New (6th Gen) Nissan Patrol is here - but should you buy one? | Auto Expert John Cadogan

Nissan has done the absolute minimum to refresh the 2020 Patrol - yessssss! But they have managed to go all-out botching the English language and applied science. So that’s nice. And yet, the new Patrol might still be actually worth buying - full details next.

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Patrol is like kinda Joan Rivers - ongoing exterior upgrades, but same old bones. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. They’ve been quite durable. And so also with the Patrol. It’s pretty tough too.

This time around, all you get is: new lights, new bumpers and some bolt-on safety tech. Ugliness has gone up at least one order of magnitude - almost to elite LX 570 visual abomination levels. Especially the Ti-L. It’s bean beaten with the ugly stick, and left for dead. Well done there.

No fundamental changes, however - same powertrain, same body. Significant price-hike.

Nissan Shitsville is simply milking Patrol for all it’s worth before phasing the old girl out, basically.

They’ve also changed the wheels - but they’re still 18s; just a different design - and added all the borderline-annoying safety features that the car industry is yet to think through properly. Like auto emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring.

About the only worthwhile inclusion there is adaptive cruise control on the low-spec Patrol Ti. (Previous Ti-L already had that.) But brace for impact on the price, because it has ramped up again, for the third time in two years.

Let’s look at the economics, though, because that’s actually still pretty strong.

Top-spec Toyota Landcruiser Sahara diesel is a more or less direct competitor that costs $133,000, drive-away, and the latest Patrol Ti-L is $103,000.

Diesel Landcruisers offer more range on a full tank, and diesel is safer for refuelling at the roadside from portable containers, if you’re a proper outback adventurer beating the desert into submission, or something.

The diesel is also better for towing, obviously, with more peak torque, but the Patrol has more peak power, so it’s better for highway overtaking. And this ‘dusting’ issue does hang, like a cloud, over the Landcruiser.

Based on the official fuel tests, Landcruiser drinks 9.5 L/100km combined cycle, while the Patrol is 14.4. The $30,000 price difference and the consumption difference are interesting: Out there, in the future, there’s a point on the odometer where the Patrol buyer and the Landcruiser buyer reach fuel and capital cost equivalence.

The Patrol starts out cheaper and then the higher cost of fuel kicks in, while the Cruiser starts out expensive, but, kay-for-kay, you pay less for fuel. Have a guess how far you have to drive for those costs to become coincident?

It’s about 400,000 kays. So, ballpark estimate, for the first 10 laps of the planet, the Patrol buyer remains in front on price. This is a powerful incentive to prefer the Patrol, I must say. When you run the numbers.

[chrisbremner]

The y62 Patrol is a pleasure to drive onroad and virtually unmatched off road, resale values are strong, add a Harrop supercharger it becomes a beast.

[trimat]

Went out 12 months ago to buy a 200 series and came home with a Y62. NO one with a working brain can justify the $30k price difference. The Patrol is a better drive as well. I'd also suggest that price crossover point is a lot more than 400k, more likely never. Real world economy difference is about 2L/100km and the cost of maintaining the cruiser is going to be higher. That complex diesel V8 with all it's anti-pollution ancillary's has a reputation for emptying owners wallets.

[darylcheshire]

Since I got the reversing camera I’ve never looked back.

[Tony-ejip]

I have a GQ (y60) Patrol. Hill descent control, first gear low range. Lane check, liberal use of the mirrors along with looking over the left or right shoulder. Cruise control, right foot. Brake control, right foot. Auto reverse, me and some basic skill. All controlled by the computer between the ears, that operates in a variety of conditions without shutting down. A computer that was invented a few thousand years ago and upgrades automatically over time. The Y60 won't succumb to the ECU being rendered unusable because there isn't any. Diesel engine with mechanical fuel injection weighing in at around 2.3T, with the extras. Returns around 13.5l per100kms. Weighs about 400kilos less than the new one. Not as powerful or nice to ride in but in terms of efficiency, something seems a little off (intelligent car they reckon). BTW no turbo and I service It myself. Cruises at 110 in fifth all day long.

[Ihaveabigbrownbear]

It's a much better incentive to avoid the dpf, or replacing any part of the common rail injection system, the soot layed over the caravan, increased service cost and the dusting potential of a $27 thousand dollar second hand replacement engine. Oh fuck that indeed, give me proper V8 sound and response at 30 thousand dollars less.

[_Maliki]

Also worth mentioning that a N/A V8 probably will be easier/cheaper to service than a V8 turbo diesel for those 400k km 😉

[vc]

Resale is where the diesel 4wd will kill the petrol (especially between a Landcruiser and Patrol).

[kenezos]

Loving the sarcasm John 😂😂😂
Another awesome review 👌

[brianhoward]

Bravo John for making something as boring a bloody Nissan 4WD story interesting to watch - only you could. It would be a story I would NEVER even consider clicking on to read or watch, a Nissan Patrol - Lord save me! ONLY because I watch everything John produces, as 99.99% of it is genuinely entertaining or interesting, did I watch this Patrol video. It is simply a bonus when autoexpert subject matter is actually interesting as I watch mainly for the fun and his inimitable style!

[mikebeagley]

If you’re playing in this market and the objective is a tow horse, then the fuel numbers change dramatically when you plonk the big box onto the tow hitch.

[DASHOffRoad]

Fantastic vehicle, we did get boned though. You forgot to mention the new Ti no longer comes with a sunroof yet costs more, or the fact that UAE got a totally different dash 🤦‍♂️. How long to we have to wait for that??? To see the #1 ranking YT Chanel for everything Y62 Patrol related, be sure to check out DASH OffRoad 💪👍

[aussiebloke]

1:01 Kinda like Joan Rivers? You mean the Nissan Patrol has been dead since 2014?

[MeasureOnce]

Thanks John,
Really appreciated the reasoning regarding the Toyota and Nissan car prices. I look forward to using your approach in future.
AB

[livenloud]

The patrol maybe slightly quicker in overtaking, but a 200 series overtaking is no slouch. Has no problem at all in seconds you can be at 150 kilometres an hour when going around someone say dordeling at 80 kilometres an hour I mean seconds. Also just went on carsales.com and compared the patrol to the 200 the, resale value is incredible there is still 2008 model 200s still going in excess of $45000 also the kilometres that are up on some of the 200s is incredible some have hit half a million. In my garage is a 2007 200 series LandCruiser with 235000 km on it, owned since new has only had an alternator ever fitted to it and a radiator. Has done countless trips to Fraser Island pulling caravans been around Australia has just been an awesome car to own. There would be many stories out there of similar about their 200 owners give me a thumbs up if you agree

[beerancher]

I may be old fashioned, but anything to do with electronically activated brakes or steering ( park assist ) scares the hell out of me . These systems are programmed by human beings, notoriously fallible egoists. For an example of the fallibility of human designed safety systems, look no further than the most unpopular aeroplane in the world today, the Boeing 737 Max, all grounded following crashes caused by " intelligent computer systems " . These are supposed to be cutting edge technologies making it safer for all .Tell that to the people the 737 killed !

[MothershipVideos]

Not losing your touch John just getting better in small increments.

[eggy]

The patrol is not as technical as you think. they are still easy to modify. go check out uni chip and Harrop. there are suspension upgrades, diff ratio changes for big tyres, front lockers and bar work, all available now and the list is growing. so is the popularity of this vehicle. The patrol and the 200 cruiser may just be the last of the V8's. I drive a V8 GU Patrol and have owned plenty of cruisers, I have driven the y62. My order is in for the new Patrol, thank you very much.

[rednuts]

Since I sold my last 200 to buy the series 5 patrol, I will never buy another Toyota. The patrol is a far better tow vehicle and off road it kills the 200.

[thesauce]

My old I.T. teacher used to say "Computers are stupid, but they are really fast at being stupid."

[Shanidar]

Yes please, I'd love one of those Cruisers that drink 10l/100km combined cycle! Might be a unicorn though.