2021 Nissan Patrol Ti Review

It’s big, brash and bold. It’s the 2021 Nissan Patrol. This sixth-generation “Y62” Patrol debuted all the way back in 2010 and has gone through two facelifts, making it one of the oldest new cars on sale in Australia. But in a world where borders are shut and our own backyards need exploring, buyers have been flocking to the large Nissan. From towing caravans, to going well into the Outback, this large 4×4 is well loved by buyers.

As far as large, off-roading SUVs go, the Patrol has it all. It’s got seven seats, a huge boot and is immensely capable off road thanks to its rugged underpinnings. Our DiscoverAuto review will focus on how well the Patrol goes about its business day to day, in the city and on the highway.

So how does evergreen 2021 Nissan Patrol Ti stack up in the urban jungle, when not heading into the bush? Let’s find out.

Price & Equipment: 8/10

The 2021 Nissan Patrol starts from $78,910 before on-road costs for the base Nissan Patrol Ti we tested here and climbs to $93,365 for the top-specification Ti-L model.

The Nissan Patrol’s latest update came in 2020, bringing a new look for the front along with new alloys, whilst ushering in a host of standard safety equipment bringing the Patrol in line with rivals. Standard autonomous emergency braking (AEB), along with blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and lane-departure warning (but no lane assist) feature across the range, along with satellite navigation on an 8.0-inch screen (without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto), electric front seats, surround-view cameras as well as leather seats.

Outside, the 2021 Nissan Patrol Ti comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights with LED taillights, adaptive cruise control, proximity key entry and push-button start. Practical touches include roof rails for camping gear, a power tailgate, along with privacy glass to keep the harsh sun out.

Nissan offers a choice of six exterior colours to choose from. The only no cost colour is the dark metallic, the rest cost an additional $650. Nissan doesn’t offer any option packages on the Patrol, with the buyers needing to step up to the Patrol Ti-L to enjoy more creature comforts.

Colours include our test car’s Brilliant Silver, Black Obsidian, Champagne Quartz, Hermosa Blue, Moonstone White and Gun Metallic, which is the only no cost colour option. The other colours ask a $650 premium.

Priced from $89,990 plus on-road costs, the Toyota LandCruiser 300 is considerably more expensive than the Patrol even in base form. The mid-range LandCruiser GXL is priced from $101,790 plus on-road costs and is largely equipped the same way as the base Patrol. It too has seven seats in total, along with blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, an auto dimming rear view mirror, larger 18-inch wheels, Toyota’s ‘Multi-Terrain Select’ off-road system and wireless smart phone charging which is not available on the Patrol.

Performance & Economy: 8/10

Powering the 2021 Nissan Patrol is a very old school 5.6-litre naturally-aspirated V8 petrol engine that produces 298kW of power and 560Nm of torque. A seven-speed torque converter automatic transmission sends power to the wheels.

It’s rare to use the words “naturally aspirated” and “V8” in a sentence these days, and there’s no escaping the fact that the Nissan Patrol has an engine of gargantuan proportions, with a fuel thirst to match. Nissan says the Patrol consumes 14.4L/100km on the combined cycle. Our testing revealed that figure to be largely true. After a mix of urban city driving and a freeway stint, we averaged around 15L/100km. Not a bad result considering the Patrol’s lumbering size and the performance on tap.

The naturally aspirated V8 under the bonnet pulls the Patrol along easily and makes long distance touring a joy. It might not pin you into the back of the seat like the V8 in a Mustang might, but it offers more than enough grunt to bring the large SUV up to speed quickly. We managed to clock the 2021 Nissan Patrol’s 0-100km/h sprint time at around the 7.5 second mark. The lack of turbocharging gives the engine a mighty growl under load, taking us back to an era of big block, gas guzzling engines.

The engine works very well with the traditional torque converter seven-speed automatic transmission. Shifts are imprerceptible, and even though there are no selectable drive modes per se, the transmission always knows which gear to pick for the occasion.

The 2021 Nissan Patrol has a tare mass of 2750kg, a GVM of 3500kg and a GCM of 7000kg.

Ride & Handling: 7.5/10

The 2021 Nissan Patrol feels like a Jumbo jet around town. On the plus side, visibility is excellent thanks to the commanding driving position, large mirrors and decent array of cameras around the car, but there is no getting away from the fact that this is one behemoth of a car. Be sure to measure your driveway, garage and suburb for that matter, before buying one. All jokes aside, its dimensions are imposing.

For a large SUV, the Patrol actually handles well with plenty of grip through corners and steering which manages to communicate what the front wheels are doing. Nissan has been giving the Patrol chassis updates over the years and this latest model manages to avoid being a disconnected feeling, lumbering three ton SUV many might have expected. When the road gets slipper, the permanent four-wheel drive system helps put power down expertly.

Around town and on faster roads both in town and in the country, the Patrol rides beautifully seemingly pummelling bumps into submission. This is one very comfy long distance cruiser. The Patrol also isolates occupants from road and wind noise too. It might not be Rolls Royce quiet inside, but it feels like a solid piece of kit. An oldie, but a goodie.

Sadly we weren’t able to venture too far off the beaten track, but we can report that off-road There’s 273mm of ground clearance, the approach angle is 28 degrees and the departure angle is 26.3 degrees.

Interior & Practicality: 6/10

2010 called and wants its interior back. As far as new cars go, the Nissan Patrol’s interior has to be one of the more ancient places to spend time in. Not much has changed in here since 2010.

Perhaps most frustrating and bizarre, is the fact that Nissan Australia has denied us the joy of having the facelift Patrol’s impressive dual-LCD setup available on models overseas. In the US, the Patrol also gets an even larger central infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. What does Australia get? Bluetooth, a basic, albeit decently sized screen and a plethora of buttons. I cant remember the last time DiscoverAuto had a car without any form of smartphone mirroring, let alone a car at this price point with such a basic infotainment system.

Tech issues aside, the Patrol’s old school interior is indeed cavernous, with plenty of room for occupants and anything they wish to bring on board. Leg and headroom in the first and second rows is generous, but cracks start to show in the third row, which has plenty of room for kids, but feels cramped for adults. Blame that on the lack of a sliding second row which would normally liberate a touch more room for third row passengers.

The design has an honest air about it, while all the plastics and materials fit well and are nicely finished. The door trims are softly padded, as are the supportive seats trimmed in lush leather. It all feels purposeful, even if there’s no escaping the fact that this is an old interior. There’s also what appears a single LED offering some sort of mood lighting from the headlining. Bizarre. The instruments are analogue and flank a small monochrome LCD showing the trip computer functions as well as the four-wheel drive modes.

With the third row in place, the Patrol offers a decent 467 litres of cargo space, which grows to 1413-litres of cargo space with the third row folded. Fold the second row down and you’ll liberate a vast 2632-litres of cargo space. The Patrol also comes with a full-size spare tyre.

Service & Warranty: 6.5/10

The 2021 Nissan Patrol comes with an industry average five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with service intervals at a closer than average every six months or 10,000km. Not only does this mean the Nissan Patrol will have to go back to the dealership for servicing more often, but your wallet will suffer too. Five years/100,000km of servicing will cost $5692, or an average of $569.20 per service.

The outgoing 2021 Toyota LandCruiser 200 also needs a service every six-months but runs a more complex diesel engine. Even so, Toyota will only need $300 for each of the first four visits (two years). Five years of servicing the LandCruiser will set you back $4432.31, or just more than $1,200 less than the Patrol.

The 2021 Nissan Patrol Ti-L DiscoverAuto Rating: 7.2/10

It might be one of the oldest cars on sale in Australia, but the 2021 Nissan Patrol is a fundamentally good SUV. We don’t argue with how capable it’ll be off road and it manages to offer excellent value for money compared to newer rivals such as the LandCruiser 300. It offers vast amounts of space inside for families and will eat up the miles easily on road trips.

If Nissan could somehow update the cabin and bring it in line with the infotainment systems the rest of the world gets, and perhaps drop the fuel consumption slightly, the Patrol would be close to the being the perfect petrol-powered large SUV. Bring it, Nissan Australia!