My love for the Patrol started when I was a kid growing up in Dubai. Its striking road presence always fascinated me and getting a sixth-generation model for myself was a dream realised. The Patrol's entry into the world of off-roading in the early 1950s marked the birth of a legendary 4x4 which is still the first choice for many youngsters and off-road enthusiasts in the region.
Although the Patrol has been around in the UAE for a long time, its presence and influence on a lot of people was felt the most over the past couple of decades.
Making an impact
It's one of those vehicles that demand respect irrespective of how old or new the car is and that, in my opinion, is the kind of impact a car should create — consistently delivering great performance over time.
A lot of modern 4x4s fail to create the same kind of impact simply because they were not consistent in terms of delivering quality and reliability in the past or because they're relatively new productson the market.
In fact, in every category of goods, most of the popular brands have a history of consistently delivering the right stuff to the right people which, eventually, makes it easy for people to adopt new releases - even if the new products have features that may not be an absolute necessity. For example, Apple's success with the iPod and iPhone made it easy for the company to get the products' fans to buy the iPad which to many might seem like a novelty today, but could be the future of mobile computing.
The new seventh-generation Nissan Patrol is quite different from its predecessors in many ways. Yes, it does look like it means business and it blends in with the curvy SUVs out in force on our streets today, but it's not instantly recognisable like the earlier generations. Maybe it's something that will set in over time, but those earlier Patrols were recognisable a mile away just from the unmistakable body shape imprinted on our minds over the years.
Before we get into the plethora of features, I think it's worth mentioning that the Patrol's world premiere in Abu Dhabi a few months ago was the first ever in the Middle East by a Japanese automaker. It's clearlyan indication of the bond it shares with this region.
A giant leap
The Patrols up to the sixth generation were mostly intended as efficientoff-road vehicles, although the full option Super Safari versions tried to put in a bit of comfort and luxuryfor the passengers.
The fact, however, remained that luxury was not something that the Patrol primarily offered along with its off-road capabilities. It meant business and its business was ‘off tarmac on uneven places'. The 2010 Patrol is a giant leap forward in terms of off-road capability as well ason-road luxury and cabin space.
The Patrol's new 5.6 litre V8 engine generates 400hp and 560Nm of torque. Quite an upgrade from the earlier 4.8-litre straight six engine. The throttle response is something that I found quite impressive during the test drive and it lacks the drag that most large SUVs have when they start moving. Like the earlier Patrols, the engine has a lot of torque, but the difference with the 2010 Patrol is that it's a lot faster in addition to being a great climber. It also has a large cruising range thanks to its 140-litre fuel tank.
The all-mode 4x4 transmission is a new feature for the Patrol andit also incorporates a variable 4x4 mode which enables the driver to choose between on-road, rock, snow and sand options. It also comes with hill descent control and a rear differential locking system.
Another world-first feature is the Hydraulic Body Motion Control System which uses hydraulic cylinders above each wheel, combined with cross-piping and accumulators that vary the oil levels to counteract the body roll during lane changes and while cornering. Sounds very technical and complicated, but the bottom line is that it works and body roll is considerably lower than most premium off-road capable 4x4sI have tried. Road friendly SUVs don't really need this feature since their suspensions are not off-road friendly in the first place.
On the whole, the power, response and drivability of the Patrol both on-road and off-road are impressive and do justice to the upgrade.
The interiors have been spiced up to ensure that the driver and passenger experience total comfort when on-road. A/C vents are now also located above each window, blowing down cold air which acts as a ‘curtain vent' that reduces the impact of the heat from the windows. A very thoughtful feature, and a necessity in this region. The DVD screens behind the front headrests as well as the screen on the dashboard can each display content independently.The tyre pressure monitors come with an additional tyre inflation indicator that beeps softly when the right pressure has been reached.
Being a big fan of the Nissan Patrol, I would summarise the 2010 model as a really good car with good interiors. It's a very capable off-road package with lots of gadgetry and electronics which are not bad at all, with a body design that needs a little getting used to. With more luxury and finesse than its predecessors, and the corresponding increased price tag of around Dh277,000, the new model makes me think of Roger Waters singing, "Can't you see... It all makes perfect sense, expressed in dollars and cents, dirhams and fils..."
