600km north of Adelaide is a wilderness in the Felandas Mountains – Arkaroola Off-Road Park, which has rugged mountain roads, ancient riverbeds, and spectacular canyons. Although it is an inaccessible place, it is more suitable for off-road players. It’s like a paradise. The road conditions here are very suitable for testing the performance of the off-road vehicle’s four-wheel drive system, so Nissan also chose to let us test drive this Patrol Y61, a model that has been sold locally for 20 years.
However, the unique feature of this test drive model is that it is a legendary model limited to 300 units. The launch of this model also means that the diesel version of Patrol Y61 has officially withdrawn from the market (Australian market). Although many car fans are not willing to see this result, but this is the fact, maybe time is the best antidote, or everyone needs to focus more on the Y62 model to find some comfort.
There are two reasons why I chose Arkaroola National Park for this test drive. The first is because it is really suitable for off-roading. Nissan also hopes to let its legendary model show its strength here, so that everyone knows that it is a The legendary car that can go anywhere; followed by the Sprigg family, who successfully crossed the Simpson Desert in a Nissan Patrol in 1962 and became the first family to cross the Simpson Desert. Now this family is also the owner of the park .
Going back to this legendary model, this special version has the same power configuration as the normal version. This 3.0-liter diesel version has been in service since it was introduced in 2007, and its maximum power is 118kW; models using a five-speed manual gearbox can obtain a peak torque of 380N m between 2000rpm and 2400rpm, equipped with a four-speed The model with automatic transmission obtains the maximum torque output of 354N·m at 2000rpm. This kind of power performance is obviously very suitable for doing some “physical work”.
In terms of off-road, this Patrol, which has been on the market for some years, does not have too many advanced off-road equipment. The reduction ratio of 2.02:1 is considered the most powerful off-road equipment. Facing some complicated road conditions, the power output of this car is completely sufficient. It is also these “primitive” mechanical structures that are loved by car fans, because machinery means reliability. There are really not many models like Patrol that have two physical shift levers. The rear wheel differential lock is also very useful. In the face of some poor road conditions, the differential lock can make the vehicle get out of trouble more calmly. In terms of suspension, there is nothing special about this special edition model. The front is still a three-link integral bridge suspension, and the rear is still a five-link integral bridge suspension, and coil springs are used for shock absorption. This configuration takes into account certain comfort on road.
Sitting in the car is like entering a time machine. You must know that this model was launched in 1997, but in the past 20 years, although Nissan has not made much effort on the appearance, it still spent some energy on the interior, at least it does not seem to be felt now This is an “old car”. On the legendary model in front of us, Nissan also carefully prepared popular configurations such as satellite navigation system and reversing camera. Of course, this is only a part of the 10,000 Australian dollars. Other upgrades include tow hooks and roof luggage. frame, electric winch and wading hose, etc. Nissan’s original intention of doing this is of course good, but it reminds me of the situation of installing navigation on my car a few years ago. Although there is such a navigation screen, it always feels a little uncoordinated. The navigation screen of the Toule in front of me is also a little inconsistent with the surroundings, but it is better than nothing, and the convenience of daily use has increased a lot.
Apart from these interior configurations, this Patrol is still very comfortable to ride. The sitting posture is of course a classic SUV style. The good vision makes the driver more confident to face the road ahead. In this vast area, everything looks small, but the Patrol still feels like a big car. This legendary model still has a 7-seater layout, and the third row of seats can be folded to both sides to expand the storage space of the trunk. The quickest way to get into the third row is through the trunk, so Nissan also hung the spare wheel on the tailgate instead of under the trunk floor. The legroom of the second row of seats is satisfactory, and there is no problem with the horizontal space even if three adults are seated, but the middle passenger only has a two-point seat belt to use – if it is the upper In the 1990s, this was not a big deal, but now it is a new century, and only two-point seat belts seem a bit unreasonable.
It is very easy to find a comfortable sitting position in the driver’s position. Although Nissan only provides the steering wheel with the function of adjusting up and down, fortunately, the large size of the steering wheel can easily satisfy most drivers. Not long after I actually drove this car, I was deeply impressed by the performance of this car. In this area, the bad washboard road can be regarded as a relatively good road condition, and this kind of maddening Road conditions are not such a thorny issue for Toule. The subsequent mountain climbing section is also quite easy for this diesel engine, but when going down the mountain from the other side, you need to rely more on the brakes or even switch the gear to the first gear, because this car does not have a steep slope. function. The only trouble we had on this stretch of the mountain was when the tires got cut by sharp rocks. After two days of activities, my attitude towards Patrol has changed from admiration to admiration. This is not only an off-road vehicle that can take you anywhere, but also an off-road vehicle that can take you anywhere while providing you with comfort. ride experience.
There is no doubt that the strength of Y61 is beyond doubt. But sadly, Nissan Australia marketing director and CEO Richard Emery still said that sentence – its time has come. The performance and reliability of the 3.0-liter engine is excellent, but it no longer meets current emissions standards. Of course, emissions are not the only reason. Another reason is the backward safety configuration. This car is still only equipped with two airbags, not to mention other safety configurations.
For those who look forward to finding a car that looks handsome, is comfortable to drive, and has strong off-road performance, this limited-edition 300-unit Patrol Legend Edition may be the best choice. If you didn’t grab it, you have to look at Y62. Of course, the performance of the Y62 model is not bad. The matching of the 5.6-liter V8 engine and the seven-speed automatic transmission brings more powerful power performance, and more abundant electronic equipment will also make the driver’s work easier, and there will be more Comprehensive security configuration.
