I have a memory of Ford v Holden as a kid. But with Holden’s demise it’s a fading one. One rivalry that is still going after 70 years is Nissan Patrol v Toyota Landcruiser. Nissan made significant changes to the Patrol in 2020 and the MY22 model has received further refinements and still retains the V8 petrol engine.
In 2021 the Nissan Patrol celebrated its 70th birthday and also achieved a sales record in Australia. So I was interested to see how this septuagenarian was keeping the attention of the 4X4 crowd after so many years.
There is something strangely comforting about driving a big car. Maybe it was the quietness of the cabin and the stability of the large all-terrain tyres. Or maybe it was off-road capability and high driving position giving me the warm feeling knowing that Sydney was about to cop a month’s worth of rain in one week.
I survived the torrential rain by escaping to the NSW snowfields and drove into Thredbo Village feeling supremely confident knowing the Patrol has grown up in these icy conditions.
On the outside the Nissan Patrol doesn’t look a day over 21. The updated styling is modern and attractive which is a great achievement for a model that was launched in 2010. And the interior has been updated as well to reflect the current design and technology trends.
It’s not until you spend some time in the Patrol that you notice its age. For example, the second row of seats don’t seats move. Sliding the seats forward and back to accomodate passengers is standard in the new generation of SUVs however this old girl still has a fixed seating position. My kids fought the third row on our road trip for the isolation and separation from siblings. Though the winner realised quickly it wasn’t designed for long legs.
I couldn’t find much else wrong as the Nissan Patrol navigated the suburban, freeway and country roads with ease. Inner city driving was a different story. It’s a big car that doesn’t like narrow streets and tight parking spots. The height also caused some concern when entering shopping centres as a first time driver.
A big cuddly teddy bear is how I would describe the feel on the road. The model architecture is old and Nissan have done multiple renovations to make it competitive with 2022 safety and technology. If you’re upgrading from an older model Patrol you’ll be impressed. And before Toyota released the Landcruiser 300 Series, the competition in this segment offered no point of difference.
The only significant disadvantage in 2022 is the fuel consumption of a petrol V8. I was hopeful that Nissan had tweaked it over the years to reflect the current benchmarks but based on the 15 l/100km around town, and 14 l/100km on the open road, that I achieved, you’ll need to sharpen your eco-driving skills to avoid a huge monthly fuel bill.
And as an indication of the high fuel consumption, or because most customers are in the country, the low fuel warning comes on with 150 kilometres left to run.
When it was time to hand back the Nissan Patrol, the family didn’t want to let go. Just like a warm hug from a big teddy bear.
