We could see the next Nissan Patrol sooner than expected.
Nissan confirmed earlier this year that it would launch the new Armada, as the Patrol is known in left-hand drive markets, by the end of the Japanese fiscal year (ending March 31, 2025).
However, Nissan Americas chairperson Jeremie Papin has now confirmed to Automotive News the Japanese brand will launch its next-generation flagship SUV this year.
Also due – if not expected for Australia – is a new-generation Murano, and Mr Papin says Nissan will launch its model year 2025 vehicles “extremely close to what we consider the ideal introduction [timing]”.
That’s around the end of the northern summer, which means the Armada will launch in North America come August – though an official unveiling will likely occur before then.
But while we may see the new Armada soon, it’ll be a longer wait for its right-hand drive Patrol counterpart.
Earlier this year, Nissan’s AMIEO division (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania) confirmed it’ll launch four new vehicles over the next two or so years: a new ute, expected to be the next Navara; and a mid-sized electric SUV.
It hasn’t specified what the other two will be.
Nissan said only that these vehicles are due “during The Arc period”, referring to the company’s recently announced mid-term business plan which sets various goals Nissan will achieve varyingly by fiscal year 2026 or by the end of that fiscal year.
Notably, Nissan doesn’t specify whether these four vehicles will arrive by the beginning or end of Japanese fiscal year 2026, which runs from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026.
It wouldn’t be the first Patrol to arrive much later in Australia than in other markets.
While the current Y62-series Patrol entered production in 2010, it didn’t come to Australia until 2013.
The new-generation model will ditch the petrol V8 of the Y62 for a V6.
In the related 2025 Infiniti QX80, revealed in March, this 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 produces 336kW of power and 698Nm of torque. It’s mated with a nine-speed automatic transmission and either rear- or four-wheel drive.
These outputs represent a 38kW and 138Nm increase on the current Patrol’s naturally aspirated 5.6-litre V8, and a 109kW gain but 2Nm drop on the 3.3-litre V6 turbo-diesel powering the rival Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series in Australia.
The QX80 gives us a preview of the new Patrol/Armada’s body, though the Infiniti features unique front and rear end styling.
We can also expect a different interior design between the two, though we’d expect the new Nissan to similarly receive a tech upgrade over the vehicle it replaces.
The QX80 features a 14.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, situated in the same assembly to create one wide panel of screens. It also features a 9.0-inch screen below for functions like the climate control.
While the outgoing Patrol never received the upgraded interior given to the outgoing Armada in 2021, which brought a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay, Nissan Australia did finally give it a tech upgrade this year.
This brings a redesigned centre stack with a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a wireless phone charger and other interior tech upgrades.
This update may have to tide the Patrol over in Australia until a new model comes.
MORE: Everything Nissan Patrol