The next-generation Nissan Patrol, codenamed Y63, has been spied testing on Australian roads ahead of its scheduled local launch later this year.
An eagle-eyed member of the Y63 Patrol Australia group on Facebook, Bassam Khala, spotted a right-hand-drive, Victoria-registered version of the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series rival in a public carpark in the northern Melbourne suburb of Thomastown.
Already on sale in left-hand-drive markets including the US, where it’s badged as the Armada rather than the Patrol, the Australian images show a Y63 finished in Everest White and fitted with wheels matching those of the Platinum, one of the most luxurious of the six Armada model grades sold in the US.
It comes after the Pro-4X model grade was spotted testing on Australian roads late last year.
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The new-generation Patrol, which rides on the same 3075mm wheelbase but is taller, wider and longer than the current Y62, is not yet on sale in any right-hand-drive market.
“We can confirm the all-new Y63 Patrol has been undergoing rigorous testing, evaluation and validation in Australia as part of its preparation for its local introduction,” a Nissan Australia spokesperson told CarExpert.
The company confirmed at the reveal of the Y63 all the way back in September 2024 that local orders would open late in 2026 ahead of deliveries commencing early in 2027.
The Facebook post showed the Y63 towing a Jayco Discovery Outback dual-axle caravan which, according to the Jayco website, measures 5386mm long and has a tare weight of 1967kg in standard form.
It’s unclear whether the caravan being tested has any optional equipment fitted that could increase its weight or dimensions.
The Y63 sold in the US has a braked towing capacity of up to 8500 pounds (3855kg), exceeding the current Y62 Patrol’s 3500kg rating.
The new-generation Patrol follows the rival LandCruiser in ditching V8 power, with the Y62’s 298kW/560Nm 5.6-litre petrol V8 replaced by a 317kW/700Nm 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine.
The impending demise of the V8 has seen Patrol sales surge despite repeated price increases within a 12-month period.
“We currently have supply of both the Y62 Patrol and Y62 Patrol Warrior available across our dealer network. We’ll have more to share later this month regarding the final production phase of the V8-powered Y62 Patrol,” Nissan Australia said.
The appearance of the Y63 on Australian roads is not unusual, according to Nissan.
“As with all Nissan vehicles destined for Australia, we undertake extensive local validation and tuning to ensure performance, durability and dynamic characteristics are suited to Australian conditions and customer expectations, both on- and off-road,” the spokesperson said.
Nissan used local engineering firm Premcar to develop a local chassis tune for the updated Navara ute range introduced earlier this year.
It previously partnered with Premcar to develop more rugged versions of the Navara and Patrol under the Warrior name.
While a new Navara Warrior has been confirmed, a Y63 Patrol Warrior has yet to be officially announced, though it appears likely given comments from Nissan Australia managing director Steve Milette.
“I think it’s done well,” Mr Milette told CarExpert last month when asked about the collaboration between the automaker and Premcar.
“The Warrior version of it [the Navara] was fantastic. I think it elevated the brand for sure, so I see that’s a very positive relationship.”
