For really serious off-road use there are a few basics that you simply can’t do without, no matter what the manufacturers tell you. Nissan’s Patrol has got the lot.
Forget the fancy electronic gimmickry. A genuine go-anywhere off-road vehicle needs a torquey engine and a low-range transfer box to give it the capability to crawl across rough terrain at an idle, without slipping the clutch. It needs at least one differential lock to prevent the car becoming stranded when one or two wheels lose traction. It needs decent ground clearance, and it needs respectable approach and departure angles so that it doesn’t try to burrow through obstacles rather than climb over them. Nissan’s Patrol is as genuine an off-roader as money can buy, because it has all of these things, and it’s superbly comfortable to boot.
Just about every body panel has been changed in the latest version of the Patrol launched last year, but the underpinnings are the same. The vehicle retains its ladder-frame chassis and solid axles, which give excellent wheel articulation off-road. Many modern 4X4s use independent suspension because of the better comfort they supposedly offer, but these vehicles pay a price in the rough. High and low range transmission, a rear diff lock and auto locking front hubs — with a permanent lock setting also available — mean the Nissan doesn’t have to take the sissy route when the going gets heavy.
I recently drove the top-of-the range 4,8 litre petrol-engined Patrol to the Killarney 4X4 track at Shongweni near Durban. On-road performance is excellent and comfort levels high even with the solid axles, but off-road is where the vehicle really shines. The massive straight-six produces a whopping 425 Nm of torque at 3Â 600 rpm, along with 190kW of power at 4Â 800 rpm, meaning it will be a thirsty beast in everyday use, but for those with the money to feed it I reckon the big six will prove a superb choice. There’s also a 118 kW/380 Nm turbodiesel, which should also be a strong performer and much cheaper to run.
Accommodation in the Patrol GRX is excellent. The vehicle I drove was fitted with an optional fold-away third row of seats that are really suitable for small people only, and there’s a completely separate climate control system for the rear-seat passengers. Upholstery is all leather, and the wood-grain paneling around the cab looks good — I usually find fake wood rather tacky, but the Nissan’s is good enough to gain my approval.
Other comfort and safety features of the GRX include a sunroof, a radio with six-disc CD changer, side and front airbags, and steering wheel-mounted cruise control and sound system controls. An especially handy feature is the 40 litre secondary fuel tank that supplements the 95 litre main tank. When the fuel gauge needle drops below half, simply push a button on the dash and the sub tank contents will be pumped across to the main tank.
The best news of all relates to price — Nissan has brought prices down considerably, and the Patrol range now kicks off with the three litre turbodiesel GL at R442Â 000 inclusive of VAT. The 4,8 litre GL petrol goes for R455Â 000, while the flagship 4,8 litre Tiptronic AT GRX I enjoyed sells for R516Â 000. That’s still a lot of money, but for a vehicle of this stature it’s good value for money.