Nissan Patrol (Y62) review: still Bahrain's default big V8 SUV
4.4/5motorssouq Editorial Team
The facelifted Y62 Patrol is the safe, known quantity in Bahrain's big-SUV market: a V8 that will likely outlast several owners, independent rear suspension that makes it genuinely comfortable on tarmac, and a service network that has no learning curve left to climb. It is thirsty and it is large, but neither fact has ever slowed Patrol sales here, and the used-market depth means parts and specialist knowledge are never a problem.
Pros
- 5.6L V8 with real low-range and locking-differential capability, not just badges
- Independent rear suspension makes it genuinely comfortable on tarmac
- Deepest parts and workshop familiarity of any large SUV in Bahrain
- Hydraulic Body Motion Control gives composed handling for its size
- Strong reputation for long-term V8 durability with basic maintenance
Cons
- Fuel consumption of 14-15 L/100 km is a real running cost
- Width and turning circle are a daily tax in older Manama parking
- No official GCC crash-test rating on record
- Interior technology trails newer rivals like the current Land Cruiser
Few cars are as embedded in the Gulf's automotive culture as the Patrol, and the facelifted Y62 keeps everything that built that reputation: a 5.6-litre naturally aspirated V8, a proper two-speed transfer case, and a hydraulic body-motion control system that lets a nearly 2.8-tonne SUV corner with genuine composure.
On Bahrain's roads and beyond
Independent rear suspension is the detail that separates this generation from an older live-axle Patrol or a Land Cruiser rival — the ride over Bahrain's patched sections is settled rather than jittery, and the cabin stays quiet at highway speed. Take it across the causeway or into the sand on a weekend, and the low-range gearing and locking capability are there and genuinely usable, not decorative.
The V8's fuel consumption, in the 14-15 L/100 km range in mixed driving, is the honest cost of that capability, and nobody buying a Patrol is surprised by the number at the pump.
Buying and owning one
This is the least risky big-SUV purchase in Bahrain precisely because of how common it is: every independent workshop has technicians who know the VK56 V8 intimately, parts are stocked rather than ordered, and a used Patrol's problems tend to be well documented rather than mysterious.
Check the usual high-mileage V8 items — cooling system condition and suspension bushings on anything past 150,000 km — and buy on service history rather than trim level. A well-maintained mid-grade Patrol is a better purchase than a loaded one with gaps in its paperwork.