Nissan Patrol vs Jeep Cherokee

When it comes to luxury SUVs in the UAE, the Nissan Patrol and the Jeep Cherokee are very evenly matched. But in many important ways, they are nothing alike. Choosing between the two then is extremely difficult. But someone’s gotta do it.

First, let’s look at all the variants available for each SUV. The Nissan Patrol comes with either a 4.0L V6 or a 5.6L V8, all coming with a 7-speed automatic. There are 5 trim levels for the V6 and 4 for the V8. There is also the AWR edition and the NISMO to consider. The Jeep Grand Cherokee, on the other hand, offers three engine options – a 3L V6 Ecodiesel, a 3.6L V6 Pentastar, and a 6.4L V8 HEMI – all using an 8-speed automatic. Thankfully, there is only one variant for each engine. And it only gets even more complicated from here.

Prices for the Nissan Patrol start at AED 194000 and go up to AED 388500. The prices for the Jeep Grand Cherokee start at AED 12400 and go up to AED 282000. For the purpose of this comparison, we will look at the Nissan Patrol LE Platinum with the 5.6L V8 and the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, both of which are very near the top of their range and cost around AED 280000.

The 5.6L V8 in the Patrol produces 400 hp and 571 Nm of torque. The 6.4L HEMI V8 in the Grand Cherokee produces 461 hp and 624 Nm of torque. This extreme difference in engine power output is because the engine in the SRT is from the Hellcat. While the NISMO does produce 428 hp, it still falls short on the SRT and costs much more than it. The Jeep then with its intoxicating power is the clear winner in this category.

Now coming to the design front, the Nissan Patrol looks old and dated. Its primary design feature is being big. And it is indeed much bigger than the SRT in every way. The last major upgrade that the Nissan saw was back in 2010 and since then the SUV world has gone through a revolution. The Nissan, however, is still stubbornly stuck in the past. Not that it does not look good and hasn’t been upgraded with features like LED headlamps, but compared to the Cherokee, it does not stand a chance. The Cherokee line has constantly been upgraded and the SRT with its sculpted vented hood, its smart front, muscular side profile and LED DRLS looks like something from the future. Another point for the Jeep then.

Moving inside, the Nissan has more space and is overall a more luxurious place to be. The Nissan also has 7 seats instead of the 5 in the SRT. Both are equipped with many modern features like 8” touchscreen infotainment screens, high-quality speaker systems (19 speaker Harman Kardon system in the SRT and 13-speaker Bose system in Nissan), steering wheel mounted controls and power seats. There are well thought out storage spaces, practical instrumentation, and many convenience features. The cabin noise quality, ride comfort and quality of materials are similar in both the SUVs. But on just the basis of sheer space, the Nissan inches past the Jeep. The Jeep cabin saves face by being more modern with its LCD instrument display and a dual power sunroof.

Moving to safety features, both the SUVs are almost evenly matched. Other than the usual airbags and ABS the Nissan gets a whole gamut of sensors to tell the driver about oncoming traffic and other obstructions. The Jeep takes it up a notch with traction control, its Selec-Track driving mode system and its massive Brembo brakes which are necessitated by that beast under the bonnet.

Both of these SUVs are proven to be very good off-roaders. As an urban proposition, however, the Jeep does seem like the ideal buy. It has great equipment levels, massive power and is even good value for money. The Nissan Patrol loses out simply because it is old and in desperate need of a major upgrade. It is and feels like a product of an older era, while the Jeep is brand spanking new.