mazda to overcome. If the price and specification levels are appealing, perhaps the Mazda badge can help lure buyers away from a Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal, but even if it does that successfully the 6e will likely be a modest seller.But what makes it so exciting is the potential it has to define Mazda’s future. If it does well, Mazda will likely continue to explore more EV options. But if it doesn’t, the brand will need to pivot and focus on its PHEV powertrains for the foreseeable future.Hyundai Palisade XRT ProHaving enjoyed huge success with its sporty ‘N’ brand, Hyundai is trying to expand its portfolio into the off-road space with ‘XRT’. We’ve already seen accessories packs for the Santa Fe, but in 2026 the brand will take the next step and offer the Palisade XRT Pro as a specific trim grade.While the Santa Fe XRT package was style focused, the Palisade XRT Pro takes everything a step further. There’s a unique grille and lower bumper that incorporates twin, chassis-mounted tow hooks, as well as new side skirts and rear bumper, all of which improves its approach, breakover and departure angles.There is a new XRT Pro-exclusive rear electronic limited-slip differential for better off-road capability as well as downhill brake control and new terrain modes for mud, sand and snow, plus 18-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres. But Hyundai has stopped short of modifying the suspension, so it is unlikely to convince true off-roaders to make the switch.But it shows Hyundai is serious about making XRT Pro another element of its arsenal and we’ve seen there is scope for more XRT and XRT Pro models in the future, assuming the Palisade makes an impact.Denza B5 and B8 Perhaps the biggest problem Hyundai faces competing with the LandCruiser and Everest is actually these two new arrivals. Denza, a spin-off from BYD, is also aiming to become an alternative to the current large SUV kings.The Prado-sized B5 and LandCruiser rivaling B8 are both powered by potent plug-in hybrid powertrains while still being capable of towing up to 3000kg and 3500kg, respectively.As evidenced by the success of the BYD Shark 6, Australians are open-minded about plug-in hybrid utes, so it makes sense for Denza to see if the same is true for the rugged SUV market.With the entire range all priced below $100,000, and the B5 kicking off from a highly-competitive $74,990, Denza has positioned itself well to try and attract Aussie adventures to its new offerings.Nissan PatrolIt’s been a long, long time coming but the Patrol is inching closer to Australia. It’s still not 100 per cent locked in for a 2026 showroom arrival, but it’s still the most exciting new model for Nissan in a long time.After a difficult 2025 thanks to the company's financial troubles, Nissan Australia could do with a positive boost this year. The new Patrol drops the old V8 and replaces it with a twin-turbo V6 that makes even more performance, a very healthy 317kW/700Nm.It may not be Nissan’s biggest seller, but the new Patrol will be a big and, more importantly, positive addition to the line-up which makes it very exciting.

The future is bright.

Nissan is making no bones about the fact that it needs more models to sell in greater numbers in Australia, with China emerging as a key supplier moving forward. With the current range coming from Thailand (Navara), Japan (X-Trail, Ariya, Patrol), United Kingdom (Qashqai, Juke) and North America (Pathfinder), a lower-cost source is seen as a solution to one of the company’s biggest hurdles.

China's GWM is set to launch a new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine option in the Prado-rivalling Tank 500 SUV in the second half of 2025. It will also feature in the related Cannon Alpha ute.Orders for the new-generation Nissan Patrol Y63 will open in Australia late in 2026, ahead of first deliveries in 2027.An update for the Suzuki Jimny three-door will see it return for local sale in early 2026. It will feature safety technology that's already present in the Jimny XL five-door.A new petrol-electric hybrid powertrain will join the LandCruiser 300 Series line-up in the second half of 2026. A version of this engine already features in the Tundra pickup. Want to know what other new models are due in 2026? Check out our rolling coverage by clicking on the links below. Best EVs Australia 2026Best Small Cars Australia 2026Best Ute Australia 2026Best New Cars 2026 AustraliaBest Family Cars Australia 2026Best Hybrid Cars Australia 2026Best SUVs Australia 2026

Y63 Patrol spied in Australia already!

Modern 4x4s are packed with clever tech - but at what cost?

Will the long-lived Nissan Y62 Patrol V8 continue on sale after the all-new Y63 Patrol V6 launches? Due in Australia by early 2027, there has been some speculation that the next-gen model’s jump in technology, sophistication, complexity and – in all likelihood – price might see the current version continue as an entry-level ST-L grade underneath.