Right-hand drive Nissan Patrol enters production ahead of 2027 South Africa debut

Ahead of its South African arrival next year, Nissan, through its Australian division, has released first images of the right-hand drive Patrol being assembled at its Kyushu Plant in Japan.

Down Under first

The first right-hooking market to receive the new Y63 Patrol, the Australian version will go on-sale before year-end in a line-up spanning six trim levels: Ti, Ti+ Ti-L, Ti-L+, Pro-4X and Ti-L Reserve.

All variants will be powered by the VR35DDTT 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 that produces 317kW/700Nm, an uptake of 19kW/140Nm on the normally aspirated 5.6-litre V8 used in the outgoing Y62.

Also new is the push-button operated nine-speed automatic gearbox that replaces the Y62’s seven-speed.

Right-hand drive Patrol arrives two years after the global left-hand drive model’s reveal in Abu Dhabi. Picture: Nissan Australia

Ruled out is the normally aspirated 3.8-litre V6 shared with the North American Frontier that makes 236kW/387Nm and the uprated VR35DDTT in the Patrol Nismo that outputs 369kW/700Nm due to both variants being devised solely for the Middle East.

The first Patrol rated to tow 3 700kg, the Y63 has a ground clearance of 244mm, which increases to 314mm with the inclusion of the optional adaptive air suspension.

As before, it retains the low range transfer case and locking rear differential, but with the inclusion of drive mode selector offering six modes – Eco, Standard, Sport, Sand, Mud, Rock.

What South Africa can expect

Arriving in right-hooking nations two years after its global reveal in Abu Dhabi, South Africa will become the second right-hand drive nation after Australia to receive the Y63, though an exact date remains to be announced.

Nissan South Africa Managing Director Juan Wheeler, however, told The Citizen on the sidelines of the facelift X-Trail’s launch in July that the Patrol will arrive at the end of Nissan’s 2026 fiscal year.

Patrol made a preview appearance at the launch of the Tekton in September. Picture: Charl Bosch

Speculatively, this points to a March or April launch. However, nothing has been confirmed.

Joining the special edition X-Trail Rock Creek as one of two confirmed new additions arriving next year, the South African-market Y63 will have the same powertrain as the Australian version, but with a smaller model line-up as per the Y62 having had only one derivative.

Shown in left-hand drive guise as a preview on the sidelines of the Tekton’s launch last month, more details of the Y63 Patrol are only expected in the new year.