Blog

Jun 17, 2023

The Nissan Patrol Is A Great Off

The Nissan Patrol may be the only 4x4 comparable to the 80 series Land Cruiser

The Nissan Patrol may be the only 4x4 comparable to the 80 series Land Cruiser

The U.S. car market is different in many ways. There are plenty of cars the rest of the world never received due to size, marketing, and emissions. However, there are also plenty of cars the rest of the world gets, but the U.S. doesn't. One of the better cars that never came Stateside is the Nissan Patrol. This is a Japanese off-roader that has a huge following everywhere else in the world due to its strong platform and great off-road abilities. It may be the only vehicle that can come close to the 80 Series Land Cruiser in terms of all-around performance. Let's have a look at what the Patrol has to offer.

Related: Why The 70 Series Toyota Land Cruiser Is Irreplaceable

The Patrol was Nissan's answer to the 80 Series Land Cruiser, Range Rover Classic and P38, Land Rover Discovery, and all the other big (for EU standards) SUVs of the late 90s. The way it looked along with its engine configurations were mostly similar to those of the 80 series rather than to its European or American rivals. It, too, had a long and wide body with a big rear overhang and a huge bonnet. Inside, there is plenty of space for people and all their belongings and the engines ranged from diesel to petrol. Displacement was once again similar to the 80 Series, with the largest diesel being the 4.2-liter. The Patrol was also available with 2.8-liter and 3.0-liter diesel options; however, those were underpowered and had some reliability issues. The petrol engine was also underpowered which meant it didn't sell in big numbers.

Related: Why the Land Cruiser is Toyota's Biggest Mistake

Before we get into what's good about the Patrol, let's address its biggest weak point – the engines. When compared to the ones fitted by Toyota, the Patrol engines were underpowered and had some reliability issues. In our opinion, this is the only reason the Patrol cannot match the 80 Series as the best off-roader even though some of its components are stronger. Those stronger components are mainly the two solid axles which for an SUV were massive. This meant that the Patrol had a strong driveline that could easily handle the power of its engine. Therefore, it barely ever broke – even when pushed to its limits. As far as off-road gear goes, the Nissan has diff lockers and even sway bar disconnects – a feature not many vehicles had back then.

Related: Why The Off-Road Community Loves Old 4x4s

The country that loves Patrols more than any other is Australia. Even though it is an immensely developed country, Australia still has thousands of miles of untouched outback locations that in most cases can only be accessed through dirt tracks. This means that the Aussies only use what is most reliable and strong. This is the main reason why the most common vehicles there are Toyotas and Nissans. As is the case with every area of the world, some people keep their Patrols stock while others turn them into insanely capable machines with big tires, suspension lifts, and everything in between.

Related: Jeep Wrangler vs Ford Bronco: Picking the Right Off-Roader For You

If you know your off-roaders well, you may be aware of the Dana 60 axle. This is an axle most commonly found on full-sized American pickup trucks. In the off-road world, the Dana 60 is a very common swap for Jeeps and other 4x4s when owners are planning on installing big tires. This upgrade is done because the Dana 60 can handle the weight of tires upwards of 37 inches without breaking. When off-roading, in most cases the bigger the tire the more easily you can make it over an obstacle. Now, since full-size trucks aren't that popular in the rest of the world and Dana 60 axles aren't available easily, a common axle upgrade for many 4x4s are the units from the Nissan Patrol. They may not be as strong as the Dana 60, but for SUV axles, they are impressive.

Related: Why the 2023 Range Rover Sport Is the Best Luxurious Off-Road SUV

Like all vehicles, the Nissan Patrol has some limitations. Aside from its engines, the large axles were both a blessing and a curse. First and foremost, the large components meant that there was more driveline power loss which made the already underpowered engines feel even slower. Then came the fact that the diffs are so big that they drastically reduce clearance. On stock tires, the Patrol will have a hard time driving over deep ruts or big rocks as its diffs come into contact with the ground easily. Finally, the body is wide with large overhangs which means that the vehicle needs a big lift and large tires to clear obstacles without scraping its bumpers. That being said, its large body means that the Patrol makes a great overland vehicle thanks to the space available inside.

Related: Here's Why the Land Rover LR3 is a Great Budget Off-Roader

The Nissan Patrol is finally 25 years old which makes it eligible to import into the U.S. Since the off-road culture is mostly based around the same vehicles (Jeeps and Toyotas) the Patrol will certainly be a unicorn at every event or car meet. When buying a Patrol, you need to make sure that first, it is a 4.2-liter turbodiesel (there is also a naturally aspirated 4.2 which is painfully slow) and that it doesn't have any rust. All cars rust, but the Patrols were especially prone to this issue. The U.S. never got the best Nissan had to offer as for some reason only the sub-par models made it across the pond. With the 25-year rule, these great vehicles can now showcase their abilities at the amazing trails the U.S. has to offer!

Theo has dedicated his life to cars. He has studied the only Automotive Journalism course in the world located at Coventry University and describes this passion as a clinical obsession. Give Theo four wheels and he will drool over the piece of metal, plastic, and glass in between them for hours. Once he is done, he will let you know if it's good or not.