Let’s be rear here for a second. Unless you haul cargo, tow heavy loads, go off-road, bring a lot of people around, or combination of the things we mentioned on a regular basis, you don’t need a full-sized SUV. The reality is, these 4x4s are simply too big, too bulky, and too much car for our roads.
And yet, these giants remain a dream car for a lot of Filipinos. It goes beyond the ‘just in case’ mentality a lot of Pinoys have. The sheer size of these things give the impression (or illusion) of luxury. The bigger the car, the larger the projected image of wealth.
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That brings us neatly to the Nissan Patrol. As a mobility option, it’s sheer overkill and excess. For the most part, you see these roaming around business districts or on the road. It could even be said that the biggest obstacle these things will ever face is a dusty road or a sidewalk that needs mounting.
But for all the buzz and the hype these full-sized SUVs get, are they actually any good? That’s what we’re here to find out with the supersized Nissan.
Styling
By this point, the Patrol should look familiar. After all, the current generation has been around since 2010. A heavy facelift in 2019 took off a few years off the SUV, and we say it has been effective. Looking at the front end alone, one might mistake it for an all-new model.
The rear gets equally substantial changes like the front. We like the new(ish) look of the tail lights, and we appreciate Nissan’s efforts in tweaking the stamping of the tailgate. It’s not easy facelifting a model that’s well over a decade old to look modern, but Nissan did a good job in making it look cohesive with the rest of the body.
Interior
This is one of the times we’re thankful we’re not a right-hand drive market. If we were in Australia, we’d still have the same dash from 2010, complete with its 8-bit multi-information display. Instead, our market gets the redesigned center stack with a sleeker look.
Granted, the flanks of the center stack as still the same as before, but centerpiece looks far sleeker and more ergonomic than the old look. We’re thankful that Nissan resisted the trend of shoving every function in the infotainment screen.
As one would expect in a premium SUV, there’s acres of soft touch materials and leather in there. The (imitation) wood might not be to everyone’s taste, but some might argue that it lifts the ambiance a little bit. Admittedly, some of the switchgear feels lifted from less expensive models, but we wouldn’t call it a dealbreaker.
At the risk of stating the obvious, space is no problem at all. At the front, you’ll feel like a whole barangay away from the person next to you. Whether you’re vertically gifted or challenged, finding the ideal driving position won’t be a challenge at all.
It’s the same story in the second row with stacks of leg, head, and shoulder room. The only sore point here is the their row that doesn’t leave much space for feet and cushions set too low, making that area a kid-only zone. As for cargo space, you’re looking at about 500 liters behind the third row, around 2,000 with that row stowed, and up to 3,000 if you fold all the rear seats.
If we’re strictly talking about cabin materials, we’ll say it’s premium rather than luxurious. But factor in the space and we might as well call it palatial.
Engine performance
5.6 liters. Eight cylinders. 400hp. 560Nm.
Those figures are more than enough to motivate the 2.7 ton vehicle with little effort. Small taps on the accelerator is all you’ll need to overtake slower traffic. It’s got a nice, throaty V8 soundtrack to go along with it, too.
Fuel economy probably isn’t the top priority for those in the market for a full-size SUV. Whether it’s gas or diesel, these things will never achieve amazing fuel consumption results.
In the case of the Patrol, you’re looking at 2.2km/L in heavy traffic. It improves to 4.5km/L when the roads free up, which is what one expects from such a big and heavy vehicle. On the highway, we saw a high of 9.2 km/L, but we ended up averaging 8.8 km/L with four occupants and a fair bit of overtaking. To put it bluntly, hypermiling is a pointless exercise with a Patrol.
Ride and handling
For something that has a truck-style chassis, the Patrol is comfortable. Then again, it’s so heavy that it doesn’t drive over speed bumps, it demolishes it. We’re talking figuratively, of course.
Mind you, it’s not totally smooth as corrugated surfaces occasionally catches out the suspension. A unibody SUV will easily beat it in terms of comfort, but the Patrol’s frame can handle more abuse. However, load up the Patrol with passengers and cargo and the ride improves greatly. For us, the Patrol is most at home on the highway, effortlessly gliding over miles and miles of pavement.
As for handling, well, it’s 2.7-ton beast. The words crisp, sharp, and dynamic aren’t the best adjectives to describe the way it takes on corners. However, those behind the wheel will be pleasantly surprised how light it feels.
It doesn’t feel heavy to drive or steer at all, almost as if there’s syrup in the steering rack. Yes, it’s devoid of feel and feedback, but it’s not the point of the Patrol. On the road, it’s all about making long drives as effortless as possible.
Sadly, we weren’t able to take the Patrol off-roading. Nonetheless, you’ve likely seen countless videos of it being hammered on sand dunes, hill climbs, and trails. We know the Patrol is more than capable enough to take on tough terrain, which is why it’s a shame that most who buy it will never even consider exploring its abilities.
Extra features
While we’re on the subject of off-roading, the Patrol is equipped with the tools it needs to take on the great outdoors. It uses a full-time four-wheel drive system so there’s traction to all wheels regardless if you’re on smooth roads or not. Also part of its arsenal is hill descent control and a rear locking differential. No fancy terrain select modes here.
On the tech side, it comes with Nissan Intelligent Mobility, the company’s package for advanced driver assist systems. It includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, and a 360-camera, just to name a few.
The infotainment system comes with what modern consumers expect as standard. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is present, although we think the interface can benefit from an upgrade.
Verdict
For those who want one, we’re not going to spoil the dream for you. The Patrol is still a genuinely capable and likable SUV despite its age. Sure, there are some aspects of it that exposes its advancing years, but for something that’s now 14 years old, it doesn’t feel out of place in the market.
But what attracted us the most to the Patrol is its charm. It’s not perfect, but it’s also what gives it character. It’s brash, brutish, and unapologetically massive, as if it wants to say ‘This is who I am. Take it or leave it.’
At P4,758,000, it’s a big ask for something that’s over a decade old. Yes, it’s around a million pesos less that a top-spec Land Cruiser, but that’s an all-new design. A counterpoint to ask is if that million peso difference is worth it, and that’s if you can actually get the Toyota at retail prices.
To sum it all up, the Nissan Patrol is a dinosaur. Its big V8 engine, massive curb weight, and appetite for fuel has no place in a world of downsized turbos, electrified powertrains, and smaller, sensible packaging solutions. The thing is, people are still in awe of dinosaurs, and we reckon this generation of Patrol will still be admired even after the all-new model arrives.
P.S Jeremy Clarkson once said, “People who have off-road cars are stupid and mad. They should be driven from the roads and birched to a within an inch of their lives. Off-road cars are daft, antisocial and idiotic, and the people who drive them are fools”. Of course, Clarkson being Clarkson, he showed his. Ironically in this case, it was a Toyota Land Cruiser.
SPECS: 2024 Nissan Patrol LE 5.6 V8
Price: P4,758,000
Engine: 5.6-liter V8
Power: 400hp
Torque: 560Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic
Layout: 4WD
Seating: 7
Score: 9/10
More photos of the 2024 Nissan Patrol LE 5.6 V8
