Nissan Patrol 2025 review: Australian first drive

Competitive positioning has long been a Patrol forte.

Kicking off from $90,600 (all prices are before on-road costs), the MY25 Y62 costs over $1300 more than before.

But it’s also over $7000 cheaper than the least-expensive Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, and that’s a V6 diesel in quite plain-Jane GX guise, while you’ll need over $100K more for the next available full-off-road wagon petrol V8 – the Land Rover Defender P525.

And the base Ti is pretty well-equipped. New to the series is wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (at last!), a larger driver info display and a wireless charger, among other changes.

They add to the eight seats, limited-slip differential, leather upholstery, surround-view camera with off-road monitor, front/rear parking sensors, USB ports, dual-zone (instead of tri-zone) climate control, keyless entry/start, heated/powered/folding door mirrors and 18-inch alloys with a full-sized spare wheel.

There’s also a decent wedge of advanced driver-assist safety tech – more on which is explored later on.

The Ti-L (from $102,100) gains a sunroof, a 13-speaker Bose audio upgrade, a cool box, digital rear view mirror, a powered tailgate, heated and vented front seats with driver’s side memory, a powered steering column, leather/suede upholstery and more... but drops to seven seats.

Starting from $105,660, the brutish, Ti-based Warrior does it best though, ditching the luxuries above but scoring raised suspension for a 50mm ride-height lift, 40mm wider tracks, a retuned hydraulic body motion-control system, revised rear springs, upgraded rear bump stops, a stainless-steel bi-modal side exhaust, a 120kg GVM boost, modified grille, bumpers and tow bar, plastic wheel arch surrounds, all-terrain tyres, twin recovery points and Alcantara trim inside.

Warrior would be our pick. And that’s $40K under the sporty LandCruiser GR Sport, so there’s a strong value case to argue here in the Nissan 4WD’s favour.

It’s also the best-looking Y62 by far.

Nothing dated last year’s Y62 Patrol more than its dashboard, which – for RHD markets like Australia – stuck with the original version introduced back in the early 2010s.

It wasn’t just the ancient buttons and controls and embarrassing lack of modern-day tech like Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and wireless chargers, either.

Nissan persisted with awful glossy fake-wood trim and other chintzy materials that would seem over the top for Liberace.

Not that many buyers cared anyway, because there’s space aplenty inside, including ample width and height. That an eight-seater (in 2+3+3 configuration) exists is testament to that.

Our only concern, apart from the ugly old steering wheel that returns for one last outing (we hope), is that the body-hugging driver’s seat does not slide back far enough for taller people, so beware of that.

Beyond the more contemporary trim, scanning the updated dash for the first time, you’ll notice only the centre stack and instrumentation cluster have changed.

Dominating everything is a 12.3-inch touchscreen, which is easy enough to operate, housing the usual multi-angle camera views, multimedia, Bluetooth telephony and vehicle settings functions. Note, though, that no digital radio is fitted.

We’re pleased Nissan resisted the urge to abandon the lovely old analogue instrument dials, and instead elected to put a slightly-larger TFT screen in-between for all sorts of operational data, including trip computer and off-road driving info, highlighting the Patrol’s dual function.

To that end, the 4WD high/low knob has been relocated to make room for the touchscreen’s remote buttons, which are a great idea as they encourage eyes on the road to discourage dangerous distraction. Are you listening, Chinese carmakers?

But fundamentally, the Y62 MY25 remains the same as before. So, perched up higher than most SUVs for lofty views all around, the seats are sumptuous, the driving position is fine, plenty of storage is provided and there are no qualms over the climate-control system – front or rear.

That sense of isolation from the outside world is palpable, as is the at-times busy and bumpy ride. We’ll get to that further down.

Meanwhile, second-row comfort is sufficient, with roof-level air vents (that also stretch out to the third row), a couple of USB ports, cupholders, lighting and other amenities.  

Access to the third row is made simple via a tug on a lever, resulting in the spring-loaded base tipping forward as the backrest folds down, to provide easy walk-through to the two or three-person bench that awaits.

Ours was the latter, yet the backrests recline more than expected, making it a tolerable place for adults to endure during relatively short trips. Kids-only then long-term, but vents are also provided.

Further back, there's even a decent amount of space behind the erected backrests for luggage and that sort of thing. The capacity as stated is 467 litres, ballooning to 1413L in five-seater mode.

Finally, a full-sized spare wheel is located beneath the boot floor, and is accessed from underneath the Patrol.

How does all the Patrol’s old-school tech feel in 2025?

Still pretty capable off the beaten track, that’s for sure. Just like the first did nearly 75 years ago, thanks to body-on-frame construction.

The Y62 also features lockable low-range gearing, hill-descent control, independent double-wishbones, long-travel coil sprung suspension and – if you go for the Warrior, which to reiterate is our favourite of the bunch – useful extra ground clearance, wider tracks and even better approach and departure angles.

2025 Nissan Patrol

The upshot of all this is very impressive 4WD abilities, with the Patrol easily scrambling between the rocky terrain, through the deep potholes, over the muddy plains and across the deep waterways of the off-road facility Nissan took us to during the launch, without getting jammed up or bogged down.

This is what the Y62 was designed to do and – the Warrior in particular – still shines bright.

So much for the off-road. On road, the Patrol is starting to feel its age, despite that glorious V8.

2025 Nissan Patrol

Let’s start with the good stuff first. The engine provides instant and punchy performance right up through the rev range, ensconced in a doona of smoothness to boot and – particularly in the Warrior – a stereophonic soundtrack to even wake up the dinosaurs that fuel it.

But the Y62 is a proper 4WD, and it does struggle a bit as an on-road dynamic machine.

The steering's very light and easy to use in tight manoeuvres, but
it's somewhat devoid of feel for the driver. Around faster corners, it is a little bit roly poly – especially the non-Warrior grades, since the latter’s suspension mods make it feel more tied-down and tauter.

2025 Nissan Patrol

Also, all Patrols come with a lumpy ride over anything but smooth roads, which must be partly down to the knobbly tyres, though the LandCruiser GXL 300 Series I drove to the launch in felt like a magic carpet in comparison.

Obviously, this shouldn't come as any surprise to anyone who has ever followed the Y62’s career over the past 15 years, and few SUVs can match the majesty of sitting up so high, particularly in the Warrior, with a sense of invincibility. We’ve been reminded why the Patrol remains so popular

That, combined with that V8 brute force and the creamy refinement that oozes out of it, is a unique pleasure. If your wallet can stand its prodigious thirst, few vehicles would feel as grand doing a lap of Australia. Especially at the Patrol’s price point.

Yep, thanks to Nissan’s leading warranty, the MY25 Patrol, as with all the brand’s models, will have the standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and roadside assistance bumped up to 10 years and 300,000km – but only if you service it at a Nissan dealer.

Plus, you only pay $499 per service for the first five years, which represents a $645 saving compared to last year. Nobody currently does this better.