Nissan Patrol Royale

Overview

The flagship SUV from Nissan is not a new name in the world of SUVs, for the Patrol has been one of the most desirable and true-blue SUVs ever since its inception. For the Philippines market, Nissan has added the ‘Royale’ suffix to its name to signify its premium positioning. In the Philippines, Nissan has made the Patrol Royale available in one full-spec variant, which is available in two standard color options – Pearl White and Black Obsidian.

Interior & Features

On the inside, things are not as modern as the new-age European SUVs, as the Patrol Royale simply lacks the futuristic looking and functioning features. However, it has got luxury in abundance, and at just the right places.

The four spoke steering wheel as well as the instrument console looks a bit old school, but then, so is the overall theme of the SUV. The wide and tilted-from-between center console is bathed in faux wood and looks ultra-premium, with a large touchscreen infotainment system at the top and a host of buttons for audio system and automatic climate control placed below it. The gear lever, the upper layer of the dashboard and door inserts too get faux wood panels around them, which only enhance the premium-ness of the interior cabin.

Being a flagship SUV, the Patrol Royale is equipped with many praise-worthy features, such as panoramic sunroof, electrically tilt and telescopic adjustable steering wheel with memory function, powered front seats with memory and heating functions, push button start, cruise control, dual zone automatic climate control, full leather upholstery (both in tan and full black options) and a 13-speaker BOSE audio system. Needless to say, given the ultra-large dimensions of the Patrol Royale, space is present in abundance for all the three rows of the interior cabin.

Exterior

Going by the stance, the Nissan Patrol Royale is easily one of the most gigantic SUVs in terms of sheer size. The intimidating road presence of the Patrol Royale makes it look premium despite its aging design.

At the front, the Patrol Royale has got its signature three-slat wide chrome grille in place, which is flanked by two block-sized large and angular headlamps. These headlamps, in order to look modern, are equipped with projector headlamps and L-shaped daytime running LEDs.

Moving towards the side view of the Patrol Royale, one can easily be amazed to experience the sheer length and height of the SUV. The lack of any prominent character line in the side profile only exaggerates its bulk even more. The Patrol Royale does come with chrome garnish for door handles, side glasses surround and outside rear view mirrors as well as diamond-cut alloy wheels, which enhance its premium appeal.

At the rear too, the Patrol Royale maintains its subtleness with a simple and plain rear profile. The large rear windscreen is assisted by small tail lamp assemblies, which make the rear door look large in appearance.

Ride & Handling

Being a typical old-school SUV built on ladder-on-frame chassis, the Patrol Royale does suffer from a bit of body roll. However, the independent double wishbone with hydraulic body motion control system at both front and rear do control the body roll and firmness by a huge margin and make the ride quality supple in general. The four-wheel drive system of the Patrol Royale makes it even more capable off the road.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

Powering the Nissan Patrol Royale is a top-of-the-line 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine, which happens to be the largest engine in Nissan’s family. This engine complements the behemoth dimensions of the Patrol Royale, for the performance extracted from the engine is great in numbers – 404PS of maximum power and 560Nm of peak torque output. The engine is coupled to a 7-speed automatic gearbox with manual mode present as an option.

Braking & Safety

The Nissan Patrol Royale does miss out on a number of features in terms of safety, given its age. However, it still packs in front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, limited slip differential, vehicle stability control, front and rear parking sensors, around view monitor and rear differential lock.

Verdict

The Nissan Patrol Royale is purely for those who want to make their arrival and presence feel with its sheer size and luxury. Sure, it misses out on a number of modern tech, but then, the overall stance and luxurious interiors do justify its desirability even today.