Excessively Brilliant: The Nissan Patrol Royale is the last of its kind
When it came to serious SUV offroading I always thought that the Toyota Land Cruiser, Mitsubishi Pajero, and Nissan Patrol were the top choices. Growing up in the Philippines, these 3 vehicles were symbols of power, success, and capability, and as the years went by the added characteristic of luxury comes into play also.
However, the Pajero is now dead, while the Land Cruiser has seemingly become a top-of-mind choice in the segment, but ever since the Patrol was facelifted a few years ago suddenly the tide has somewhat shifted towards it and in fact last year saw the Patrol sell in very decent numbers.
I never really paid attention to the Patrol because for me it was something that deserved a thorough lookover, something that needed to be properly understood. With a new model set to launch this year, it was high time for me to find out just how true the word is that this outgoing Patrol is good.
The Nissan Patrol proves size does matter
When I first saw the Nissan Patrol, what struck me first was just how big it really is, seeing it drive by or from a distance does not do justice to when you actually see it up close and personal.
As for styling, I’d say that the Patrol blends the boxy but modern motif well, it has this brutish charm without being overtly in your face like other big SUVs, and there’s a softness to the design somewhat actuated by the few character lines found around the body.
Another thing I really loved about the Patrol is the interior, I loved the old-school approach to thick heavy leather, soft touch panels, and contrasting wooden accents. It showcases the “old-money” class that people rave about nowadays with the right amount of modern sophistication like sizeable touchscreen infotainment, adaptive cruise control, heated and cooled seats, a cool box for drinks, and many many more. My favorite would have to be the seats it’s as if Nissan put Lazyboys in the car, they are so comfortable.
Interior space is also something it excels in, I borrowed the Patrol for a wedding where some friends hitched a ride with me, and everyone was raving about how comfortable they are even if they’re sitting in the 3rd row.
I think it exudes the right amount of class and toughness, a rolling billboard to the general public that you as a Patrol owner know the finer things in life, but cannot be messed with.
A drivers SUV
80-90% of the people who buy these huge SUVs are always chauffeured, these vehicles despite their otherworldly capabilities are more often than not used for inner city commutes.
There’s something special about the Patrol though, it’s a model that’s actually sold in the North American market also. What does this mean? We all know that chauffeurs are a rare breed in the Western world, and with that Nissan needed to make sure that the Patrol was also something fun and great to drive on a daily basis, a driver-owner type of vehicle.
That is very much apparent in this Patrol, from the first moments I sat in the interior I knew this was a vehicle made for the driver as much as for the passengers. The driving position is perfect and commanding, giving a wide view of the front and a cocooned cockpit feel with almost all relevant buttons and features just a finger-length away.
Any self-respecting SUV needs the oomph to back the looks and by God does the Nissan Patrol deliver, it features a 5.6-liter V8 gasoline engine making 405 HP and 560 NM of torque paired with a smooth shifting 7-speed automatic transmission, powering all four wheels.
I took the Patrol up to Tagaytay for the wedding I mentioned earlier, and cruising on the open highway is one of the Nissan Patrol’s strengths. I know it can climb any mountain or Ford any stream, but the wide open road showcases this big SUV’s ability to be an ultra-comfortable cruiser.
Eventually, I made my way to the backroads heading up to Tagaytay, and when I did need to make some overtakes that creamy but powerful V8 was just what I needed, without mashing the throttle pedal the Nissan Patrol could easily overtake 2-3 cars with ease on an inclined road without so much as a grumble from the engine. I enjoyed driving it so much that I didn’t mind (and even volunteered) to drive people around for various pre-wedding errands.
One thing that did surprise me was how easy it is to actually maneuver the Patrol even on tight roads and during parking situations. I’m not saying it’s small (one should always be careful driving big cars), but with the right amount of caution I was able to drive it without making myself look like an idiot, or obstructing other motorists’ right of way, I attribute it to the light steering of the Nissan Patrol.
In terms of driving dynamics, I also have to commend how solid and raw it feels, we’re so used to over-stimulated vehicle dynamics these days, but the Patrol is from the old school and I could feel that to its very core. Despite the light steering I still had so much road and surface feedback coming from the steering wheel (which is a must in dynamic driving conditions), and the ride was firm and solid without being spine-tingling.
The last of its kind
I’ll be honest and say that I was ready to ‘shoot holes’ into the Nissan Patrol as a ‘long in the tooth’ relic of an excessive past that no longer exists nor has a place in modern motoring society. However, I instead ended up thoroughly enjoying my time with the Patrol, while it does represent an era of mobility that indulged decadence and the trappings of success and power, it has all the ingredients and characteristics of what a Patrol should be.
In short, the all-new Nissan Patrol coming soon has some big shoes to fill.
