2020 Nissan Patrol Leaks Online - Will It Change Enough to Make the 10-Year-Old SUV Matter?

Pictures of the facelifted 2020 Nissan Patrol have surfaced online sans any clothes. The SUV has been tweaked majorly to make it look more modern. The SUV has been pretty long in the tooth and a makeover was imperative. This updated Patrol was spotted outside a dealership in Dubai and the images were leaked on Almuraba.net and have gone viral since then. The SUV showcases plenty of changes, but shouldn’t the company come out with a new generation already?

It Sure Looks Like A New Model On The Outside

The current Nissan Patrol was launched in 2010. The SUV never saw a rejig in terms of aesthetics, but the specs and features were updated locally on a regular basis in the respective markets. The Patrol was spotted completely undisguised even though it features a lot of different styling cues. Only the grille on the front fascia was covered. It wears a new set of headlights that is in sync with other Nissan products. LED Daytime Running Lights make their way as well. At the rear, the Japanese automaker has tweaked the car quite a bit. The design looks a lot more aggressive and the taillights have gotten wider. The Patrol has also received the chrome treatment, but it is a little too excessive for my liking. The boxy shape, however, is retained, and the SUV now looks a lot similar to the Infiniti QX80.

Touchscreens Are Always Welcome

Nissan has followed the new design philosophy on the Patrol that we’ve seen in the company’s urban commuters, especially the crossovers, and its cousins as well. The same can be seen on the inside, too. Nissan has shaved off a lot of buttons and the SUV is more tech-friendly with a dual-screen design taking over the duties. The dual touchscreen design is the new trend wherein the top screen takes care of the infotainment-related needs, whereas the lower screen controls the HVAC and related stuff. The layout overall looks quite sorted and uncluttered with all the non-touch stuff like the buttons, knobs, and dials placed well. The interior now features red upholstery. In fact, all the hide is now red. This complements the dark dashboard and looks quite premium overall.

Will Nissan Not Offer A New Mill?

It makes sense because gasoline mills are quite popular in the markets where Nissan sells the Patrol. Is Nissan too lazy to plonk a new engine in here? The current Patrol was launched in 2010 and is still running the same generation. A heavy facelift may boost the sales for a couple of months, but at the end of the day, all the company has done is change the clothes. Under the hood is a 5.6-liter, naturally-aspirated V-8 engine that makes 400 horses and 413 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to all the wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission.

It Looks Like The Facelift Happened Because Toyota Is Launching The New Land Cruiser

The Patrol rivals the Toyota Land Cruiser and the latter is working on a new model as well. The Toyota Land Cruiser 300 will most likely be debuting at the Tokyo Motor Show. Currently, the Land Cruiser 200 features a 4.5-liter, turbodiesel V-8 engine, however, some reports suggest that Toyota will be replacing it with V-6 mills. There is a possibility that the 3.4-liter hybrid engine from Lexus LS will be borrowed. The V-8 mill, however, should continue outside Europe where the emission norms are not that strict yet. It is also said that the 300 Series Land Cruiser will be based on the TNGA architecture that currently underpins the C-HR, Corolla, Prius and some of the Lexus models.

How Does The Patrol Fare Here In The States?

When compared to the Land Cruiser, this three-row SUV is doing much better in terms of sales. On the outside, the Armada is not that attractive. For a boxy SUV that needs to look big, bulky, and macho, the Armada features too many cuts and designs. Is it just me, or does the rear look like Carl Fredricksen from the animated movie ‘Up’? The resemblance is uncanny. On the inside, things are comparatively better. The highlights in here are an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, Bose audio system, and the humongous space on offer. Seating even eight people inside won’t make any of them feel congested whatsoever; the third-row occupants being an exception.

The Nissan Armada is powered by a 5.6-liter, V-8 engine that makes 390 horses and 394 pound-feet of torque. It is powered by a seven-speed automatic gearbox that sends power to all the wheels. The SUV can even tow up to 8,500 pounds. The base trim comes with 18-inch wheels, but can be upgraded to 20-inch set as well. But, that is not a popular choice since the ride quality is adversely affected. Speaking of the cargo space, the Armada offers 16.5 cubic-feet of space with all the three rows up, 50 cubic-feet with the last row folded, and over 95 cubic-feet with the second and third-row seats flipped down.

Final Thoughts

The current Nissan Armada starts at $47,100 and is bang for the buck for what it offers. As for the facelifted model, there is no word if it will be coming to the States. If it does, you can expect it to be priced marginally higher. The Patrol will most probably be making its debut later this year and the deliveries could commence from early 2020. Do you think the facelifted Patrol will make a difference, or should Nissan have brought in the new generation instead? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.