Nissan Patrol Warrior 2025 Review

The Nissan Patrol Warrior is priced at $105,160 plus on-road costs (ORCs). That puts it $15,900 above the Nissan Patrol Ti ($89,260 plus ORCs) on which it’s based and $3200 dearer than Nissan’s Patrol flagship, the Patrol Ti-L ($101,960 plus ORCs).

However, it’s still well under the price of what many would consider its arch nemesis, the off-road-honed Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport, which comes in at a whopping $144,791 plus ORCs.

For the extra outlay, auto-engineering house Premcar has waved its Warrior wand with a list of updates, both cosmetic and mechanical. Topping the list is revised suspension, which sees Nissan’s Hydraulic Body Motion Control (HBMC) damping setup retuned and equipped with new springs front and rear to improve performance both on- and off-road. It’s an independent double wishbone setup front and rear.

Also new are the unique 18-inch alloys shod with chunky Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tyres, the red front bash plate, the rear towbar assembly with twin rear recovery points, the ‘bi-modal’ exhaust system (more on that later), and a host of cosmetic touches both inside (Alcantara dash and door trim) and out (Warrior decals and badge, bumper valances, black grille and flare kit).

Then there’s the new tech, which sees much of the centre stack real estate taken up by a new 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, and the old 8.0-inch unit replaced by a concealed storage cubby. With the upgrade come wireless (and wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a slot in the centre console for wireless smartphone charging, and a double USB-A/USB-C outlet.

The Patrol Warrior also scores a six-speaker stereo system with AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio, a digital rearview mirror, a centre-console cool box, dual-zone air-conditioning with second-row controls, iGO Street Navigation sat-nav and a 30-day trial of Hema 4x4 Navigation.

Gun Metallic is the standard hue, while three prestige colours available for just over a grand extra: Moonstone White (as shown), Brilliant Silver, and Black Obsidian.

As for safety, the Y62 Nissan Patrol has never been rated by ANCAP since its introduction in 2012. That said, it still ticks many staples like autonomous emergency braking, six airbags, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and tyre pressure monitoring.

Pleasingly, in this day of audio alert bombardment, most systems are relatively unobtrusive in their operation, while the lane departure system can be easily switched off (and will stay off) if desired.

Curiously, the 360-degree camera of earlier Patrol Warriors has gone, replaced with a wide-angle (if awkwardly offset from centre) reversing camera only, which makes parking this large vehicle that bit more difficult – although it does have front and rear parking sensors.

Premcar has stopped short of tweaking the Patrol Warrior’s powerplant, the naturally aspirated 5.6-litre V8 still pumping out a healthy 298kW at 5800rpm and 560Nm at 4000rpm. It’s mated to a seven-speed automatic and a full-time 4WD system, with dual-range transfer case, rear differential lock, and a choice of drive modes (Road, Rock, Sand and Snow).

Irrespective of the unveiling late last year of the new Y63 Patrol, estimated to reach Australia in late 2026, it seems there’s plenty of life left in the existing Y62 Nissan Patrol, which according to VFACTS data accounted for over 8200 new registrations last year.

Yes, its long-time rival, the Toyota LandCruiser, outsold it by nearly two to one, but that Patrol tally is nothing to be sniffed at. And helping keep the momentum going is the Nissan Patrol Warrior, with its raft of updates all aimed at giving the vehicle’s handling and functionality a healthy bump.

This is our first review of the Patrol Warrior with its updated infotainment and tech, and while some aspects of the Warrior’s interior can’t help but betray its age, the tech update does right some prominent wrongs.

The new 10.1-inch infotainment system from Australian firm Directed Technologies takes a while to boot up but once online it’s clear, fast and easy to use. The inclusion of smartphone mirroring is a huge plus and we like the large, physical dial for volume/mute at the bottom of the screen.

The digital rearview mirror display is a little grainy but it does give a good wide-angle view to the rear unimpeded by centre-seat headrests.

The double port USB-A/USB-C outlet is handy, as is the wireless smartphone charging slot in the centre console, while the centre-console cool box (with dual-hinged lid) and the dual-zone air-con all help in the comfort and convenience stakes.

Having said that, we’d like heating and ventilation for the front seats too – the features are absent in the Warrior because they’re not included in the base-model Patrol Ti, but they are in the up-spec TiL. At least both driver and passenger seats get electric adjustment, 10-way and eight-way respectively.

But it’s the velvety smooth V8, and the Premcar-fitted ‘bi-modal’ exhaust that lets you hear the powerplant in all its guttural glory, that will hook in buyers of a certain persuasion – V8 aficionados who won’t faint at the prospect of thirsty fuel economy, big fuel bills, or hefty carbon emissions. If that’s you, you can sit back and revel in an engine that propels the Patrol’s sizeable 2884kg kerb weight and generous dimensions with impressive pace, and all to a stirring soundtrack.

The exhaust is a clever bit of gear. When driving with usual restraint the note remains distant and muted. However, plant your right foot and the soft growl makes way for a visceral V8 snarl from the system’s driver’s side outlet.

Also impressive is the Patrol Warrior’s off-road prowess. The V8’s grunt sees the Warrior virtually idle up steep and technical climbs, while the vehicle’s 50mm lift and increased ground clearance (now 323mm) also pay dividends.

Off-road geometry is excellent, with the shorter front bumper delivering a healthy 40-degree approach angle, although that additional side exhaust outlet is a little exposed, bolted to the underside of the side step as it is.

The long-travel suspension works well off-road, giving a good level of control over bigger hits and generally keeping progress tidy, be it in low range or over corrugations at higher speeds. It’s a stable platform in the rough stuff, an aspect no doubt assisted by its wider track (up 40mm, to 1735mm). Wheelbase remains unchanged, at 3075mm.

And we love the spacious and comfortable cabin, with room for up to eight in a 2-3-3 seating layout. Granted, the third row is generally for kids only, but elsewhere there’s acres of leg and head room and comfortable leather-accented seating for all.

Climb up into the driver’s seat (and for most it will be a climb – luckily the side steps plus A- and B-pillar grab handles help the ascent) and the Patrol Warrior reveals its age with dated analogue instruments sandwiching a small, monochrome digi display. The old-school feel is further backed up by the foot-operated park brake. Admittedly, some will appreciate the simplicity, but for many the Y62 will be showing its age.

For such a large vehicle, the Patrol Warrior acquits itself well on sealed roads, although we did note a degree of vibration and road shock through the steering wheel. It’s perhaps all the more noticeable because otherwise the vehicle is admirably devoid of noise, vibration and harshness – even the chunky all-terrain tyres are pretty quiet on the highway.

On sealed roads the initial damping seems quite firm – the ride is a little jiggly over smaller and sharper road imperfections, or at least it is when unladen. An all-rounder’s suspension will always be a trade-off, and many will consider it a small price to pay for a setup that performs admirably off-road, while also arresting body roll well when on the bitumen.

With the lifted ride height, an overall height of 1990mm, and that hefty kerb weight, the Patrol Warrior belies its bulk on the road, although it is a big bus to guide around town and a pain to park, where its relatively slow steering, 12.6m (kerb to kerb) turning circle, and 5269mm length (up 94mm) make their presence felt.

The seven-speed transmission takes its time to change ratios in manual mode, and when off-road engaging low range can be a bit fiddly, sometimes necessitating a bit of back-and-forth shuffling to enact the shift.

Finally, with plenty of weight and a big V8 comes fuel consumption to match. Over a mix of motorways, country roads, city driving and a bit of off-roading, we settled on an average figure of 16.6L/100km – 2.2L/100km over the ADR combined cycle figure of 14.4L/100km. Fortunately it has a sizeable 140L fuel tank, giving a working fuel range of somewhere around 800 kilometres.

If you need space and power for your adventures, be it outback touring, off-road hijinks, or towing a big boat or caravan, the Nissan Patrol Warrior will serve you well. It’s relatively easy to look past the dated platform’s shortcomings when you acknowledge its sheer functionality and practicality, and the Premcar Warrior treatment has made a good play of addressing some of the Y62’s bugbears, especially when it comes to infotainment.

Yes, it’s a thirsty beast, and some may prefer to wait for the incoming Y63 and its undoubtedly more frugal twin-turbo V6. But for anyone who recognises the benefits of buying a proven platform at the end of its development cycle – and those who love a big V8 – the Nissan Patrol Warrior still provides plenty of reasons to smile.

2024 Nissan Patrol Warrior at a glance:
Price: $105,520 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 5.6-litre V8 petrol
Output: 298kW/560Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel: 14.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 334g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Unrated

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