First Drive: 2024 Nissan Patrol Nismo in the UAE

It’s an open secret that the Nissan Patrol, in its current “Y62” form, is on its final run. It is most likely going to be the last time you can get a Patrol with a V8, and while it’s been around largely unchanged since 2010, Nissan has done well to keep the big guy updated with the latest tech over the years.

The Y62 Patrol was last updated for the 2020 model year, with the equivalent Nismo edition debuting for 2021.

The Nismo features a unique body kit consisting of “sporty” front and rear bumpers, better-integrated side steps, diamond-cut 22-inch alloy wheels, larger roof spoiler and a mix of black and red trim all round. Inside, the black-and-red leather/alcantara upholstery is complemented by red stitching and carbon-fibre trim.

There were no real changes since that facelift except for a massive cabin tech update in 2023, which is what we’re looking at now.

The overall dashboard carries over from the previous version, but now features a completely new centre console. It features a wide 12.3-inch infotainment screen that now sits on top of the dash and still has physical knobs for the stereo, with a/c vents repositioned to sit below the screen. Below that are the physical a/c controls.

The touchscreen can still be controlled via a dial-and-buttons setup below the redesigned gear shifter, while the terrain-select system has been moved to the right of the shifter.

The infotainment system includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and a very good 13-speaker Bose Premium Sound System. Overall, the updated system works well, and we have no complaints. They even added a wireless charger now.

A NissanConnect app is available, to give users access to features such as remote locking and unlocking, starting the engine to cool the cabin, activating lights and horn remotely, checking vehicle health, and customisable smart alerts for speed and location.

Still powered by the very refined 428 hp 5.6-litre V8 mated to a 7-speed automatic, the Nismo drives well on the road on its yellow Bilstein shocks, with slightly better cornering capabilities and slightly worse offroad abilities than the bog-standard Patrol Platinum, for obvious reasons.

Nissan claims improved noise reduction on the latest iteration, and the ride remains fairly smooth, although slightly stiffer than the regular Patrol.

As we said before, Nissan has done a fine job of keeping the Patrol feeling modern despite being more than a decade old. It’s a shame that the end of the line is near for the V8 engine, but as good as it is, the horrid fuel consumption combined with rivals doing more powerful smaller turbo motors means Nissan has to follow that route as well for their flagship SUV. This is probably your last chance to get your hands on the big motor as a new vehicle.

Photos by Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury.