Nissan Patrol V8 2012 review

Nissan has given Australian motoring journalists their first drive of the new V8 Y62 Patrol in right-hand drive with two pre-production vehicles made available at Brisbane's Mount Cotton Driver Training Centre.

Value

Nissan has only given us ballpark pricing figures for the three new models at this stage: ST-L, Ti and Ti-L respectively under $85,000, $95,000 and $115,000. Current pricing for the LandCruiser 200 4.7-litre V8 petrol variants is $83,490 for the GXL, $94,490 for the VX and $113,490 for the Sahara. Historically Nissan pricing for the Patrol comes in under the LandCruiser’s bottom line and this is expected to be the same in the luxury version.

Nissan has measured fuel consumption of 14.5 litres per 100 km using 95RON unleaded. There’s Bluetooth telephone and audio streaming, large format front DVD player, 2Gb music server with six speakers, iPod, steering wheel audio controls, intelligent key access and 8-way power assist to the driver’s seat, drive computer.

The top of the range Ti-L gets memory function for the driver's seat, steering wheel and door mirrors, centre console cool box, hard drive navigation, Bose audio with 13 speakers, dual, but independent, 7-inch DVD screens in the rear of the front seat headrests, around view monitor, intelligent cruise control, xenon projector head lamps with auto levelling, power operated tailgate, tyre pressure monitor and vehicle alarm.

Technology

The new Patrol is powered by a 5.6-litre petrol engine will sell alongside the current Y61 3.0-litre diesel models. It’s aimed squarely at the large luxury SUV market and in particular Toyota's LandCruiser 200 and Land Rover Discovery 4 petrol models. The current Patrol Y61 only comes in diesel form with the 4.6-litre petrol six-cylinder having been deleted from the line up two years ago.

The new Patrol was developed primarily for the Middle East market – hence the luxury and V8 petrol power. The V8 engine is a real beast with 298 kW of power and 90 per cent of the 560 Nm of torque on tap from 2500 rpm. It's a high-tech-32 valve engine featuring direct injection and Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL) as found in the Nissan 370Z engine.

Design

The ST-L and Ti both offer eight seats while the top of the line Ti-L is a seven-seater topped off with the most technology ever packed into a Nissan. The new Patrol is larger than the Y61 and also outsizes the LandCruiser 200 in every dimension. This means more leg and shoulder comfort for second row passengers as well as those who use the third row of seats.

Inside is pure luxury with wood grain finishes and a classy dash layout. Nissan has used high quality finishes and in particular we like the cloth used in the ST-L seats that is better suited to warm climates. The inside feel is one of comfort and space. There’s leather upholstery, 4-way electric adjustment for the passenger seat, auto headlights, sunroof and rain sensing wipers.

Unfortunately in the change from left-hand drive to right hook, Nissan has not moved the gear shifter over so it can be quite a reach to operate the transmission.

Safety

Active and passive safety equipment includes six airbags with the side curtain airbag covering all three rows of seats, front and rear parking sensors and rear view camera.

Driving

Drivers have four terrain options: sand, snow, rock and on-road at the touch of a button. All models have hill descent control and rear differential locks, also on tap with the push of a button.

We had the opportunity to take the new Patrol off-road at Mount Cotton's steep and rutted bush tracks as well as on road on a typical bitumen highway and lastly on a skid pan to test braking, body roll, acceleration and handling. Our skid pan trial revealed a vehicle that is surprisingly agile for its not inconsiderable size.

Patrol has plenty of wheel travel to overcome washouts all the while having the rear diff lock as a backup. Even over the rough terrain the body absorbs a lot of the rocking and rolling making for a comfortable passenger experience. On road we drove both variants, one with Hydraulic Body Motion Control and one without. We found the one without cornered fairly flat – for a vehicle that tips the scales close to three tonnes – and little seemed to change with the HBMC.

When you put the boot into the big V8 it develops a growl that would bring a smile to any Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon V8 owner.