2013 Nissan Patrol Reviews

The all-new Nissan Patrol petrol V8 has finally gone on sale in Australia after an extended wait; the holdup being chiefly due to the lack of Patrols with steering wheels on the correct side for us folks downunder.New Patrol has been criticised for only being offered with a V8 petrol engine, whereas diesels have been available for decades in older Patrols. Nissan Australia has countered this by keeping the old Patrol on the market to sell alongside the new one.The Patrol Y61 comes with a diesel engine. The Patrol ST-L and Ti both offer eight seats while the top of the line Ti-L is a seven-seater aimed at comfort for all aboard.The new Patrol Y62 series is powered by a 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine and is aimed unashamedly at the upper luxury SUV market. It is a high-tech unit featuring direct injection and Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL) as found in the Nissan 370Z sportscar’s engine. The big engine produces up to 298 kW of power. Around 90 per cent of the 560 Nm of torque is there from 2500 rpm so there’s no shortage of grunt. Nissan has measured fuel consumption at 14.5 litres per 100 km using 95RON unleaded. Hardly a giant in the economy stakes, but not too bad considering the performance and the sheer size of the Patrol.The new Patrol has a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes and uses Nissan's All Mode 4X4 system. In Auto mode there’s torque split between the front and rear wheels on a 50/50 variable basis depending on road surfaces. The switch then activates 4WD high and then 4WD low.Drivers have four terrain options: Sand, Snow, Rock and On-road at the touch of a button. All models have hill descent control and rear differential locks, also selected with the push of a button.The Nissan Patrol V8 range starts with the ST-L at $82,000 (rrp) $90,500 (driveaway), moves onto the Ti at $92,850 (rrp) $101,680 (driveaway), and tops out with the Ti-L at $113,900 (rrp),$123,780 (driveaway).Inside, the new Nissan Patrol is pure automotive luxury, with wood grain finishes and an upmarket dash layout. Nissan has used high quality finishes and the inside feel is one of comfort and space.There’s Bluetooth telephone and audio streaming, a large format DVD player, 2Gb music storage, iPod connectivity, steering wheel audio controls, smart key, trip computer and eight-way power assist to the driver’s seat.The Patrol Ti has Hydraulic Body Motion Control (HBMC) which uses hydraulic cylinders to reduce body roll; leather upholstery, four-way electric adjustment for the passenger seat, automatic headlights, automatic wipers and a sunroof.The top of the range Patrol Ti-L gets memory function for the driver's seat, steering wheel and door mirrors; centre console cool box; satellite navigation; Bose audio with 13 speakers; dual, but independent, seven-inch DVD screens in the rear of the front seat headrests; surround-view monitor; intelligent cruise control; xenon projector headlamps with auto levelling; power operated tailgate; and tyre pressure monitoring.Active and passive safety equipment includes six airbags, with the side curtain airbag covering all three rows of seats; front and rear parking sensors and rear view camera.We were able to carry out significant testing both on-road and off-road in the new Nissan Patrol V8 Y62 model at Brisbane's Mount Cotton Driver Training Centre a few weeks back.During our initial drives we took the big Patrol V8 onto steep, rutted bush tracks as well as on road on a typical bitumen highway, even onto a skid pan to test braking, body roll, acceleration and handling.Patrol has plenty of wheel travel to overcome washouts, all the while having the rear diff lock as a backup. Even over the rough terrain the body absorbs a lot of the rocking and rolling making for a comfortable passenger experience.On road we drove Patrols with Hydraulic Body Motion Control, and without. We found the standard 4WD cornered fairly flat and little seemed to change with the HBMC.Can the new Nissan Patrol tackle the luxury SUVs from Toyota, Land Rover and Range Rover? Only time will tell, but the interesting combination of the old and new Patrol models should manage to carve out a significant slice of the sales tree.

If absence makes the heart grow fonder then Australia will go crazy nuts in love with the new Patrol. Unveiled in February 2010, the launch has been delayed several times by US and Middle East demand for the behemoth from Shatai Kyushu plant in Japan.But that ardour might quickly cool if reaction to the absence of a diesel engine is any indication. For the first time Nissan's off-road flagship is offered with a V8 powerplant over inline-six-cylinder petrol propulsion. And it's a premium unleaded only proposition.Nissan Australia boss Bill Peffer says there are no plans to introduce a diesel. "There's nothing in the current plan, that's not to say that over the life cycle, depending on the product strategy and how we move forward, that we may not look at some kind of alternate powertrain,'' he says.Peffer dismisses suggestions the fuel economy of a V8 petrol engine puts it at a disadvantage over a turbodiesel powerplant. "Fuel economy is slightly less efficient than a diesel powertrain, but then again you're going to pay $5000 roughly or more for a diesel variant, the payback is a five year/100,000km for that to make sense," he says.In metal-for-money terms the new Patrol might be considered "value''. The entry-level eight-seater ST-L starts from $82,200, with a jump to $92,850 for the mid-spec Ti and $113,900 is the ask for the flagship Ti-L  which drops its seat count to seven.Standard fare range-wide includes Bluetooth phone link (but music streaming is absent), a hard-drive equipped sound system with iPod connectivity, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, a foot-operated park brake, power-adjustable driver's seat, trip computer, three-zone climate control with rear controls, cloth/leather trim, side steps, power-adjustable, folding and heated exterior mirrors, 60/40 split fold second and third row of seats, LED tail lights, four 12-v power outlets (front, centre console, second row and luggage area).The Ti model adds speed-sensitive power steering and Nissan's Hydraulic Body Motion Control system. The mid-spec Patrol also gets leather trim, power adjustment for the front passenger's seat, automatic headlights, a sunroof and rain-sensing wipers.The flagship Ti-L gets a memory function for the driver's seats, xenon headlights, 3D satnav on an 8in touchscreen that also controls the Bose 13-speaker 9gig hard-drive equipped Bluetooth streaming, USB-equipped sound system. There's also a power-operated rear tailgate, two 7in headrest-mounted screens to play DVDs (with headphones and a remote control) to keep passengers entertained on long road trips.There's no shortage of clever bits, the 5.6-litre V8 has direct injection, four valves per cylinder, double overhead cams and variable valve timing and lift system. All that gives it peak power of 298kW/560Nm, the latter at a slightly peaky 4000, although 90 per cent of that comes on from 1600 rpm.Fuel use of 14.5 litres per 100km says Nissan is 15 per cent better than the 4.8-litre six-cylinder, but it will still need a big sip from the 140-litre fuel tank. A seven-speed auto puts the drive to the full-time (rear-biased) 4WD system, which has limited slip and lockable rear differential, as well as specific terrain modes, hill descent control and low range.The system has no mechanical centre differential feeding as much as 50 per cent of drive to the front wheels using an electronically-controlled multi-plate clutch set-up. Hydraulic suspension technology has replaced conventional dampers and anti-roll bars to control the double wishbone coil-sprung suspension on the mid and top-spec models.Hydraulic chambers control the suspension travel, cross-linked to resist body roll when cornering but able to allow considerably more suspension travel then that offered with antiroll bars in place.Big, squared-off (particularly when viewed from the stumpy rear) and wide, the new Patrol takes up a lot of space. The behemoth wagon doesn't shrink once within  space in most directions is more than ample for seven adults.Even the third row can accommodate grown-ups, if only for a short trip  with a useful amount of luggage space with all three rows in use. The velour trim in the ST-L looks a little outdated and appears likely to show wear and tear quickly. The transmission selector remains placed for a left-hand drive set-up and on the incorrect side of the transmission tunnel.As yet untested by the NCAP crew, the Patrol gets front, side and curtain airbags, active front headrests, and front and rear parking sensors with rear view camera, lap sash seatbelts for all three seating rows. Stability and traction control, hill start and descent control are all standard, with the mid-spec Ti getting guide-lines for the reversing camera set-up.Add adaptive cruise control, forward collision, lane departure and blind spot warning and prevention systems (which brake individual wheels to ``steer'' the vehicle back into line), intelligent braking assistance, tyre pressure monitoring system, the multi-camera "Around View Monitor'' system and the electronic auto-dimming centre rearvision mirror to the list for the Ti-L.Anyone in the market for a cavernous kid-carter that sounds great, your ride has arrived. The base-model rides well even without the clever hydraulics present on the mid and high-spec models, although body control in corners is a little less rigid. The hydraullic body control system tempers body roll but the ride quality degrades a little on rougher roads  jitteriness over smaller imperfections was noticeable.Cabin space is considerable, build quality feels first-rate (as do the materials) and feel is solid (aside from the odd trim in the ST-L), it's a quiet and comfortable interior. Twirling the tiller around at low speeds is easy, but the helm doesn't offer much to the driver as speeds rise to metropolitan or highway rates  even for a large SUV, the Patrol is a little ponderous.The V8 is a gem  there's simply no other way to describe it  producing peak power of 298kW at 5800rpm, with maximum torque of at 560Nm at a somewhat-high 4000rpm, although 90 per cent is on offer from 1600rpm.The soundtrack is more than pleasant, as is the push in the back, but given it's shifting almost three tonnes (in the Ti-L) there's punishment at the pump  Nissan says ADR of 14.5 litres per 100km on the combined cycle but expect plenty more than that if you're towing (up to 3500kg braked) or dwelling around town.The seven-speed auto is a slick-shifter that will hold a gear in manual shift mode and the all-wheel drive system feels capable of shifting drive quickly and effectively in off-road terrain. Teamed with 283mm of ground clearance, the luxury angle hasn't seen its off-road ability suffer  only the wide girth will present an issue on tight off-roading, not the school carpark.It's been a long time coming and in some ways worth the wait for big off-roader buyers to have an alternative to the LandCruiser. But the lack of a diesel won't do it any favours,  particularly in rural areas.

The Patrol has landed. Well, almost … After a wait of more than 18 months, we've finally had an impressive first drive in the sixth-generation Nissan Patrol.It's bigger than before, with more heft and much more quality, and lines up nicely against the benchmark Toyota LandCruiser with a starting price promised from less than $85,000. But, and it's a very big one, the first customer deliveries are still more than four months away even though Nissan Australia has more than 6000 people with a confirmed Patrol plan.The reason for the delay is simple: demand for left-hand drive Patrols in Russia and the Middle East was overwhelming, with more than 40,000 deliveries to date. Australia went on the back-burner and the lack of right-hand drive focus is even reflected in an automatic shift lever that's still set for left-hand driving.Nissan Australia has high hopes for the Patrol and defends its local introduction, which includes a plan to sell the old and new models - officially the Y61 and Y62 - side-by-side. The old car continues as the diesel driver, as there is only one engine - a 5.5-litre V8 petrol - in the newcomer. "I'm not apologising," says Bill Peffer, managing director of Nissan Australia."There is no delay that is acceptable. But we have to follow the product lifecycle." Peffer says cumulative Patrol sales in Australia will top 100,000 next year, helped by the 14-year-old Y61. But the new focus is the Y61, "We're getting to the pointy end now. It's on sale officially in January but we'll have it at the motor show in Sydney," says Warwick Daly, model line manager for Patrol at Nissan Australia. "We've got a lot of interest and from the show onwards people will be able to place orders. It will basically be on sale from October.""The base will start from less than $85,000," Bill Peffer says simply. That means the new Patrol will go head-to-head with the latest Toyota LandCruiser, which currently starts at $83,490. Typically for Nissan, there are three model grades from the ST-L to the Ti at less than $95,000 and the fully-loadedTi-L for less than $115,000. Those prices are sharp for the class but there is more, as Nissan says it is aiming to conquest owners of luxury four-wheel drives up to the Range Rover and Porsche Cayenne.To do that, the Ti-L gets everything up to leather trim and auto zircon to a 13-speaker Bose sound system, around-view monitor camera system, electric tailgate and tyre pressure monitor. The advantage for the Patrol is a seven-seater cabin - including a fold-flat third-row bench - although the two lesser models are full eight seaters.The Patrol is still an old-school four-wheel drive, with a body that sits on a chassis frame and permanent four-wheel drive including low-range crawler gears. But its 5.5-litre petrol V8 is a thumper, and the base for Nissan's attack next year on V8 Supercar racing, making 298 kiloWatts and 560 Newton-metres of torque to ensure a 3500-kilogram tow rating.But the weights are hefty, too, up to 2829 kilos. The suspension is fully independent, brakes are big four-wheel discs, and the four-wheel drive system has driver-selectable 'modes' for different terrain, low-range gears and a differential lock.It has a range of other good stuff, lots of it for safety, but the highlight for many potential owners is the hydraulic body motion control system that applies pressure to keep the wheels in contact with the ground during off-road work and minimise body roll and improve cornering on the road. It's not on the bottom model.What can you say? The Patrol is a big, boxy, four-wheel drive that's designed to carry up to eight people and do heavyweight off-road and towing work. So it's no beauty. But it is way more stylish that the outgoing Patrol, with smoother edges and more - dare I say it? - LandCruiser looks.Inside, the cabin is well equipped and roomy but the ambience is 1980s. There is fake wood trim across the board and chintzy fabric in the ST-L, with lots shiny highlights. It probably works for the target buyers, but it's not as stylish or sophisticated as the luxury 4wds that Nissan is targeting.Nissan promises plenty of safety equipment, from front-side-curtain airbags and ABS brakes and ESP stability through to a rear-view camera on each model and the all-round four-camera system on the flagship. The Ti-L also gets blind spot warning and lane-departure assist, active cruise control, Xenon lamps and more.At last, the Patrol is more than a workhorse that drives like a truck. It is everything I had expected, and feels far more like the latest LandCruiser than the primitive model it replaces. We only have a brief trial drive, because the first two Patrols in Australia are not certified for road use, but it proves the Patrol is hugely competent off-road and quite nice on bitumen.It easily conquers a long uphill climb, where the torque of the V8 is more than enough for the conditions and the multi-mode grip compensates for rocks and loose sand. Then it's into a deep water crossing with no worries, with the transmission again matching its settings to the grip. It's definitely a Patrol and most owners will give up long before they approach the off-road limits of their car.On the road, the new Patrol is hugely roomy, cushy-style comfortable and well equipped. It rides nicely enough and there is acceptable cornering grip, but I need more time at the wheel to make any final judgement. But I know I don't like the chintzy trim below the Ti-L, and the shift lever is a big stretch across the console and that's annoying. How much extra would it have cost to do the right-hand drive conversion properly?For now, the Patrol looks good. But we need more time and a wider variety of conditions to give a proper Carsguide verdict.After 14 years the Patrol is finally new again. It's good, but probably not great.