Nissan Australia has once again broken new ground with this move, saying in a release that its flagship SUV would be much to the delight and puzzlement of loyal customers – getting an entirely different inside for over last August’s cabin redraft.
The 2025 Nissan Patrol gets its second interior refresh in Australia within 12 months, further refining the cabin environment; this time round with upgraded materials, advanced technology, and enhanced ergonomics that improve driver comfort. Meanwhile it is still off-road capable in the tradition which SUV owners have come to value apart from being a delightful on-road environment for all passengers.
The Legend Continues to Move Forward
Through the outback country at their feet the massive SUV roars along with the unmistakable growl of its V8 engine.
However, now the vehicle that has carved out a niche of its own in Australia’s most rugged terrain is once again making news.
The change is happening in the interior of your car this time ’round.
Nissan Australia has astounded the industry with a complete second redesign of the Patrol Chronicle for only 12 months.
This decision made waves in the automotive community, leaving many to wonder: why such rapid change in what was supposed to be an ultra-reliable vehicle?
Nissan’s alternative interior scheme, suggested by its employees
Mark Davison, a senior product manager at Nissan Australia, claims “We always believe that evolution can’t wait for model years.”
I met him at the Nissan presentation held last week in Sydney where the strong line of Patrol vehicles was unveiled.
While he spoke the sun glistened off the looming shape of a Patrol, his enthusiasm for it appearing in every move.
“Our customers spend hours upon hours in these vehicles—from pick-up runs to cross continent tours with the family.
They should feel an interior room that gives them a level of comfort well beyond expectation, fit for the Nissan name.”
As I made my tour of the prototype automobile today, I felt the change.
A year old and well-received by people wherever it was seen, previously the inside of this car was both elegant and practical.
But here was something different–something that whispered in your ear about paying attention to feedback and really hearing what the customer has to say as well.
A Cabin Reimagined: Practical Luxury
With the new cockpit of 2025 Patrol, everything feels more like sitting in first class than in a tough off-road truck. For use At almost every surface, soft leather or wood or both edges together with real leather can be found.
The center console has been through a total rethinking. With this one still in the same shape, it incorporates a larger 12.3-inch screen from Milton, Salisbury placed above changed climate control systems (car shown above).
“What you’re looking at is our conversation with thousands of customers,” explains the woman in charge of interior design for the project, Sarah Willingham.
She was tapping the new stitched leather upholstery with her fingers as she spoke. It turns out that the design was inspired by Australian aboriginal art, making it a subtle link to her project’s unique heritage and European market orientation.
“We’re trying to make something that reflects what this vehicle is all about but brings it forward in time.”
With the new digital instrument cluster, the most noticeable refinement may actually be its replacing of traditional gauges since one can choose a display that is custom made to show anything from navigation directions to off-road metrics.
The steering wheel, redone in luxurious leather with contrasting stitches and home to redone controls that promise better ergonomics on long trips.
The Unexpected Reasons
But why now?
Why such an important change so soon after updating the location before last?
People in the automotive industry say that intense competition among big SUVs is causing Nissan to refresh their cars aggressively.
With Toyota’s Land Cruiser and Ford’s Everest continually updating their offers, the company cannot afford to stand still — even if its pedigree includes the famous Patrol.
He said: “Don’t try to change [the Patrol] all at once,” recalled Australian businessman Dave Miller.
CEO of Lexus L.C.“The luxury SUV market is a tough one, demanding high quality and continuous innovation.When these factors converge to make a product that feels as tradable and exclusive as the Patrol does right now, it’s a Veronica phenomenon.
At the moment, its name is everywhere and its not last year’s model.But even as their sales are still going strong, these cars have been transformed by 18 months of modifications and upgrades, and everywhere patrons are reporting richer experiences in two broad areas: comfort plus luxury beyond comparisonThat’s why for Giovanni you can definitely say “Pay me know or pay me later.””
In order to alleviate this problem, Infiniti provides the all-new QX70 with lateral tyre vibrations which can help prevent drifting in and soundproofing materials beneath the vehicle.
Moreover, in 1998, the car underwent its first full replacement in which various typification changes were implemented after 2002 – setting off a trend for modernization that proved popular among customers worldwide.
These have been completely updated to reflect 21st-century family tastes.The second row now features adjustable thigh support and improved cooling, while the third row – often an afterthought in many large SUVs – has been redesigned with better padding and more headroom.
2018 looks set to be a big year for great technology in every respect imaginable.
One word which keeps cropping up as you talk to the people who made this all possible?“Maybe a little,” he replies, “but just in a tactile way, not a definitive judgment.””We’ve also added a Deep Chestnut color which is a little bit darker than the old one,” he comments.Which is performed not just because this car is for the rich, but to give customers a different feature quality?At just after one in the afternoon The wind plant at Ewing Fork would come online again at 1:58 p.m.”Are you saying it is difficult?” I asked:” As easy as walking,” Mr. HANLEY nodded his head, showing a toothy smile.
Again, why would anyone bolt an expensive suspension setup retailed in Tokyo-no less, all over the bottom of what is essentially an off-road vehicle?And so this year’s 350 Z car sticker also has problems of its own, like a bent wheel caused by curbing the tires to fit those huge customized wheels – while the almost flat corners of the same vehicle are put to better use than a chopped boar by something very strange indeed.Finally, if it is true that the ‘cleanliness’ which Japanese customers so seriously appreciate is due at least in part to their desire for visual simplicity in products (which can be more complex if I want to take this point further), then Nissan engineers and designers will need to lead an even tougher battle.
Industry speculation says that any new models will only see a modest price jump from today, though Nissan also emphasizes the improved value proposition if there are to be any changes in price at all.
Nissan has an interesting deal for prospective buyers who might be put off by an interior refresh that has come so quickly: what it calls an “interior upgrade program.” Anyone buying any of the present stock models will be given a free new cockpit and upholstery.
This move, which is unusual, reveals a confidence in the new design direction that is tempered by an awareness of its possible impact upon present sales.
“We want our customers to have faith in their purchase—whether they buy today or wait for the new interior,” remarks Rachel Torres, customer experience director for Nissan Australia.
The luxury of her office, which overlooks Sydney Harbor, is adorned with photographs of Patrols in all manner of Australian landscapes, revealing the vehicle’s unique place in Australian society.
Shoestring Adventures
“In this way no one need deny themselves the pleasure of a new Patrol just to wait for the latest interior.”
An Australian Icon Goes Forward
As our Australian car scene continues to shift and alter—in particular with the rising ground held by electric vehicles and the increasing popularity of urban SUVs—Nissan Patrol is something of a contradiction.
It is an old-world car that is getting fast interior change; a bog-standard off-roader with luxury appointments and an emblem of the old days that doesn’t want to be confined to history.
We’ll have to wait and see whether this accelerated interior change pattern becomes the norm or remains an exception.
But one thing is for sure: Nissan is saying loud and clear that although the Patrol has a history stretching back for decades, its gaze is firmly fixed on the future.
As the sun set and the launch event ended, long shadows were cast over the display vehicle. I could not help but think what more surprises Nissan might have in store for this automotive stalwart.
What comes next remains anyone’s guess – except for the fact that standing still simply is not an option in Australia’s demanding car market, not even for vets such as the Patrol.
So potential purchasers are now confronted with an intriguing question: adopt the existing version, or hold out for this interior innovation?
Anybody else feeling warm yet? A problem of luxury, rather like deciding which fantastic outback route you want to volunteer for by Patrol on Monday.
The desert beckons and the WiFi is here for one final round of action as over these majestic scenes which it was designed to conquer.