This is it. The 2025 Nissan Patrol ‘Y63’, boasting a new design inside and out, and a switch from V8 power to twin-turbo V6 with a nine-speed auto. It’ll go on sale in some regions in November, but in Australia it isn’t arriving until 2026.
Firstly, we have to talk about the engine. Gone is the beloved 5.6-litre naturally aspirated V8 from the Y62 and in is a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol. Power and torque are up compared with the V8, so that should help with the transition for some buyers, with 317kW and 700Nm – the same peak torque as its main rival, the LandCruiser 300 Series, but with 90kW more (227kW for LC300).
That’s up from the current 298kW and 560Nm outputs in the Y62 V8. We’ve timed 0-100km/h in the Y62 in as low as 7.04 seconds. The new model is likely to be a bit heavier than the Y62, which means we could expect similar 0-100km/h performance with the new model, factoring in the power-to-weight ratio.
However, with 700Nm of torque, the new Patrol is better prepared for heavy towing and should be a lot more fuel efficient in the real world. Nissan hasn’t provided peak output rev ranges, but we’d expect to see that 700Nm available from lower revs compared with the Y62’s 4000rpm peak torque.
Interestingly, a naturally aspirated 3.8-litre V6 petrol is also going to be offered in some markets, producing 236kW and 386Nm. This option probably won’t make it to Australia. Instead, likely for select markets where pure simplicity is in demand.
Backing the new engine/s is a nine-speed automatic transmission, with four-wheel drive. Nissan is introducing a 4WD transfer mode interlock system for the first time. Nissan hasn’t provided much info on what this is exactly, aside from saying it allows “drivers to seamlessly switch between modes and tackle challenging landscapes with ease”.
Drivers also get to play around with sand, rock, mud/rut, eco and sport driving modes, and there’s adjustable ride height suspension with electronic dampers. In its highest setting it offers an additional 70mm of ground clearance.
The 2025 Patrol Y63 jumps to a new platform to help facilitate the new engine/s and suspension system, and to accommodate a bigger body that sits on top. It still carries over with independent suspension all round, but the body is 35mm longer (now 5205mm), 35mm wider (now 2030mm), with the same height (1955mm) and wheelbase (3075mm) as the Y62.
This means the cabin isn’t necessarily bigger in terms of the dimensions, because the wheelbase is the same, but boot space and cabin width should be a bit larger. But what has changed is the level of technology, finally. Now there are twin digital screens across the dash, including a 14.3-inch touch-screen and another 14.3-inch gauge cluster screen. Nissan will be offering two 12.8-inch rear entertainment screens on some variants as well.
The dash facia houses a separate climate control panel, which is great to see, with a huge centre console offering cup holders and a big storage box and arm rest. A 12-speaker Klipsch sound system with DynamicAudioReveal technology and 3D surround sound will be available.
Boot space figures haven’t been revealed specifically, but Nissan says the capacity has increased by 30 per cent. Taking the all-rows-up figure of 468L in the Y62, that means the Y63 should offer a minimum of 608L with all seat rows up.
In five-seat configuration the Y62 presents 1413L, which means somewhere around 1833L for the Y63. However, Nissan hasn’t been specific on which baseline seat configuration it is using for that 30 per cent increase.
If that’s not enough, Nissan says there is also 9L of storage available across the glove box and centre console, combined. The new model is likely to carry over its 3500kg braked towing capacity as well, at least in Australia. Well, that’s if it wants to be taken seriously and continue to compete with the Toyota LC300. Australian specs are yet to be finalised.
Speaking of Australia, right-hand drive production of the new model isn’t scheduled to start until 2026. That means we won’t see it until late in that year at the earliest, with the Y62 model set to continue on sale as is until then, perhaps with some light updates only in-between.
