Today I drove the latest edition of the legendary Nissan Patrol, which I had been wanting to review for a while. Taken from Mark White Nissan based in Fourways, this SUV is a behemoth, and I am sure it struggles to fit into some garages at home. But it’s the size that attracts me to this SUV, it has space for days, being a genuine 7-seater, with a third row of seats that fold down or up.

The updated Nissan Patrol is an unmatched icon with enhancements that offer customers even higher levels of sophistication, comfort, and intelligence. 

One of the new features on the Nissan Patrol is the Nissan Intelligent Mobility, which features enhanced luxury tech features. At the same time, the Patrol retains its exceptional off-road capabilities and class-leading power. I was unable to test the off-road capability on this occasion, but it has all the tools to handle the job.

Styling.

The Patrol has a new V-motion grille, which gives it a very macho, look, as well as a capable one. Along with the new boomerang-shaped LED headlights, the revised grille highlights the Patrol’s strong, angular front.

At the rear, the Patrol’s new taillights also sport the boomerang shape. They are seamlessly integrated along with a large chrome nameplate and sequential rear turn indicators, which have been added for the first time on a Nissan vehicle.

Machine-cut 18” alloy wheels add a formidable presence, with the all-new Organic C-Signature LED lights finishing off the look.

Into the Cabin.

The interior of the Patrol is premium, with loads of space & comfort. Luxury leather seats hug you and make for a comfy drive, short or long. A premium 13-speaker Bose sound system sorts out the tunes, and it features a multi-screen DVD entertainment system, 8” rear seat entertainment, independent wireless headphones and remote-enabled passenger vehicle infotainment. Allowing all passengers to enjoy the ride.

The new Nissan Patrol puts control at your fingertips with an 8” colour touch information screen, Bluetooth® hands free and audio streaming, climate control, Intelligent Key® with push button start and remote keyless entry – all helping you to get to your destination in a way that’s connected and effortless. These buttons and controls are easy to operate and comprehensive in nature, and at no time was I confused at how to interact with it.

Significant reductions in noise and vibration result in a quieter, more pleasant cabin. Improved cooling and air flow distribution systems lead to quicker cooling. It has a massive boot area, which has the advantage of having the third row folded down, and als folded up, yielding a higher passenger count.

The Latest in Tech

The Nissan Patrol leads with Nissan Intelligent Mobility, equipped with driver assistance technology that helps you see and sense more, with a dynamic range of safety technologies. It’s a more connected, confident way to drive in all conditions.

Emergency braking and pedestrian detection are handy on our roads, and forward collision warning helps when you are distracted in our busy traffic, as well as beyond your field of vision.

Also included is standard Intelligent Cruise Control and Intelligent Driver Alert, which analyses the driver steering behaviour to signal and alert if signs of drowsiness, or inattention are detected.

Responsive braking is provided by a 4-wheel disc brake system with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist. Also standard is 4-wheel limited-slip diff (LSD) and a Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system, which automatically prevents the vehicle from sliding sideways on slippery road surfaces when changing lanes or negotiating a curve. Steering is provided by an engine-speed-sensitive power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering system.

Engine & Transmission.

You cannot mistake the sound of a V8 engine, and the 5.6L engine fills you with a sense of confidence, that you can go anywhere. Pushing out a veritable 298kw of power and a stonking 560 Nm of torque, this engine commands the terrain. Driving through Jhb traffic, most drivers stay clear of the big boy, but it has the speed and agility to get into gaps as well.