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By
EWAN KENNEDY
27 August 2007
Nissan’s big Patrol is aimed fair and square at people who want
a genuine 4WD that’s capable of putting up with real off-road work for
extended periods without missing a beat. The boys in the bush love them,
though their city cousins sometimes find them a bit big and bulky.
Given that it’s a no-nonsense car for no-nonsense buyers it
hardly comes as a surprise that the just announced 2008 facelift
of the Patrol is an extremely minor one. If you look carefully you
will see the colour of the radiator grille is slightly lighter
than before and that the door handles have received a chrome
finish. And that’s about it.
But in a very Nissan Patrol manner, there are significant
out-of-sight changes, extra equipment is now standard and there
has been a realignment of the model range. Best of all, there are
no price increases.
Given the emphasis on fuel costs at the moment, it’s no
surprise that Nissan Australia is pushing in that direction.
However, it certainly hasn’t given up on the big, smooth
4.8-litre petrol six. That engine, which features 400 Newton
metres of torque, is now also available in the mid-range Patrol ST
model. It’s not the most economical powerplant on the market,
but there's a certain character to the engine that makes it appeal
to a surprising a number of buyers.
The new Patrol ST model also gains ABS antilock brakes so
shapes up as being the model of choice for many buyers. This means
that ABS is now standard on all variants with the exception of the
base model, the Patrol DX. Note that dual airbags are fitted to
every new Patrol.
The 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel continues to be a big
seller and is often the engine of choice with those who don’t
want the heavy-duty 4.2-litre straight-six diesel. Earlier this
year the 3.0-litre received a complete redesign that saw, amongst
other changes, the fitment of a high-tech common-rail fuel
injection system. This not only made it more economical, but also
reduced noise levels and resulted in cleaner exhaust emissions.
Though it looks like an old-style 4WD, the Patrol received a
major body revamp for the 2005 model year, with new panels
everywhere but on the roof. The main reason for the redesign was
increased body stiffness. This resulted in improved ride comfort
and lower noise levels.
The inside of the Nissan Patrol did get more radical changes
than the outside. The dash and instrument panel were modernised
and higher grade trim materials were used.
Patrol is offered in five- and seven-seat versions and even the
seven seaters have reasonable luggage space. The five-seater is
positively cavernous.
Buyers looking for a genuine off-road 4WD that has had an
excellent reputation in Australia for decades should make sure the
Nissan Patrol is sitting on their shopping list.
The Nissan Patrol wagon range, with prices (excluding on-road
costs) is:
Patrol DX 3.0-litre turbo diesel five-door wagon - $50,290
(manual), $53,290 (automatic)
Patrol ST 3.0-litre turbo diesel five-door wagon - $52,240
(manual), $54,990 (automatic)
Patrol ST-S 3.0-litre turbo diesel five-door wagon - $54,240
(manual), $57,240 (automatic)
Patrol ST-L 3.0-litre turbo diesel five-door wagon - $58,490
(manual), $61,490 (automatic)
Patrol Ti 3.0-litre turbo diesel five-door wagon - $66,240
(manual), $69,240 (automatic)
Patrol ST-S 4.8-litre petrol five-door wagon - $57,190 (automatic)
Patrol ST-L 4.8-litre petrol five-door wagon - $61,440 (automatic)
Patrol Ti 4.8-litre petrol five-door wagon - $75,690 (automatic)
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Marque Publishing Company
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