Land Cruiser 300 rivalling Nissan Patrol gets a full model change after 14 years.
04 Sep 2024 | 12185 Views | By Akbar Merchant, Autocar India
Nissan has finally taken the wraps off the all-new Patrol SUV. Slated to go on sale overseas later this year, the new Nissan Patrol (Codename Y63) is grounds up all-new; there's an updated platform, fresh exterior and interior and loads of tech. The Patrol will also be sold in the ...
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Nissan has finally taken the wraps off the all-new Patrol SUV. Slated to go on sale overseas later this year, the new Nissan Patrol (Codename Y63) is grounds up all-new; there's an updated platform, fresh exterior and interior and loads of tech. The Patrol will also be sold in the North American market with the Nissan Armada nameplate. The SUV has a lot in common with the stylish Infiniti QX80, which is on sale in select international markets.
The new Patrol’s exterior is a tad less rounded than its predecessor, giving it a more boxy and rugged appearance. The nose gets a wide grille area with a piano black finish, while the headlamps are vertically positioned and come with an E-shaped LED DRL pattern. The headlamps are connected via a thin chrome bar that sits right above the chrome finished grille. The front bumper design resembles the Range Rover's – the new Patrol sports a horizontally-positioned air dam on the chromed-out bumper, which also includes turn indicators.
The side profile is a mix of angular and rounded surfaces. The glasshouse is large and looks perfect for a full-size SUV. The glass area after the rear door sweeps upwards giving the SUV a floating roof effect. Higher variants will come with a contrast roof shade, along with electrically operated footsteps for front and rear passengers.
The tailgate area seems upright, with rounded edges and a slight angular bend for the rear glass. At the top sits an integrated spoiler with a dedicated third stop lamp. The new Patrol gets vertically positioned tail-lamps that are connected with a horizontal LED light bar. The tail-lamp housings get a black surround with a connecting panel just below the centrally mounted light bar. The rear bumper is tall and gets unique-looking faux aluminium inserts at both ends.
The new Patrol’s interior is a mix of soft-touch materials, faux brushed aluminium trim, and multiple upholstery options, depending on the variant. The wide three-row cabin gets a pair of 14.3-inch displays – one for instrumentation and the other for infotainment duties. The tradition gear selector has been done away with and replaced by dedicated buttons for the Park, Drive, Neutral, etc., gears, which are positioned on the centre console below the HVAC panel. A rotary selector for terrain modes is positioned next to the HVAC controls, which have been neatly distinguished into separate zones and can be controlled via large toggle switches that can be used even with gloves on.
The audio system on top variants is a 12-speaker Klipsch premium sound system. The SUV comes with two 12.8-inch screens for rear passengers where they can stream content and playing games from their own devices, via an HDMI or USB connection port.
Additional features include a wireless charging pad, USB-C ports in all rows, a head-up display, gesture control for the infotainment system, a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, a powered tailgate, and an eight-way power-adjustable front seats, among others.
The new Nissan Patrol is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine with full time four-wheel drive. It comes with a sole 9-speed automatic gearbox. This engine churns out a healthy 425hp, which is 25hp more than the outgoing 5.6-litre V8 on the previous-gen SUV, and the 309hp that the LC300 diesel comes with. However, the Nissan and Toyota's engines both produce 700Nm of torque.
While platform details have not been revealed, Nissan says that the new Patrol sits on an evolution of the previous-gen Y62 Patrol. The SUV gets adaptive air suspension on higher variants, along with terrain modes like Standard, Sand, Rock, Mud, Eco and Sport.
Nissan has also introduced an off-road focused variant for the Patrol, which will initially go on sale in the North American market. Called the Pro-4X, it gets 20-inch all-terrain tyres, an adaptive air suspension, a metal skid plate, and a rear electronic locking differential, which was available on the previous-gen Patrol in the Middle Eastern market only. The Pro-4X gets more ground clearance too when the suspension is put in its highest setting. Additionally, the rugged iteration of the Patrol also gets a unique front and rear bumper design that allows for better approach and departure angles – 33.9-degree for the former, 24.3-degree for the latter, and a 25.3-degree breakover angle – and adds to the SUV's tough looks.
The Pro-4X variant will take on the likes of the rugged versions of the Land Cruiser 250 that is on sale in the North American market. Elsewhere, it will be a direct rival to the off-road focused Land Cruiser 300 GR.
Nissan was evaluating the previous-gen Patrol Y62 for an India launch. The brand had also conducted multiple customer clinics for the SUV, but finally decided against launching it. The new Patrol can be a formidable rival to the popular Land Cruiser 300 in the Indian market if Nissan decides to bring the SUV to our shores.