Updated Nissan Patrol emerges

The wraps have come off the 2021 Nissan Armada – North America’s Nissan Patrol – revealing a mild exterior redesign, more V8 power and cabin upgrades including a big 12.3-inch high-definition central screen with wireless Apple CarPlay.

The changes, however, will not automatically apply to Australian versions of the Nissan Patrol off-road wagon.

A Nissan Australia spokesperson said upgrades made to the Armada are “designated for the US market” only at this stage, notwithstanding the fact that both the Armada and Patrol are built at the same factory in Kyushu, Japan.

Key upgrades to the Armada include a reworked front and rear exterior design, which now more closely matches the Aussie-market Nissan Patrol, although the US version features a different lower front bumper.

Powered exclusively by the same 5.6-litre V8 engine as the Patrol, the Armada now generates a familiar 298kW/560Nm – up from 291kW/534Nm.

Nissan says the Armada now has a (braked) towing capacity of up to 3856kg, which is more than the 3500kg limit for both the Nissan Patrol and Toyota LandCruiser in Australia.

Inside, several high-end upgrades have been introduced that are not yet offered in Australia, including a 12.3-inch central infotainment screen with high-resolution (1920x720) visuals and upgradability via Wi-Fi updates.

Aussie models get a relatively small 8.0-inch screen with no smartphone mirroring compatibility, whereas the Armada’s new system comes with Android Auto (wired) and Apple CarPlay (wireless) connectivity.

A larger 9.4-inch digital rear-view mirror is offered on top-end models, while a redesigned central storage bin can be opened by occupants in both the first and second rows.

Nissan has added a larger 7.0-inch display between the tachometer and speedometer that offers more functionality, and a 13-speaker Bose stereo (already offered in Australia) is now added to US models.

The Armada offers adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and blind spot monitoring systems, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, rear cross traffic alert and a 360-degree camera.

The new-look Nissan Armada goes on sale in North America from January 2021.

In Australia, sales of the V8-only Nissan Patrol are up by almost 40 per cent this year, compared to an overall market downturn of around 16 per cent.

Sales of its arch-rival, the Toyota LandCruiser, have also risen this year, but only by 0.2 per cent.

The next major move for Japanese car-maker’s flagship 4x4 wagon in Australia will be the hard-core Nissan Patrol Warrior, which will deliver go-anywhere chassis upgrades and a tough new look.

The $100,000-plus Warrior is set to lob in 2021 and will join the Navara Warrior as the second from Nissan’s Australian-engineered sub-brand.

Toyota Australia is also studying a LandCruiser 300 Series Rugged X model at its Melbourne engineering and design centre.