Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport v Nissan Patrol Warrior 2024 Comparison

These broad-shouldered lads are two of the most capable off-road versions of the top-selling upper-large SUVs available in Australia, and while there’s more than $40,000 difference between the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport and the upstart Nissan Patrol Warrior, the winner of this battle won’t be determined purely on price.

No, it’s also about how well they acquit themselves on-road and, especially, off-road.

In this battle, the newer and more modern Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport is priced from $145,876 plus on-road costs, well upstream of the Nissan Patrol Warrior that’s currently set at $101,160 plus ORCs but will soon rise to $104,160 plus ORCs with an MY24 update announced in recent days.

This isn’t the first time we’ve conducted an off-road comparison between the flagship Toyota and Nissan SUVs – before the Warrior launched last year – and it was a contest comfortably won by the newer LandCruiser.

Now, the competition has intensified.

Looking further afield, there are plenty of rivals such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Lexus LX and Land Rover Defender and Discovery models.

But none of them command the sales volumes and, arguably, the customer loyalty of the Japanese duo and the Patrol Warrior has the added street cred of being modified and tuned by Aussie engineering firm Premcar, while retaining its full five-year factory warranty.

Speaking of which, aftersales coverage favours the Nissan because while both have five-year warranties and (lower-than-average) 10,000km service intervals, the Toyota needs to be serviced every six months, not 12 months.

You’ll pay slightly less per service for the Toyota ($400) than the Nissan ($540 on average), but you’re looking at 10 services instead of five over five years.

The Toyota costs $4000 over five years to service while the Nissan will set you back $2715 if you follow the manufacturer’s servicing schedule.

The Nissan also comes with five years’ free roadside assistance where Toyota charges $99 per annum.

The moment you step inside either the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport or the Nissan Patrol Warrior, there’s a sense these towering 4x4 wagons are less about adventure and more about opulence, starting with the large, comfortable, power-operated and leather-clad front seats.

The five-seat Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport delivers the sort of razzle dazzle you’d expect in a Lexus, with heated and cooled front and outboard rear seats and quad-zone automatic climate control, allowing almost every passenger to tailor temperatures to suit.

JBL supplies a very tasty 14-speaker sound system for the Toyota and it also comes fitted with a powered sunroof, an in-car chiller (aka micro fridge), a trio of digital screens and flashy GR Sport logos on the steering wheel, seats and so forth.

Adventurers will take note of the GR Sport’s 18-inch black alloy wheels, but the tyres are the same Dunlop GrandTrek AT30s fitted to all LC300s. They’re technically A/T (all-terrain) tyres but the tread pattern is more highway-terrain or touring.

Other bush-bashing credentials on the LandCruiser include three locking diffs – front, centre and rear – plus low-range gearing, 245mm of ground clearance thanks to a 10mm lift kit and a unique front bumper for a slightly improved approach angle.

The GR Sport is also the only LandCruiser 300 model to get Toyota’s e-KDSS (electronic kinetic dynamic suspension system), which allows the 4WD’s sway bars to disconnect for tricky off-roading, therefore allowing greater wheel articulation and suspension travel. They can reconnect on-road to improve handling dynamics.

The eight-seat Nissan Patrol Warrior can’t match the Toyota in terms of equipment levels or high-tech gizmos, making do with a three-zone climate control set-up (which will drop to a dual-zone system with the imminent upgrade), no heated or cooled seats whatsoever, no sunroof or cool box and an unbranded six-speaker sound system – which admittedly delivers good audio quality.

Nissan’s muscular machine doesn’t get the trio of locking diffs or similar e-KDSS tech as found in the GR Sport either, but it does have a full-time 4x4 system with low-range gearing, along with a single locking rear diff.

It’s clear that you get more for your money with the Toyota, but align them side-by-side and it’s evident the locally-fettled Patrol Warrior is tailor-made for mud-plugging, the taller, wider 4x4 wagon’s mega 34-inch Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tyres (also shod to 18-inch alloy wheels) brandishing more aggressive off-road tread patterns.

Together with a 29mm suspension lift (and 21mm from the tyres), the vehicle is raised 50mm higher compared to its donor car, the mid-spec Nissan Patrol Ti, delivering an impressive 323mm of ground clearance.

That also represents a very handy 78mm more clearance than the GR Sport.

The Warrior is wider by 40mm over the Patrol Ti with new wheel-arches and mud flaps to suit, while a new front bumper delivers an improved approach angle, complete with a custom 2.5mm steel bash plate with ‘Warrior’ lettering for a bit more visual and physical impact, while side pipes add heaps of acoustic aggression too.

The 2024 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport is a significantly newer vehicle and as such it’s got a lot more safety tech than the Nissan Patrol Warrior.

That’s reflected in the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating handed down in 2022 for the broader Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, although the GR Sport remains unrated due to its more off-road-oriented specifications.

No variants of the Y62 Nissan Patrol, including the Warrior, have been tested by ANCAP.

Both the Patrol and LandCruiser come with LED headlights (and LED tail-lights) – the Toyota’s front lamps are better for night driving, offering a greater spread – while things like blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert are fitted to both vehicles.

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) is also standard on both, but it’s a more advanced system in the LandCruiser and the same goes for lane keep assistance and adaptive cruise control systems – they’re simply newer and more effective in the Toyota, and together with real-time traffic sign recognition (speed limit updates), the LC300 is more relaxing to drive on longer highway stints.

The Toyota’s 10 airbags also trump the Nissan’s six, as do its clearer, more refined reversing and 360-degree camera systems. A surround-view camera is also another feature to be deleted on the incoming upgrade for the Patrol.

When it comes to tech, you get what you pay for here, the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport delivering a trio of large digital screens, smartphone mirroring and wireless charging.

That leaves the Nissan Patrol Warrior feeling crusty and stale by comparison, with its small single screen and lack of advanced tech.

That said, shortly after concluding this comparison Nissan announced an update for the Patrol range, including the Warrior, which upgrades the insultingly low-res 8.0-inch central touch-screen to a bigger 10-inch screen. It’s still not as big as the Toyota’s 12.3-inch display, and not factory-fit (supplied locally instead), so we’ll reserve judgement until we have the chance to test its functionality.

On paper, the Patrol upgrades at least now match the Toyota with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, an improved reversing camera (but losing a 360-degree view), USB-C ports and digital radio. It also trumps its rival with the addition of a digital rear-view mirror.

For all that, the Nissan still gets a basic instrument panel – upgrade or not. It comprises a decrepit 4.0-inch dot matrix trip computer unable to match the 7.0-inch colour digital display of the Toyota, nor its excellent head-up display.

The Nissan also has an archaic foot-operated park brake and no auto-hold function to improve its urban chops.

However, it should be mentioned that the Nissan gets a tyre pressure monitoring system while the Toyota does not – a strange omission for a vehicle designed to hop over sharp rocks.

In addition to the equipment and tech differences, there’s a chasm between these four-wheeled leviathans on the powertrain front, the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport favouring a 3.3-litre twin-turbo diesel V6 while the Nissan Patrol Warrior employs a booming 5.6-litre naturally-aspirated petrol V8.

Peak power of 227kW at 4000rpm from the Toyota’s 3346cc six-cylinder diesel is impressive, but it’s the 700Nm available from just 1600pm that gives it an easiness and effortlessness when accelerating, hooked up to its new 10-speed automatic transmission.

The Patrol Warrior’s 5552cc engine remains untouched by Premcar and requires more revs to reach its sweet spot, belting out 298kW at 5800rpm and 560Nm at 4000rpm, but it does get an upgraded exhaust system complete with side exit outlets.

Ultimately, the Toyota generates less power but more torque than the Nissan, which pumps through a seven-speed automatic transmission.

Both the V6 and V8 engines sound surprisingly gruff but the bi-modal valve that kicks in when you hammer the Patrol is just magic, unleashing a bassy warble through the side pipes that truly stir the soul.

It will come as no surprise that neither the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport nor the Nissan Patrol Warrior are particularly fuel-efficient.

Toyota reckons its 2.6-tonne flagship SUV consumes diesel at a rate of 8.9L/100km on the official combined cycle, while our test ended with a thirstier real-world figure of 10.2L/100km.

The Nissan’s kerb weight nudges 2.9 tonnes and is claimed to drink fuel at a rate of 14.4L/100km, but our testing concluded with an eye-watering 16.9L/100km.

The LandCruiser has a smaller 110-litre fuel tank compared to the Patrol’s 140 litres, but even with the extra-large fuel bladder the Nissan won’t go quite as far – about 800km for the Nissan on a tank, and circa-900km for the Toyota.

The 2024 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport feels like a big old couch on wheels – easy-going and relaxing to drive – thanks to its supple suspension and compelling V6 diesel engine. It just lopes along country roads, the engine happy as Larry ticking over at 1300rpm at 100km/h in ninth gear.

The old diesel V8 was no slouch but the new twin-turbo V6 revs more eagerly with almost the same creamy-smooth power delivery. Open up the taps and the engine acoustics are surprisingly resonant, too. Sure, it’s no V8, but it still provides an emotional connection between car and driver.

Toyota’s V6 is a refreshingly honest engine in operation, with globs of low- and mid-range muscle easily accessible thanks to the 10-speed automatic gearbox.

While our test vehicle’s gearbox software had just undergone a reset (as part of a national recall designed to stop the transmission engaging forward gears when slotted into neutral), it still exhibited proactivity and decisiveness on test. A few wooden shifts here and there but nothing out of the ordinary.

In terms of on-road handling dynamics, the GR Sport is best described as mediocre. Considering it’s five metres long and weighs 2.6 tonnes, the Cruiser handles predictably through modest corners but get a bit untidy as speeds increase.

Simply put, the e-KDSS system struggles to contain its mass, the tall body moving a half second behind the rest of the vehicle, lolling around when pushed.

But, as mentioned, it’s a couch on wheels, ride comfort is excellent and in this it’s fit for purpose. The soft suspension soaks up cracks and fissures in broken road surfaces like a thick chamois soaks up moisture from a freshly washed car.

The Toyota’s interior has good sound insulation so that wind, road and engine noise rarely intrude and its high-riding body and upright windows provide excellent vision.

The Nissan Patrol Warrior, by comparison, offers an even better view of the road thanks to its jacked-up torso and is a slightly better performer on-road, despite its chunkier tyres and louder engine.

Although Premcar has adopted softer front and rear springs, the Patrol feels slightly nimbler than the LandCruiser GR Sport, tracking through corners with more confidence and less body roll and head toss – quite a feat given it’s carrying an extra 300kg.

A big part of its poise and balance is due to Premcar’s recalibration of the Patrol’s hydraulic body motion control (HBMC) damping system. Combined with the 40mm-wider track, it gives the big rig more of a tied-to-the-road feel than the Toyota.

By the same token it’s still very much like a big worn-in sofa on the freeway although not quite as gentle and fluid on the open road as the Toyota. The Patrol’s steering is much lighter and less refined, and rack rattle sometimes kicks back through the steering wheel in bumpy corners.

Overall, it’s a very close race – until emotions come into play.

The Patrol’s V8 is a gas guzzler, make no mistake, but it offers slightly quicker response than the Toyota’s diesel. And although it’s heavier and lacks torque in comparison, it still accelerates with ferocity.

The lumpy engine note gives the Nissan a time-honoured, down-to-earth feel that’s a poisoned chalice in some ways, as it’s exceedingly difficult to drive it efficiently at first… largely because it creates a tremendous sound when the 5.6-litre V8 fires up, its perfectly timed symphony of controlled explosions creating a genuinely soul-stirring soundtrack.

That said, the automatic gearbox is lethargic at best and lazy at worst, often taking its sweet time responding to throttle inputs.

There’s a bit more road noise from the Nissan’s more aggressive all-terrain tyres, but for the most part it’s still a very pleasant mile-muncher and quite a delightful place to while away your long-distance drive time.

Now, this is where things get interesting because these big bruisers are designed to be genuine mountaineers, right out of the box. And it’s true – you can climb in and get dirty without too much preamble.

On challenging fire trails and off-road tracks, the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport performs beautifully, the capable 4WD system diverting power to where it is needed, smoothly and surely.

Despite its measly-looking A/T tyres, the GR Sport grips and goes on slippery terrain, and when things get really questionable, slap it into low-range, lock the diffs and voila! – superhero capability engaged.

Wheel articulation is Olympic gymnast-like across deep, pitted uneven tracks, the disconnecting sway bars really working their magic, the rear wheels almost always in contact with the track surface.

Toyota’s diesel V6 is likewise very impressive at slow speeds, delivering smooth and linear thrust so you can edge your way along tricky passes judiciously.

Overall, the Nissan Patrol Warrior dispatches the same challenges more easily and with less driver oversight required.

The Patrol’s extra ride height gives it more confidence on tricky terrain and the chunkier, more aggressive Yokohama Geolandar A/T tyres generate more grip and arguably more slow-speed feel as well.

On a number of slightly sketchy climbs the Toyota required locking diffs where the Nissan walked – nay, sauntered – its way through.

Although the Warrior doesn’t quite have the wheel articulation of the GR Sport, it doesn’t really need it, the Nissan’s superior grip, ground clearance and a very capable 4x4 system making a mockery of all but the wildest of off-road adventures.

What’s really interesting is the V8 powertrain, which manages to deliver similar low- and mid-range torque delivery to the slicker, newer 300 Series’ V6 diesel, which makes off-roading largely undaunting.

By engaging Rock mode, throttle response becomes softer and the Patrol feels incredibly sure-footed and dialled-in. Of course, it is stoppable, but for something straight out of the box and with a full factory warranty it does very, very well in demanding conditions.

Both vehicles have front and rear-facing camera systems that come in handy on steep climbs, descents and clambering over large rocks, giving you an extra pair of eyes low on the front bumper. That said, as we’ve mentioned already, the 360-degree surround-view camera is about to disappear with the imminent Patrol upgrade.

For the record, the Nissan has an approach angle of 40 degrees, significantly better than the Toyota’s 32 degrees, but departure angles favour the LandCruiser, 25 versus the Patrol’s 23.3 degrees.

Both vehicles have a 700mm wading depth.

The kerb weight of the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport is 2630kg compared to the Nissan Patrol Warrior at 2884kg, and while both can tow a braked trailer weighing up to 3500kg – or so says the nomenclature – the Warrior has a payload of 386kg at such a juncture, compared to the LandCruiser GR Sport’s 300kg.

The Toyota struggled when fully laden during our previous LandCruiser versus Patrol comparison, which took us to the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, and it comes as no surprise when you look at the in/on vehicle payload limits (without a trailer) of 650kg for the Cruiser versus 750kg for the Patrol.

Given the Nissan’s bigger size, 5269mm length versus the Toyota’s 4995mm, it’s no surprise that cargo space is better in the Patrol too, with 500L, 1490L and a whopping 3170 litres of boot space when all three seat rows, then two, then just front seats are in place respectively.

The LandCruiser GR Sport, meanwhile, is strictly a two-row, five-seat vehicle and offers 1131 litres, expanding to 2052L with the back seats folded away.

The 2024 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport and Nissan Patrol Warrior both deliver acres of room for all occupants and plenty of luxury, but where the Toyota is modern and civilised and brimming with high-resolution screens – like an OLED TV – the Nissan feels like a classic CRT TV, or maybe a flick book.

That’s not a criticism per se, more an observation – the Nissan is a lot older and feels it, the ruffled leather in the doors a nod to early 2000s chic.

On the flipside, the dizzying number of buttons and controls in the Toyota are overwhelming at first. Owners will get used to all the controls eventually and, overall, the LandCruiser GR Sport is a very comfy place to spend time, with good fit and finish and leather (or some approximation of it) covering all the major touch points.

The Nissan looks dated in most respects but its classic finishes do nothing to harm comfort levels and the leather upholstery on the seats is actually slightly better in the Patrol. It also comes with more suede or microfibre, and although there’s only one main ‘Warrior’ logo in the cabin, it’s still a very nice place to hang out.

Both vehicles get eight-way power-adjustable front seats with lumbar, and although the Nissan pews miss out on cooling or memory settings like in the Toyota, and the steering wheel isn’t power-adjustable, incidental storage is better and the seats are a little wider and a smidgen comfier.

Despite its significantly higher price, the safe money was always going to be on the 2024 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport, but either of these vehicles will make owners happy, especially when off-roading is a key purchasing decision.

And if you have an allegiance to either brand, go with that one. You won’t be disappointed.

The LandCruiser GR Sport is arguably a better all-rounder but the deep chasm in price it must cross to match the Nissan is greater than the political divide between left and right. And it doesn’t feel like a $45,000 better vehicle.

So the Nissan Patrol Warrior is the winner in this test because it’s a better dirt demon, a tremendously capable off-road machine, first and foremost. It strides through bush tracks with more confidence than the Toyota – bordering on arrogance – and is testament to the engineering and validation completed by the Aussie skunkworks outfit at Premcar.

That the Nissan Patrol Warrior is so very nearly as good as the Toyota on-road is quite a surprise, and given the Patrol is also just about to offer extra tech with the imminent upgrade, it’ll be an even more compelling proposition going forward.

2024 Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport at a glance:
Price: $145,876 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel
Output: 227kW/700Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 235g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested

2024 Nissan Patrol Warrior at a glance:
Price: $101,160 (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: Not tested