Toyota LandCruiser v Nissan Patrol 2022 Off-Road Comparison

We’ve tested the new 2022 Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series previously against its most obvious rival, the Nissan Patrol Y62. But that test was done on-road and in tow.

This time we’re hitting the tracks and trails in the new iteration of an off-road legend and its longest-running rival. We want to learn which most easily traverses rocks, gravel and mud and which can most competently cross water. That is, after all, what each of these off-road SUV legends is designed for.

Yes, they each have three rows of seats and all the trinkets to keep the family content on everything from the school run to a blast to the holiday house, but they’re also designed to traverse the harshest terrain on earth – something we want to put to the test.

Both sit on a ladder-frame chassis and both have a low-range transfer case for the technical slow-speed stuff for which so much of their engineering core is designed around.

Does the newcomer improve on the LandCruiser legend and live up to the most famous automotive name in the bush? Or is the mighty Y62 Patrol good enough to outclass it where it really counts and where reputations are cemented?

As with all off-road adventures our trip will also take in freeways and country B-roads. It’s about testing the adventure mettle of the two big guns of the 4x4 world.

The 2022 Nissan Patrol is the one that sets the pricing benchmark for this test, mainly because it doesn’t have anything like the model choice of the 2022 Toyota LandCruiser. There are only two Patrol variants: the luxury Ti and even more luxurious Ti-L.

We’ve gone for the Ti-L because it most closely aligns with the new LandCruiser, which is more expensive than ever. That said, there’s still a chasm between them.

The LC300 line-up now consists of six model grades, with the Sahara ZX and GR Sport now sitting above the long-running GX, GXL, VX and Sahara nameplates.

For this test we’ve chosen the VX, which is the most affordable LandCruiser that looks and feels luxurious (GX and GXL are clearly built to a price rather than to wow).

There’s a big elephant in the very big large-SUV room occupied by the Nissan Patrol and Toyota LandCruiser. One is sort of pricey, the other one is pricier still.

Our Patrol Ti-L kicks things off at $95,115 (plus on-road costs), which is still more affordable than the most affordable of the seven-seat LandCruisers (the GXL, at $101,790 plus ORCs).

It’s almost laughable that something around $100K is something of a bargain in the large SUV set, but that’s how much the market has shifted over the past few years.

Our LC300 VX that sits near the middle of the range and comes in at $113,990 plus on-road costs.

Official Redbook forecasts suggest you’ll get a fair chunk of that back when you sell; after five years and 80,000km the valuation service predicts you’ll maintain 71 per cent of the SUV’s original value, whereas the Patrol is forecast to hold on to 62 per cent of its value after the same time.

Putting that in raw numbers, the Patrol is expected to lose $36,165 over the first five years whereas the LandCruiser drops $33,040 in the same timeframe.

The Patrol has a 5.6-litre petrol V8 while the LandCruiser gets a new 3.3-litre twin-turbo diesel V6 with more grunt than the diesel V8 it replaces. We’ll detail the donks later.

You’re also getting more metal in the Patrol. At 5175mm long and 1995mm wide, it’s 195mm longer and 15mm wider than the LandCruiser. And with a wheelbase of 3075mm there’s an additional 225mm separating the front and rear wheels.

While separated by a decade of development, there are plenty of spec similarities between the 2022 Toyota LandCruiser and the 2022 Nissan Patrol.

Each gets 18-inch alloy wheels, heated and ventilated front seats, sunroof, front and rear parking sensors, power adjustable front seats, power adjustable steering wheel, 360-degree camera, satellite-navigation, exterior puddle lights and enough chrome and glitz to keep the bling set happy.

Both also get smart key entry, although the Patrol’s only works on the front doors (you have to press a button) whereas the LandCruiser allows you to grab any of the four door-handles without aiming for a button.

In VX guise there’s no seat memory buttons in the LandCruiser (you have to step up to Sahara for that) whereas the Patrol allows you to program his and hers settings.

The LandCruiser’s 12.3-inch touch-screen trounces the 8.0-inch unit in the Patrol and it’s a similar drubbing when it comes to clarity, the Patrol’s age showing in the way images appear a tad dull and muddy.

Wins in the Patrol’s favour include a 13-speaker Bose audio system versus a decent non-branded 10-speaker system in the LandCruiser. The Patrol also gets rear DVD screens and a cooler box in the centre console, as well as a power operated tailgate.

Tyre pressure sensors are also a handy addition for warning of a puncture before it turns into something worse (as with many things in the LandCruiser world, that’s left to the aftermarket to sort out).

The Patrol also gets real leather while the LC300’s seats are trimmed in fake leather, but good luck spotting the difference. And we’ll take the LandCruiser’s matte-finish fake wood trim over the glossy fake wood trim in the Patrol. Front seats in the LandCruiser also provide better support.

Need to carry lots of people? Both have seven seats, although if you do without some of the kit in the Patrol by choosing the Ti you’ll get eight pews to squeeze another tolerant toddler into the third row.

Plus the rear door openings on the Patrol are broader with less intrusion from the back wheel-arch, making climbing aboard that little easier. There’s also more middle-row legroom in the Patrol, in part because its front seats don’t slide back as far as the ’Cruiser’s.

Both have myriad grab handles smattered around the cabin to make the ascent that bit easier.

While the VX misses out on some of the Ti-L’s showroom-friendly trinkets, it makes up for them with equipment that will arguably be more appreciated more often.

Wireless phone charging and a partially digital instrument cluster top that list and the connectivity of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also handy.

There’s also quad-zone ventilation versus tri-zone in the Patrol, potentially diffusing a back-seat cross-bench barny. Not to mention the multi-terrain monitor, which we’ll talk more about later.

The LandCruiser fights back with three years of Toyota Connected Services that includes stolen vehicle tracking and an emergency call function that can alert a call centre in the event of a serious crash. Perhaps not much use in the high country or the Simpson Desert, but where there’s phone range it could prove invaluable.

Plus the ’Cruiser gets a 230V powerpoint and five USB ports versus a single USB connector in the Patrol and a smattering of 12V outlets.

One area the Patrol counters with is with a rear-view mirror that can be flicked to turn into a screen. While the image isn’t as clear as what you’ll see in a reflection, it’s a lot better than what you’ll see if the boot is loaded to the roof with luggage or talking heads.

But there are also whiffs of cost-cutting in the 300 Series, with some previously-loved LandCruiser features now MIA. The double sunvisors and split tailgate top that list.

A dial to adjust the volume of the sound system is another (buttons never work as well). They’re missed, but are unlikely to dissuade the faithful from scurrying towards a ’Cruiser.

A five-star ANCAP safety rating was recently awarded to the 2022 Toyota LandCruiser (although the GR Sport misses out) whereas the 2022 Nissan Patrol has not been independently crash-tested by ANCAP.

But at 2750kg for the Patrol and 2630kg for the LandCruiser they have sheer mass on their side in arguments against most other vehicles on the road.

The LandCruiser wins the airbag count – 10 versus six – although the numbers partly distort the level of protection.

Both get dual front airbags and side curtain airbags, although whereas the Nissan counts those curtains as two airbags (one for each side), the Toyota splits the count into three each side for six in total, effectively offering the same coverage as the Patrol.

The major difference in the Toyota’s airbag count comes with knee airbags for those up front.

In terms of crash avoidance, each ticks the boxes when it comes to 2022 expectations. There’s a forward-facing camera and radar that provide auto emergency braking.

The Toyota’s has pedestrian and daytime cyclist protection whereas the Patrol misses out. Each also gets rear cross traffic alert, blind spot warning and lane departure warning with mild self-steering.

If you’re a V8 lover stop reading now, because the new V6 in the 2022 Toyota LandCruiser beats the old V8 diesel in every way.

About the only area it doesn’t prove that a bent eight ain’t everything is in reliability – and only because it hasn’t been around long enough to make a call either way.

Toyota’s reputation suggest it’ll go the distance, although some are nervous that the turbos now sit in the hot V of the engine.

Still, it marks a massive change for the big 4WD. V8s have been the norm for these large SUVs for years. But Toyota has comprehensively changed that with the new 3.3-litre V6 turbo-diesel.

While it’s believed to share plenty with the outgoing V8 (minus a couple of cylinders), it’s obviously smaller and places the turbos inside the 90-degree V at the top of the engine, rather than outboard the engine.

That’s all about shortening the distance air has to travel through the turbo plumbing, in turn reducing turbo lag (the time it takes for the grunt to arrive once you step on the throttle).

There’s no shortage of grunt, either. Whereas the old V8 made 200kW of power and 650Nm of torque, the new V6 steps that up to 227kW and 700Nm, the latter available from as low as 1600rpm.

Throw in a 10-speed automatic that gives the engine a better chance of spinning at its optimum revs for the given situation and it makes for a more impressive bit of kit all around.

That 10-speed auto does a terrific job when cruising and accelerating. It slices through ratios almost imperceptibly and is a terrific chance to have what is a very flexible engine somewhere near its broad sweet spot. So while it can be busy shuffling between gears it doesn’t slow progress or adversely affect comfort.

It makes for effortless cruising, the engine ticking over gently and the transmission dropping a ratio or two as required with no halt to progress.

The engine is quick to hit its peak too. There’s very little lag between when you push the throttle and when the pulling starts, the turbos instead huffing to build the torque required to shift such a big bus.

The Nissan sticks to a more familiar V8 formula and does it without the assistance of turbos. The 5.6-litre petrol unit trounces the LandCruiser for power, with a full 298kW on tap.

Torque is less forthcoming, peaking at 560Nm way up at 4000rpm (that torque peak arrives at the exact point the LC300 is producing its peak power).

That means the Patrol needs more revs to keep things moving. It’s noticeable on an undulating country road, where the seven-speed auto might drop down two or three ratios to maintain speed.

Whereas the LandCruiser’s cruise control eventually enlists the brakes to reduce overspeeding, the Patrol requires more foot intervention.

There are no issues with acceleration though, and if you sink your right hoof and intensify the snarl from the exhaust the big Nissan boogies nicely. It’s borderline brisk and never lacks for pull – again, with the caveat that you’ll need to rev it hard to experience its best.

The more you load the car with people and gear, the more the engine wants to rev, too, effectively employing revs to account for having less turbo torquey-ness down low. It gets the job done, but there’s more bluster along the way.

There was a time when the LandCruiser VX got Toyota’s terrific KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) that helps quell side-to-side body movement while allowing good suspension articulation off-road through the use of a stabiliser bar that could be disengaged.

That system has now morphed into E-KDSS (for electronic KDSS) but it is only available on the flagship GR Sport model (which also picks up other off-road niceties such as triple locking diffs).

While the LandCruiser has been on a diet it also doesn’t take long to realise there are plenty of kilos to contain.

There’s a better flow to the steering through its arc that makes country cruising easier, but there’s also leaning when the suspension is called on to contain the mass.

Jump on the brakes and the nose dives. Switch from a left to a right-hand corner and there’s noticeable leaning in the lofty heights of the cabin. It’s all amplified at freeway speeds.

It’s far from sporty, although it’s relaxed and if you drive it accordingly the LC300 is remarkably comfortable.

It’s quiet, too, with excellent noise suppression and a calm cabin. It’s an easy way to eat up the miles.

But there’s better body control in the Patrol, which is a testament to the core engineering of a car that is now more than a decade old.

That’s partly attributable to a system called Hydraulic Body Motion Control suspension, which uses four cylinders (one for each wheel) filled with hydraulic fluid. When you corner the cylinders on the outside of the corner fill with fluid to counter roll, in turn reducing leaning through bends.

It means less rollicking in more extreme situations and makes for a respectably well-behaved machine. Comfort-wise the Patrol is impressively hushed, although outdone by the LandCruiser.

Similarly, there’s good compliance in the Patrol’s bump absorption, although there’s additional tautness that ensures the LandCruiser edges ahead, even if those in the back seat get rumbled with smaller vibrations.

While both these models are hugely capable off the showroom floor, as with most off-road vehicles it’s the tyres that are arguably the biggest limiting factor once the trail gets rocky/sandy/muddy.

Each is running 265mm-wide Bridgestone Dueler 18-inch rubber, although the Nissan gets a fractionally higher sidewall (70-series profile versus the Toyota’s 65-series).

Let’s face it, most will look to the aftermarket if they’re looking to regularly drive on something other than bitumen, at which point you stand to potentially increase rough-road traction and almost certainly improve puncture resistance if you go for a more aggressive tread pattern.

Out of the box, though, each vehicle is mightily impressive in off-road conditions, but there were marked differences.

It starts with a negative for the LandCruiser. On gravel surfaces ours had a noticeable knock in the front right, something that we thought was unique to our car. It turns out other LC300s have the same issue and it’s something Toyota is working to address.

The knock – which sounds like metal banging on metal – is more pronounced as the rocks and ridges get bigger, but we never noticed it on bitumen.

It's a shame – although one we’d anticipate is a short-term gremlin – because the LandCruiser has better rough-road compliance, its suspension and tyres better at moulding around bumps better to keep occupants less attuned to the ruggedness beneath.

The Nissan is still very capable, but there’s more intensity to the bucking once things get serious.

Off-road, the Patrol V8’s higher torque peak is less of an issue because there’s plenty of pull where it’s needed as well as crispness to the throttle response that makes slow-speed rock crawling a snip.

Those alert responses make it easy to edge up obstacles. And the higher torque peak is less of an issue because there’s ample grunt on offer, ensuring easy progress.

That’s amplified in low range (4L) and despite all the weight the Patrol still has useful engine braking, in part because of its lower 43.95 crawl ratio; the Cruiser’s is slightly more effective thanks to its diesel engine (with a higher compression ratio), which accounts for the taller 42.62 crawl ratio.

The LandCruiser fights back with an easily adjustable throttle, helped by the swiftness with which the turbos come to life. Its effortless low-rev nature is perfectly suited to crawling over rocks or logs but ready to respond when more is needed for hills or water crossings.

It’s the newfound responsiveness that helps as much as anything, the turbos quickly building pressure for a consistent and clean off-road experience.

With its torque produced so low – there’s a full 700Nm on offer from just 1600rpm – it’s also more effortless in the way it surges up steep pinches or over a nasty boulder.

And if you don’t want to worry about controlling the throttle there’s the Crawl control system that provides ultra-low speed cruise control, which is adjustable in km/h increments using the Mode Select dial.

The LC300’s excellent multi-terrain monitor (MTM) also makes wheel placement that little bit easier over the bluff bonnet that houses that sweet V6. The forward-facing camera displays an image of what’s going on under the car, with virtual wheels placed over the image to help you guide it over rocks and gullies.

It takes some acclimatisation and you’ll still need to look out the window, but it’s an extra weapon in the 4x4 armoury.

As for fuel use, strap yourself in, because things get ugly when you’re ambling over this sort of terrain in such hefty machines.

The Patrol has a healthy appetite for unleaded at the best of times. The claimed consumption is 14.4L/100km – and you can comfortably beat than when cruising – but our mix of country cruising and plenty of slow-speed off-road work crept the real-world use up to 22.7L/100km.

Still, the LandCruiser was hardly frugal, using 15.6L/100km versus its claim of 8.9L/100km. So, the Patrol used 58 per cent more than its official claim while the LandCruiser used 75 per cent more.

Perhaps the more pertinent point here is how far each can theoretically travel while doing such off-road focused work.

With a 140-litre fuel tank and assuming our specific use case, the Patrol could theoretically cover 616km before needing a drink. It’s worth remembering it prefers the premium unleaded brew, too.

The LandCruiser has only 110L of fuel capacity but still beats that theoretical range with 705km under the conditions we tested it in.

Bottom line: you’ll spend more on fuel in the Nissan but its larger tank ensures a very useful range that’s not markedly worse off-road.

When it comes to getting the traction to terra firma there’s also a winner, something driven by hardware and software.

The Patrol doesn’t have as much travel in the suspension, particularly at the rear, so it’s more likely to leave a wheel hanging. On full droop the LC300’s wheels look like they’re about to pop out of their arches, such is the lanky extension.

Straight away, then, the LC300 is more likely to more evenly distribute its weight across all four wheels.

The Nissan’s traction control also isn’t as well calibrated as the Toyota’s, so there’s more slip – and spinning – before the electronics spark to life.

Selecting 4H (as opposed to the default Auto mode) locks the centre diff, which helps with traction. And by the time you manually select the rear diff lock those wheel-spinning issues are abated with clean power delivery keeping things moving until all four wheels are spinning.

All of which requires some basic mechanical knowledge and/or a glance at the owner’s manual to achieve that maximum.

In the LandCuiser the traction control calibration is so good you likely won’t need to press the centre diff lock button. It quickly nips any slip away with some subtle brake pulsing and adjustment to the power delivery; it’s a lot more relaxed and less intrusive than in the previous 200 Series, too.

And it’s a rare – and extreme – situation in which you’d rue the absence of a rear diff lock or even need that centre diff lock. Still, the latter is there if you’re really struggling.

Each has various drive modes to tailor throttle and traction systems to various conditions, in 300 Series guise the LandCruiser now matching the Patrol in being able to adjust those in high range as well as 4L.

On paper there’s a big difference in ground clearance, the Patrol walking away with a 38mm advantage: 273mm plays 235mm. A quick look underneath suggests the differences aren’t as marked and during our testing the LandCruiser did an excellent job of staying clear of underbody scuffs.

That said, the ’Cruiser doesn’t have metal protecting some of its underbody vitals. Instead, there’s what looks like a plastic composite that had already been (successfully) put to the test on our press car.

It certainly seems better than regular plastic, although those planning to get adventurous will no doubt turn to the aftermarket that already has a healthy selection of sturdier LC300 options on offer.

Each vehicle can wade through 700mm of water and the air intake is hidden inside the passenger-side front wheel-arch, well away from a rogue splash or bow wave.

But the LandCruiser’s 32-degree approach angle thrashes that of the Patrol Ti-L (28 degrees). Opt for the Patrol Ti, with its more rounded lower bumper, and that approach angle increases to 34.4 degrees.

The departure angle – how steep a hill you can drive away from without scraping the rear bumper – is a narrow win to the Patrol at 26.3 degrees versus 25 for LandCruiser.

Carrying things is a big part of off-road life. Both the 2022 Nissan Patrol and 2022 Toyota LandCruiser can tow up to 3500kg, with some caveats.

Hook up a 3.5-tonne load in the Patrol and it’ll cop the industry-standard 10 per cent towball download, in turn knocking that much off the payload (pulling it back to a still-useful 400kg).

The same 3500kg tonne load with 350kg on the towball in the ’Cruiser reduces the payload to 300kg due to issues breaching the maximum gross vehicle mass figure of 3280kg. In other words, while it can tow 3500kg, you certainly won’t be doing that with the whole family on board.

For those looking to adventure sans trailer they’ll be able to carry more with the Patrol.

The LandCruiser can carry 650kg of luggage and people, which is better than the 200 Series it replaces. But it’s still 100kg shy of the Patrol’s 750kg payload – something that could influence those heading off on the big lap.

There might be a decade between the 2022 Toyota LandCruiser and the 2022 Nissan Patrol when it comes to their age, but when you’re sitting behind the wheel there’s a lot less than that from a driving perspective.

The Patrol delivers on space and on-road grace and it’s a mighty accomplished machine off-road. There’s also no shortage of grunt, although the big V8 needs some revs on board to really shine, at which point it drinks like a downed politician on election night.

But the Y62 is edged out on comfort and gadgets by a fresher LandCruiser. The Patrol’s curvaceous faux-wood cabin also pales beside the more modern flavour inside the ’Cruiser.

The Patrol’s plight is also not helped by the preference for diesel at this end of the market. Sure, the LandCruiser isn’t as frugal as its on-paper numbers suggest in the sort of terrain it’s designed for, but it’ll go further between refills on a smaller tank and cost you less doing it – at least once you’ve got over the shock of its sticker price.

But it’s off-road prowess we wanted to test for this Patrol versus LandCruiser shootout – and it’s in the rough stuff where the LC300 extends its lead. The more challenging the terrain the more the LandCruiser leverages its superior off-road electronics and suspension articulation. It’ll tackle bigger challenges with less effort.

Throw it all into the large SUV mix and while the LandCruiser is a long way from perfect, it’s more convincing than its closest combatant. Which means this gong goes to the Toyota – by a few jagged rocks and a couple of sand dunes.

How much does the 2022 Nissan Patrol Ti-L cost?
Price: $95,115 (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

How much does the 2022 Toyota LandCruiser VX cost?
Price: $113,990 (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

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