2023 Nissan Patrol Warrior video review
Nissan has taken the well-regarded Warrior treatment first seen on the Navara and applied it to the old but formidable Nissan Patrol. We get behind the wheel of a pre-production model to see what is in store.
The 2023 Nissan Patrol Warrior gets an Australian-only makeover, and it’s angry.
Like the Nissan Navara Warrior before it, the Patrol Warrior is transformed by third-party automotive specialist, Premcar.
In an atmosphere where cylinder counts are going down – making V8s a threatened species on the new car scene – old-bones V8s like the Nissan Patrol are finding themselves with a distinct point of difference in a sea of downsized engines around the auto industry.
We got the chance to get behind the wheel of a pre-production example of the forthcoming Patrol Warrior.
We don’t know pricing, and the exact specification may change before the vehicle arrives. However, what we have here is a very strong indication of what will soon be landing in Nissan showrooms.
Why are they making the Nissan Patrol Warrior?
When it first came out back in 2010, the Y62 Nissan Patrol ruffled feathers. Not only did Nissan come to the market without any choice of a diesel engine under the bonnet – enraging the faithful – it also moved into a more salubrious space and much higher price bracket.
Perhaps worst of all, there wasn’t a live axle in sight, which really got those sabres rattling.
And it’s fair to say that at the beginning sales were slow. Nissan’s pricing structure at the time didn’t stack up well against the established arch-nemesis Toyota LandCruiser.
But in recent years, the tables have certainly turned. The Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, now using twin-turbocharged V6 diesel power, is struggling to meet market demand, and Nissan’s Patrol has been steadily ramping upwards in appeal, appreciation, and sales figures.
It’s not cockies, open-cut miners, and hardcore desert dwellers buying the Y62 Patrols. Buyers are mostly from the suburbs and major regional centres; young families who want something that can be a jack-of-all-trades.
And the Patrol trades in space and comfort without a drama, has good towing and off-road capabilities, and has a glorious (if muted) bent-eight under that voluminous bonnet.
And much like Nissan giving the Navara four-wheel-drive ute over to the engineering team at Premcar for a Warrior-themed makeover, the big Patrol is ripe for an angry glow-up.
What is different about the Nissan Patrol Warrior?
The premise of this Patrol Warrior is the same as the ute sibling: increasing the bandwidth of capability on offer, pushing the envelope in terms of off-road driving without compromising things like refinement, comfort and towing.
And unsurprisingly, it’s a similar recipe of upgrades on the menu for the Patrol: wheels, tyres, suspension, bash plate and some aesthetic updates.
There’s no bullbar or light bar up front, but the GVM of the Patrol Warrior gets a helpful increase. It goes up by 130kg, which more than covers the 72kg increase in kerb weight (which mostly comes from the new wheel and tyre package).
Those tyres work out to be 34.4 inches in overall diameter, which is one of the biggest tyres you’ll come across on a showroom floor in Australia. After benchmarking a bunch of options, Premcar chose Yokohama Geolander GO15s in a 295/70 R18 with heavy-duty light truck construction.
These tyres are wrapped around a new wheel design for the Patrol Warrior, and made by the same Australian company that makes the wheels for the Navara Warrior. Fender flares – made with an OEM-quality injection-moulding process – complete the exterior look.
It’s also worth pointing out that the Patrol Warrior uses the lower-grade Ti as a base rather than the top-spec Ti-L. This is because of the better approach angle afforded by the front bumper, but buyers will have to live without some of the top-spec niceties, such as an upgraded 13-speaker sound system, chilled centre console, digital rear-view mirror and heated/vented front seats.
However, there is still a relatively high level of specification available for this Patrol Warrior: push-button start, tri-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring and a 360-degree camera system.
The 5.6-litre petrol V8, which makes 298kW and 560Nm, is unchanged for the Patrol Warrior. Premcar did investigate the possibility of adding a Harrop-sourced supercharger into the mix, but opted to keep the project simpler and ultimately less expensive.
And anyway, those who want such a thing can still bolt on some whining noises regardless.
In case you’re wondering, belt-driven forced induction can add around 200 horsepower at the wheels, while a more hardcore set-up (along with a bunch of supporting modifications) can chase four figures worth of pferdestärke from this V8.
I digress… A new exhaust system – from the catalytic converter back – really changes the nature of this VK56 V8. It’s a new bi-modal system, which switches in between a regular outlet at the rear (for a regular quiet sound) and an angry side-exit via twin square pipes.
The loud side exit gets activated when you reach a certain threshold of speed, revs and throttle input, but also comes on automatically when you pop the gearshifter across into manual mode.
Nissan Patrol Warrior suspension
The suspension modifications of a Nissan Patrol are an interesting subject, and worth explaining because the suspension set-up of a Patrol is far from regular. Having independent suspension all-round is one thing, but the Hydraulic Body Motion Control (HBMC) system is where things get interesting.
Instead of using traditional anti-roll bars to rein in excessive body movement, the Patrol’s dampers are interlinked with a pressurised hydraulic system that all feeds into a central accumulator.
So as the body wants to roll around a corner, the compression of the dampers forces oil across to the other side and works to limit body roll.
And the beauty of no anti-roll bars is that off-road articulation isn’t as limited. However, independent suspension all round isn’t exactly going to flex through the ruts like an Instagram-ready GQ Patrol, so keep your expectations in check.
Modifying such a thing is no easy task. One cannot simply swap out or retune the shock absorbers, and adjusting the stiffness and size of the springs also presents issues.
Some aftermarket companies do offer lift kits for the HBMC-equipped Y62 Patrol, but I think it’s quite safe to say that none are at the same level as this Premcar-fettled set-up.
It’s a partially destructive process, but the system is opened up and de-pressurised, while the dampers are rebuilt in a dust-free room with a bespoke billet housing and custom shim stacks to suit the overall suspension tune.
The front springs are longer and softer, while the rear springs are a triple-rate progressive set-up ranging from soft to firm to extra soft. The initial soft section helps for off-road absorption, which yields to a firm section to allow the Patrol to handle loads and towing. Then, the extra-soft bit stops the coil from unseating under full extension.
All in all, you’ve got a 50mm suspension lift in this Nissan Patrol Warrior.
Nissan Patrol Warrior interior
The interior – perhaps the most dated and age-revealing part of the Patrol overall – has been given a refresh with the Warrior. Gone are the huge slabs of glossy timber panelling around the centre console and dashboard, which is great. They have been replaced with more modest and tasteful panels of embossed alcantara on the dashboard and doors, while the gearshift surround goes for a more sedate gloss black.
And I have to say, it goes a long way to improve the experience of the Patrol inside. It feels less dated and chintzy now, despite the fact Australians were overlooked for an updated interior that other markets currently enjoy.
The infotainment display feels archaic by today’s standards, but the interior of the Patrol still manages to trade strongly in two important currencies: space and comfort. The Nissan Patrol is a genuinely large vehicle, with an interior size that feels closer to a full-sized American truck than a 300 Series LandCruiser.
Is the Nissan Patrol Warrior good off-road?
Firstly, a regular Patrol is no slouch off-road. The combination of big rubber, good levels of clearance and helpful traction aids at the ready means Nissan’s Patrol can easily outperform many other four-wheel-drive utes and wagons in the rough stuff.
What Premcar has done with this Patrol Warrior exacerbates these strengths. More suspension and tyre diameter increases the levels of clearance on offer, making it feel similar to what you’d get in an air-sprung Defender in its highest setting. While I don’t have the exact amount of clearance on offer, it would have to be at (or close to) the top of the class.
All-terrain Yokohama tyres increase the levels of grip on offer, and Nissan’s combination of a limited-slip rear differential (which can also be locked) and off-road traction (with selectable modes) is good. It’s perhaps not as pin-sharp as what you get in a Land Rover or Toyota, but is good regardless. Only a few moments of wheel spin are needed for it to react.
One surprising element of the Patrol – Warrior or not – is the confident feeling of stability afforded through the suspension. Nissan’s Hydraulic Body Motion Control system has benefits off-road clearly, because despite the size of the vehicle, side angles and cross-axle situations don’t feel unsettling from behind the wheel.
Overall, this Warrior treatment of the Patrol takes it from being a confident and capable off-roader (and something of a dark horse) into being one of the most potent off the showroom floor.
And with a flattering and addictive soundtrack, it feels much more engaging and enjoyable at the same time.
Is the Nissan Patrol Warrior better on-road?
A crucial part of the Navara Warrior’s improvement comes from the better on-road experience on top of the off-road ability.
It seems to be the same case here. Our test-driving loop on-road was short but hilariously fun. It was a closed circuit with some bends and switchbacks to negotiate, and we were able to uncork the V8 a little more on the straight sections.
Considering the Patrol weighs 2.7 tonnes and rides on light truck all-terrains, it holds up reasonably well through corners. It lurches, squirms and wriggles underneath you, feeling reminiscent of a cut-price Defender V8. However, it’s not a complete mess, and will likely be something of a riot on the right section of high-speed dirt.
More driving impressions – over longer distances and more varying road surfaces – will need to wait. However, initial impressions indicate that Premcar’s fettling has improved the Patrol on-road as well as off-road.
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