Driver or Passenger: Either Way, The New Nissan Patrol Has You Covered

Despite being over a century old, vinyl records are showing no signs of going away anytime soon. In the first quarter of 2023, vinyl LP sales were up 14.7 percent compared to the same period last year. In 2022, vinyl records outsold CDs for the first time in 35 years; more young people are reportedly listening to music on vinyl than CDs; and more people are searching online for vinyl than CDs. For a music format that’s supposedly way past its prime, vinyl still has fans that aren’t yet ready to let it go. 

In some ways, SUVs are the vinyl of the automotive world. In 2022, SUV sales grew by around three percent compared to the previous year. And globally, 46 percent of all vehicles sold were SUVs. Critics will be quick to rattle off a list of why the big, hulking vehicles should be left in the dustbin of history, especially with the rise in prominence of smaller, more earth-friendly electrified vehicles, but there’s no denying that SUVs serve a purpose.

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Photo by PJ Cana.

That’s exactly what was on my mind while riding as a passenger in the new Nissan Patrol one Monday afternoon. We were stuck in EDSA traffic while on the way to meet the president of Nissan Philippines Juan Manuel Hoyos at a restaurant in Okada Manila. I’m used to being behind the wheel and driving myself to appointments and events, so it was quite a change of pace to climb up in the second row, sink into the leather seat, and not have to worry about anything else about the journey.

Conversation during the dinner revolved around the Patrol (of course) and what was new about it. Hoyos highlighted the new front fascia design, 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlamps and taillights, and a new look for the rear tailgate and bumper. The new Patrol also now carries the new Nissan brand badge. 

Photo by PJ Cana.

Hoyos also spoke about Nissan’s plans in the Philippines and for the rest of the world. Despite the dinner being all about the Patrol, there was mention of how well its electrification efforts are doing, led by the Leaf, and more prominently, the Kicks e-Power. The target, Hoyos said, is for Nissan to have a full 50 percent of its lineup to be electrified in some way (either full EV or hybrid) and achieve full, 100 percent electrification by 2050. It’s an ambitious goal, but one that a company like Nissan is serious about achieving. 

Luckily for me, I got to take the Patrol home in order to experience it more fully. I’m used to driving a more compact SUV, so some adjustments had to be made when you’re going around in a full-sized version. Going to visit a friend’s farm in Indang, Cavite, I had to go through some patches of rough roads, which, of course proved no match for the beast I was driving. The safety features need to be mentioned: the 360-view monitor was especially useful when you’re maneuvering an especially large vehicle like the Patrol, as was the sensor that detected moving objects around the vehicle.

Photo by PJ Cana.

From Indang, I ferried four of my friends to Tagaytay to deliver two sacks of rice and some books to an orphanage. The payload all went in the back, which fit perfectly. Everyone’s first words as they climbed into the second row was “Ang luwag!” (It’s so spacious), which, of course, I already knew.

Although three of them could have all fit in the second row, one of my friends elected to sit in the third row (the Patrol is an eight-seater, by the way). It was a bit snug back there, he admitted, but he seemed not to mind too much, especially after we blasted some of his favorite tunes and we turned the road trip into an impromptu karaoke session. (I had my phone hooked up through Android Auto and so choosing the songs via Spotify was a cinch). 

Photo by PJ Cana.

One of my friends casually mentioned that the Patrol is the kind of vehicle popular with certain elected officials who carry a full entourage with them, and the observation is certainly on point, but to me, it’s the full-size SUV that you can appreciate whether you choose to relax as a passenger in the back seat, or you’re a more “in-control” kind of person who likes to be behind the wheel. You’ll have to contend with prohibitively high fuel prices and maybe think about where you’re going to park a giant in your neighborhood, but those are probably minor issues when you’ve reached that level where you can plunk down serious money to purchase a Nissan Patrol in the first place.

The new Nissan Patrol starts at P4.698 million.