NISSAN

TAKE THE KIDS TO SEE TREK Nissan offer an unashamedly back to basics approach with their beefy Patrol Trek. Andy Enright reports…

Want a family-sized 4x4? Then you’ve a choice to make. Some cars in the Land Rover Discovery class are dragging prices upwards, offering massively sophisticated drivetrains and interior fitments. At the same time though, there’s a growing rejection of these hi-tech SUVs in favour of vehicles that aren’t afraid to get up to their axles in mud. That’s where cars like the Nissan Patrol Trek can shine.

Each year we run an off-road driving review where we take the most prominent 4x4s and subject them to a couple of days solid flogging at a recognised off-road centre under the supervision of some of the best professionals in the business. While there are some cars that perform way beyond expectation and others that barely cope any better than an average estate car, one thing is depressingly clear. Take any of the high end vehicles on anything approaching serious terrain and you will incur damage. Low profile tyres, alloy wheels and rutted terrain just do not mix. Likewise, anything without a serious amount of ride height and axle articulation is going to be dragging its belly and clouting its suspension on the ground. That’s where vehicles like the Patrol Trek excel. Here is a vehicle with properly sized tyres. While the rubber looks unfashionably bulbous and may not cut a dash outside China White, its job is to grip in any condition while, at the same time, protecting the wheel rim and it does a fantastic job of it. The Patrol’s beefy ride height also means it’ll tackle deeper ruts and fords than most 4x4s and shrug off the sort of arduous clambering that is beyond most rivals. The best bit? You get all this capability at prices that start at £24,080.

"There’s no pretence about a Patrol, especially this one…"

Let’s put the value proposition into clear perspective. It’s possible to spend over £25,000 on a smaller class of 4x4 like Toyota’s RAV4 or Hyundai’s Santa Fe. A lot more than you’d need to put a Patrol Trek on your drive. Solely available in five seat trim, this Patrol isn’t meant to be one for the school run mums, instead offering the sort of cavernous load area in the back befitting a proper working vehicle. Like all the latest Patrols, this one has benefited from a revised nose with more chrome and a raised bonnet centre that apes the monster Titan pick up truck. The front bumper has been re-profiled yet despite this, it still maintains the acute approach angle that’s required for serious off road driving. The wheelarches have been re-profiled too and although the result is not what you’d call pretty, it looks the part, the Trek getting utilitarian black bumpers and a handy side step to facilitate entry. You’re a long way up in a Patrol. The Patrol’s interior has also been restyled in recent times to offer a look and feel that’s a little more contemporary. The dashboard is a good deal curvier than before, invoking the design of the 350Z and X-Trail fascias and the cabin features some revised materials. One thing that hasn’t been given the soft shoe treatment is the engine. Up from 158 to 160bhp, the ZD diesel unit’s torque figure has jumped from 354 to 380Nm courtesy of the latest revisions, making the Patrol a good deal more tractable when accelerating from a standstill, towing a trailer or when crawling through axle deep gloop. The standard equipment list isn’t going to give Lexus any sleepless nights but it contains much of what you need. Manual air conditioning and heated electric door mirrors keep the chill off on cold mornings while a CD stereo with four speakers is a welcome departure from the depressing maw of a tape deck which some manufacturers bizarrely see fit to include on their entry-level models. Driver and passenger airbags are also standard fit as is remote controlled keyless entry. When the specification list also includes a map light it’s safe to say that Nissan are reaching a little bit to stoke up interest. The Trek’s seats lack the leather trim of the more upmarket models but the fabric they’re trimmed in looks reasonably hardwearing and is a lot more pleasant to sit on when the temperatures are so low that ice has formed on the inside of the screen. Inclement conditions are meat and drink for the Patrol, the heavy-duty body construction and the three-tonne weight giving it some serious heft. Nor can we forget the outstanding wheel articulation - for traversing ditches of course - and, naturally, the obligatory low Range gearbox for when conditions get really sludgy. For those looking to really test it to its limits, the Patrol will wade to a depth of 700mm and climb gradients up to 39 degrees. As far as on-road abilities are concerned, Nissan makes much of the efforts it has made to improve refinement and handling. Alterations to the suspension geometry in recent times are supposed to have made for a more cosseting ride and better defined handling. If you tried an old-shape Patrol, you’ll certainly notice that transmission noise is reduced (down by 90 per cent no less - which gives everyone else some idea of what that car must have been like). Wind noise is down too, courtesy of a body with better aerodynamic efficiency. The result is a car that handles pretty well for its size – and performs much better thanks to that 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine. Nevertheless, performance is still hardly neck-snapping; rest to sixty in 15.4s in the Trek on the way to 99mph. The result is that you tend to drive with your foot to the floor absolutely everywhere. Despite this, diesel power means you should average 26.2 mpg. Sophistication only gets you so far. Sometimes there’s no substitute for brute force. Nissan’s Patrol Trek is that force.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Nissan Patrol Trek 3.0di PRICE: £24, 080 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 13 CO2 EMISSIONS: 288g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 15.4s / Max Speed 99mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 26.2mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver & Passenger airbag, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 4965/1840/1855mm

CITIZENS ON PATROL Nissan Haven’t Sold Out To The Luxury Set With Their Unashamedly Rugged Patrol 4x4. Andy Enright Reports…

Most big 4x4s have one thing in common – they’re trying to muscle in on the luxury market. Ever since BMW’s X5 showed that there was a lucrative market for those who cared more for a fancy badge, slick on road manners and a hefty complement of gadgetry, more and more manufacturers have hitched their wagons up to this trend. Nissan, however, aren’t one of them – at least not when it comes to their rugged Patrol.

Now that so many rivals have decamped to the Luxury 4x4 sector, there aren’t too many big 4x4s that offer the sort of no nonsense charms served up in such generous helpings as this tough, go-anywhere off roader. ‘Sticking to the knitting’ may well have been the smart ticket. While competitors have become ever more sophisticated and, consequently, expensive, the Patrol has stayed true to its roots, offering an awful lot of metal for your money. You’ll only need £24,080 to land a Trek specification Patrol which, these days, is the sort of money you’d pay for something like a Land Rover Freelander. Quantity is nothing without quality, and Nissan have upped the amount of standard equipment and have refined the Patrol’s interior in line with some of their more successful recent offerings. So it is that today’s Patrol features a revised nose with more chrome and a raised bonnet centre that apes the monster Titan pick up truck. The front bumper has been reprofiled and in Aventura form, it now houses big fog lamps. Despite this, it still maintains the acute approach angle that’s required for serious off road driving. The wheelarches have been reprofiled and the Aventura features revised 17-inch alloy wheels. This Range-topper also gets body-coloured wheelarch extensions, headlamp washers and a sunroof while all Patrols get large rear light clusters and integrated side sills. You’re a long way up in a Patrol.

"There’s no pretence about a Patrol"

The interior has been restyled to offer a look and feel that’s a little more contemporary. The dashboard is a good deal curvier than before, invoking the design of the 350Z and X-Trail fascias and the cabin features some revised materials. One thing that hasn’t been given the soft shoe treatment is the engine. Up from 158 to 160bhp, the ZD diesel unit’s torque figure jumps from 354 to 380Nm, making the Patrol a good deal more tractable when accelerating from a standstill, towing a trailer or when crawling through axle deep gloop. The Patrol Range is easy to get a handle on, starting with the £24,080 Trek version. Even this model features anti lock brakes, twin airbags, an alarm and electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors. With five doors and seating for five, the Trek isn’t in any way ‘bling’, the black wheel arches marking it out as a no nonsense affair. A sliding rear seat that gives you the option of changing the balance between rear seat legroom and luggage allowance is a neat touch though. If you want your workhorse fitted with a few more creature comforts, you’ll doubtless prefer the Aventura variant. Priced at £28,080 in manual form, Nissan have really gone to town with the standard equipment list. As well as the 17" alloy wheels and front fog lamps there’s Nissan’s innovative DVD-based ‘Birdview’ satellite navigation system which covers thirteen European countries. Also included are side airbags, an outside temperature gauge, compass, electrically adjustable and heated front seats, leather upholstery, electronic climate control, rear side privacy glass and headlight washers. Despite all this kit, the Patrol still feels true to its hardcore roots. Take, for instance, the heavy-duty body construction and the three-tonne weight. Powering your way through the jungle undergrowth should be easier than ever before. Nor can we forget the outstanding wheel articulation - for traversing ditches of course - and, naturally, the obligatory low Range gearbox for when conditions get really sludgy. For those looking to really test it to its limits, the Patrol will wade to a depth of 700mm and climb gradients up to 39 degrees. As far as on-road abilities are concerned, Nissan makes much of the efforts it has made to improve refinement and handling. Alterations to the suspension geometry in recent times are supposed to have made for a more cosseting ride and better defined handling. If you tried an old-shape Patrol, you’ll certainly notice that transmission noise is reduced (down by 90 per cent no less - which gives everyone else some idea what that car must have been like). Wind noise is down too, courtesy of a body with better aerodynamic efficiency. The result is a car that handles pretty well for its size – and performs much better thanks to that 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine. Nevertheless, performance is still hardly neck-snapping; rest to sixty in 15.4s in the 5-door on the way to 99mph. The result is that you tend to drive with your foot to the floor absolutely everywhere. Despite this, diesel power means you should average 26.2 mpg. So many rivals have chased the luxury money that they’ve pretty much left the way clear for Nissan’s Patrol to clean up amongst those who still need a serious 4x4 that can work for its living. Although the Aventura looks tempting, it’s the Trek version that really appeals, offering all the capability with less of the cost. Don’t be fooled by the restyle and makeover. This is still hardcore.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Nissan Patrol Range PRICES: £24,080-£28,080 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 13-15 CO2 EMISSIONS: 288g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 15.4s / Max Speed 99mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 26.2mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver & Passenger airbag, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 4965/1840/1855mm