The all-new Patrol is exactly what Nissan needs at the moment

To say that Nissan is in rough waters is an understatement. While the outlook for the brand seems fairly positive, the situation is still a bit…rocky.

Which is why the arrival of the all-new Patrol comes at both a weird and important time for the brand. Instead of the carmaker simply enjoying the showcase of the latest iteration of its longest-running nameplate, there’s now immense pressure for it to deliver. Both to save the company and to catch up with its biggest rival–the mighty Toyota Land Cruiser 300. The fact that the Philippines is also one of the first markets in the world to get this new Y63 Patrol doesn’t help relieve any of that pressure at all, either.

Watch: 2025 Nissan Patrol launched in PH

But quite frankly, I think none of it matters. Because this next-generation model is a true ‘next-generation’ iteration. Nissan has built quite the machine here, and it looks up to the task of rejuvenating the troubled brand.

Nissan upped its design game with the all-new Patrol. I’ve said this time and again: I think the old Y62 aged nicely, especially with the last facelift it received. But Nissan did an excellent job nonetheless overhauling the look.

It’s boxy, classy, and just all sorts of macho. The front fascia was executed to perfection, now with fewer chrome trims, a bigger grille, and sharper-looking headlamps.

The old-gen did look a bit dated from the back, and it made the design rework a little more sweet. I’m a fan of large lightbars on tailgates, and here on the all-new Patrol, it’s a perfect fit. The embossed metallic badging on the door is also quite elegant, and it matches the beautful metallic Patrol trim on the C pillar.

But if you thought the exterior redesign was good, take a look at the interior and bask in all its glory. The tan finish with all the leather, the suede, and all the other soft-touch materials just feels exquisite.

It also feels very modern from inside the cabin, with large screens at your disposal. I tip my hat to Nissan, though, for keeping all the physical buttons, knobs, and levers on the center console despite having the massive display on the dash.

Everything inside is also functional. The quilted look on the seats isn’t just for show–those are Nissan Zero Gravity seats that are very, very comfortable to be in. The large displays on the dash also serve as monitors for the multiple cameras around the vehicle.

Nissan also added a bigger sunroof up top. It also gave the Patrol an even better-sounding Klipsch audio setup. Words won’t be enough to describe how good it is, but think of it this way: It feels like you’re inside a movie theater in the Patrol.

Nissan also took rear passengers more into consideration with this next-generation model. Second-row guests are treated to two screens mounted behind the headrests of the front-row seats, and they can not only plug in other devices via HDMI cables but also cast their phones’ or tablets’ screens wirelessly.

Third-row passengers, meanwhile, now have more space. The slight rework of the cabin has opened up more leg- and footroom in the third row. It also helps that the second-row seats now slide forward and back. The rearmost seats are now also motorized to allow passengers to adjust their positions with the press of a few buttons. This also allows easier folding of the seats when putting cargo in the trunk.

What’s under the hood is also something worth talking about. For this generation, Nissan has downsized from the old 5.6-liter turbocharged V8 to a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6. Despite the drop in displacement, power is up by 25hp and a whopping 140Nm of torque. It’s supposedly derived from the R35 GT-R, but it’s been tuned like a proper 4x4 SUV powertrain to the sound of 425hp and 700Nm.

You won’t just see that on paper—you’ll feel it when you get behind the wheel. When the turbo spools and the boost kicks in, you’ll feel that surge of power. Floor it hard enough and the violent acceleration can kick you back to your seat. While the old V8 hummed and grumbled much more beautifully, you can’t deny that this new twin-turbo V6 just pulls so much harder. And not that the bar has been set high, but I reckon this could be more economical, too. Of course, fuel economy is the least of Patrol customers’ concerns.

The Patrol’s ride and handling have been significantly improved as well. The cabin is a lot quieter thanks to added sound deadening—including the added felt sound insulators in the rear wheel wells–while the suspension eats up road imperfections better than before. The Y62 felt like it rode stiff on certain road conditions, but it doesn’t look like it’s the same case in the Y63. It feels a lot plusher than before.

Does the Patrol have its new air suspension to thank? Perhaps. Because yes, it now has active air suspension underneath. There are four ride-height settings: The tallest one is for off-roading, the second highest is the default ride heigh, the level lower is for cruising, and the lowest setting is for ingress and egress.

When driving at speed, the Patrol squats a bit lower to make it more aerodynamic, reducing drag and improving both performance and fuel efficiency. When parking or turning the vehicle off, it goes all the way down. From the default setting, you’re looking at a seven-inch drop. It really does make getting in and out of the massive vehicle a lot easier.

There are also the controls in the trunk which can be used to lower the ride height as needed. Along with the power-folding seats, it’ll be extremely handy when loading heavy stuff in the back.

A sports car rarely ever got a manufacturer out of the trenches, if one even has at all. An all-new GT-R, as glorious as it may sound, isn’t what the brand needs from a business perspective. Even if Nissan made something as wild as an all-new Silvia and launched it alongside, say, the next-generation Navara or Terra, it still wouldn’t be enough. Sure, there’s now the all-new Leaf, but who’s to say that EV will make it to global markets quicker than the Y63 Patrol will?

That’s why it’s the Patrol that has to do the heavy lifting, and pronto. The burden falls on Nissan’s flagship SUV to make a statement not just to the Philippine market, but to the entire world that the brand is still alive and kicking, and it’s looking to regain its footing once again. The Japanese carmaker needs to remind people that it’s still capable of building good cars that people will actually want to buy, ultimately keeping the company from completely going under.

If you ask me, the folks in Yokohama have built the perfect Patrol for the job.

They sure did take their sweet time building this, but they did their homework while they were at it. If Nissan gets through this storm–and with a Patrol like this, I’m confident it will–I’m certain this version of the flagship SUV can live on again for another dozen years with just a few minor updates here and there. It’s really all that. This all-new model has gotten better in virtually every aspect possible, and if you ask how long’s the waiting time for this one now, it’s clear that the Philippines has already taken notice. It’s only a matter of time before it starts reaching other equally important markets, too. By then, I’m sure Nissan will have already sorted this whole fiasco out.

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