2024 Nissan Patrol Warrior vs Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport: Off-road review

The Nissan Patrol and Toyota LandCruiser have been the heavyweight champions of the four-wheel drive wagon market for generations, and the battle still rages on today.

Sure, there were once Land Rovers, Jeeps, Mitsubishis and few others in the mix, but these two big Japanese wagons have dominated the Australian market for more than 50 years. While the latest offerings from Nissan and Toyota continue to duke it out, the way the two brands go about specifying their wagons has never been more different.

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The Y62 Patrol and the 300 Series LandCruiser are both large four-door wagons designed to carry up to seven or eight passengers and their gear, over all roads and any terrain that their owners choose to point them at. But for the latest iterations the respective manufacturers have each gone about the design of their vehicles in vastly different ways to achieve the same goal.

The Y62 Patrol is now 14 years old and is expected to be replaced by a new model within the next 18 months, but in some ways it is a more modern style of vehicle than the LandCruiser 300 which is just three years old.

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Nissan created quite the furore when it announced its Y62 Patrol would forgo its decades of live axles and diesel engines in favour of fully independent suspension and a petrol engine. The LandCruiser 300 retains its live-axle rear and carries over its IFS design from the previous 200 Series, while Toyota Australia dropped the option of a petrol engine in favour of its all-new V6 turbocharged-diesel mill; the first time we’ve seen a V6 engine in a LandCruiser in Australia.

Regardless of fuel type and suspension layout, the systems in each of the wagons represent up-to-the-minute tech and innovation, all designed to make these the best off-road tourers you can buy.

Let’s take a closer look at the most off-road focused thoroughbreds from each stable.

JUMP AHEAD

• Nissan Patrol Warrior
• Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport
• Verdict
• Specs

Nissan Patrol Warrior

As the Y62 gracefully ages, Nissan has teamed up with local vehicle re-engineering firm Premcar to build a better Patrol.

Bigger all-terrain tyres, tougher body protection, a bi-modal exhaust system and added refinement to the interior are the key extras to come from the Premcar re-birthing process to make the Patrol a better vehicle to drive in all conditions. All of this equipment is tested and installed to better than OEM standard with Nissan’s seal of approval. Starting with the lower grade Patrol Ti, the Warrior-specific suspension raises the vehicle 29mm over the standard height.

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A further 21mm in height comes from the 295/70R18 Yokohama all-terrain tyres fitted to make the Warrior 50mm higher-riding than the original vehicle.

The Patrol Warrior retains the vehicle’s original and excellent hydraulic body motion control (HBMC) system and, unlike most aftermarket suspension changes, Premcar was able to recalibrate the HBMC to suit the taller ride height and changed ride and handling characteristics. This was done by re-valving the HBMC’s control units. Even with the extra ground clearance afforded by the higher ride, Premcar still elected to fit a 2mm steel bash plate under the front end of the Warrior.

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Roar power

Premcar left Nissan’s 298kW and 560Nm 5.6-litre V8 engine alone, but gave it a new set of vocal cords via a bi-modal exhaust system that redirects the waste gases out a side-exiting exhaust tip under heavy throttle application. Under lighter throttle the exhaust still runs out the back through a full set of mufflers, but floor the gas pedal or slip the transmission shifter across to the sport mode and you unleash the bellowing V8 symphony.

Nissan’s VK56 V8 is one of the sweetest engines around. Its aural output matches its performance to make punting the Warrior along any road pure joy. However, as much as those that have experienced its pleasure will sing its praises, the large 4x4 market in Australia remains diesel-fuelled and this is reflected in the massive difference in sales between the current Patrol and LandCruiser.

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Interior

The Ti spec Patrol comes well equipped with eight seats; 10-way power adjustable driver seat; eight-way front passenger seat; 60/40 split-fold second-row seating with manual recline and fold function and centre armrest; leather-accented seats and steering wheel; climate control air-conditioning with second row controls; cruise control; 12V power outlets in the front, centre console, second row and rear luggage areas; USB in the front console; inbuilt satellite navigation on eight-inch touchscreen; traffic monitoring system; and audio system with CD/DVD, AM/FM radio, MP3 and USB/iPod+ connectivity, with Bluetooth audio streaming

Around the same time of our test, Nissan changed the dash of the Patrol range to include a new audio system with in-built HEMA maps, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but our test vehicle was the pre-update model. Part of the update includes blacking out the chintzy woodgrain trim the Y62 has always had, but the Warrior package already does that, as well as adding custom suede accented trims.

The Patrol Warrior’s cabin has a more old-school 4x4 feel than the LandCruiser 300. You sit higher and more upright in it, which is not a criticism and, in fact, our drivers preferred it. It’s also more spacious than the LC300, with plenty of extra cargo space behind the seats.

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Safety

The Warrior retains all of the Patrol's safety systems including including front and rear parking sensors; Vehicle Dynamic Control including electronic traction control; ABS with electronic brake force distribution; driver and passenger front and side airbags; curtain airbags to all three rows of seats; Emergency Braking; Forward Collision Warning; Lane Departure Warning and Intervention; Blind Spot Warning and Intervention; Rear Cross Traffic Alert; and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System. The updated dash in the 2024 model loses the 360° camera of the previous model.

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Toyota LandCruiser GR Sport

The GR Sport is the most off-road focused model in the LC300 range, but it’s not the top-of-the-range model.

However, it is the only model to offer front and rear locking diffs and e-KDSS suspension, which are key to its off-road chops. It also has a bespoke front-end design with the brand name spelt out across the grille.

A key difference between the Patrol and the Cruiser comes in the engine, with the LC300’s 3.3 litre twin turbo V6 diesel engine making 227kW and 700Nm. It’s a thoroughly modern diesel engine that is smooth and sprightly even if it doesn’t offer the aural delights of the Nissan’s petrol V8. The F33A-FTV engine is backed by a seamless 10-speed automatic transmission and a full-time, dual-range transfer case.

The GR Sport also gets some clever tech added to its off-road arsenal; as well as the aforementioned KDSS, there’s crawl control, multiple terrain modes, variable dampers, and even a tank-turn function. But it’s the excellent ETC, front and rear lockers and the KDSS that make it the better off-roader of these two wagons.

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Inside

Another huge difference between the Cruiser and Patrol tested here is that the GR Sport only comes with five seats across two rows. This is done to give it a higher payload than it otherwise would have if third-row seats were fitted. The front and rear seats are true luxury items with heating and cooling included on the front power adjustable leather units.

There’s also a power sunroof, a large configurable touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, head-up speed display, wireless phone charging, and a drink chiller in the console. You sit lower in the Toyota’s seats than you do in the Patrol, and the Cruiser has a more upmarket feel all-round.

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Safety

The LC300’s extensive list of safety kit includes the usual ETC, ESP, AEB and ABS, but also adds a pre-collision safety (PCS) system with vehicle and pedestrian detection, as well as oncoming vehicles and cyclists emergency steering assist.

Also part of the package are lane-centring, lane assist, lane departure alert, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot monitor, front and rear parking sensors and camera, and 10 airbags. The LandCruiser’s level of safety equipment is another thing that reminds you that this is a vehicle that is a decade newer than the Patrol.

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Off track

As the hero models from the respective manufacturers we were keen to test their off-road chops to see how they compare.

When the GR Sport was first launched we pointed one up a steep rocky piece of track in Toolangi State Forest we thought might challenge it, and we were very impressed by its capability. We thought it only fair to take one back there with the Warrior for this test.

Having driven the GR Sport up there myself last time, I took the lead in the Warrior this time and initial attempts at the climb were worryingly not Warrior-like. After dropping tyre pressures and selecting low range in both vehicles we started on the less-challenging section of track, but the Patrol's ETC struggled on the loose rocks and rubble. Toyota’s ETC calibration is the best in the business and had no trouble driving up.

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We put this down to the Nissan being more than a decade older and the chassis electronics showing their age and not reacting as quickly and smoothly as the Toyota’s.

We were getting nowhere attempting to engage the rear differential lock in the Patrol, with the light on the dash flashing and the tyres scrabbling for traction. Even after reversing back down the hill and trying several times, we couldn’t get the RDL to engage. It wasn’t until we had turned around and were back on the flat road - and were thinking we’d have to abandon the challenge - that the RDL finally engaged.

Once the diff lock was engaged the Warrior climbed back up the loose-rock slope much easier, as we expected it should; it was never going to get up there without the RDL. When the diff lock is engaged, the Patrol keeps its ETC active across the front axle to get the best performance from the front wheels. There is no front diff lock in the Patrol Warrior.

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The GR Sport is equipped with both front and rear locking differentials, but it didn’t need either of them to climb this first piece of track. Toyota’s superior electronic traction control managed wheel slip so the big Cruiser could crawl up the grade. The more compliant e-KDSS enabled rear live axle in the LandCruiser also helped the cause, giving the back wheels their best chance to push the car onwards and upwards without needing the lockers or the crawl control system, which we also found to work well.

So it continued for the hour-long climb up the track, with the V8 Patrol bellowing, spinning its tyres, lifting front wheels and scrabbling its way up while the Cruiser made much lighter work of the task. When washed-out ruts crossed the track and a few rock steps posed a challenge, Dave engaged the Cruiser’s rear diff lock and the GR Sport made it look easy.

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A frustrating thing about the LC300’s cabin is that the buttons for the centre and front and rear diff locks are in different positions, seemingly as though one of them was an afterthought. A better design would have all the off-road controls grouped together within easy reach and view of the driver.

Again, we put the difference between the way the two wagons climbed the hill down to the older electronics in the Nissan compared to the newer, standard-setting systems in the Toyota. Fit an aftermarket locking front differential to the Patrol and it would help it get the job done, but we dare say it still wouldn’t do it as smoothly and easily as the Cruiser.

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On road

The Patrol Warrior really gets its own back on the Cruiser on road, both sealed surfaces and gravel tracks. Its fully independent configuration with the HBMC system does an excellent job in controlling the mass of the Nissan on twisting roads, and it is less fussed by imperfections in the surface than the rear live axle under the Cruiser.

In comparison, the LandCruiser pitches and wallows like a small boat on a rough sea, and it takes a bit of getting used to when you first get in it. Once acclimatised, the GR Sport is a great vehicle to drive over any road, but it’s not as dynamic as the Patrol.

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The taller tyres of the Warrior-spec Patrol move around more on sealed mountain roads than the rubber on a standard Patrol, so you pay a price for the added ride height and more durable rubber. The GR Sport offers no such concessions to off-road-suitable tyres, sticking with the standard LC300’s road-biased tyres. This is just another way these two off-road titans get on with the job in different ways.

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Verdict

It’s amazing that two nameplates that have been around for more than 50 years vying for the attention of the same off-road family buyers can go about achieving this goal in such different ways.

They each do the job very well, but the differences between them are stark, and depending on what you need out of a family 4x4 wagon will be the deciding factor regarding which one is the right choice for you. We mentioned earlier the preference of Australian buyers for diesel-fuelled 4x4 vehicles and this will continue to separate these two vehicles in the eyes of buyers; if you want an oiler then it’s the Cruiser for you.

The next big factor is price, and with close to $45k separating them it gives the buyer plenty to think about. That 45 grand would buy a lot of petrol for your V8 Patrol… and add that aftermarket front locker to improve its off road ability.

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The Land Cruiser GR-Sport is the better off-roader out of the box, and it is a more modern and more refined vehicle, but it’s also very complex and even with fewer seats it has a lower payload and GCM than the Patrol… despite its lower kerb weight.

There’s a lot to be said for the older and simpler design of the Patrol Warrior that will appeal to the off-road adventurer, and it’s these factors that would sway us toward the Warrior in this battle. It may not be as plush as the LandCruiser but it still gets the job done, and feels comfortable doing it. It would be a harder decision if the two were the same price or even closer in price but, as it stands, the cost saving of going with the Nissan will take you on a lot of awesome adventures.

Alternatively, should you wait for the turbocharged petrol V6-powered Patrol in 2025, to see what it will bring to the table?

Specs