Nissan Patrol gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so which cars still miss out?

The Nissan Patrol four-wheel-drive has been upgraded with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – making it one of the last few vehicles on sale in Australia today to get the smartphone mirroring technology.

By EFTM’s calculations the only cars without Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are the base model Suzuki Jimny GL manual three-door (the cheapest one in the line-up with black steel wheels and a basic AM/FM radio) and the Tesla Model 3 sedan and Tesla Model Y SUV (Tesla has shunned Apple and Android connectivity from day one).

Chinese car maker LDV has Apple CarPlay on all models but not Android Auto.

And until recently the base model Mitsubishi Triton single-cab two-wheel-drive “traffic controller” also lacked Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but that variant has been discontinued with the arrival of the new generation Mitsubishi Triton.

All MY24 (Model Year 2024, in car industry speak) versions of the Nissan Patrol – the Ti, Ti-L and flagship Warrior – will start to receive the upgrade as they arrive in Australia from this month.

The upgraded infotainment system for the Nissan Patrol Ti and Ti-L is a port fit accessory (before the vehicles are trucked to dealers) while the Warrior gets the upgraded infotainment system during its transformation by Premcar in Melbourne.

Unfortunately for current Nissan Patrol owners, for now there is no plan to make the kit available to retro-fit existing models.

Indeed, the MY24 Nissan Patrols have been configured at the factory to arrive in Australia without the standard infotainment screen (instead there is a blank piece of plastic).

This makes it easier to complete the port-fit upgrade (or Premcar in the case of Warrior) and eliminates waste of the original system.

The change coincides with other upgrades such as digital radio, USB A and USB C charge ports, a 15-watt wireless smartphone charging pocket, a switchable digital rear view mirror, and a chilled centre console.

The 10.1-inch screen also has the capacity for an integrated Hema Maps subscription, the highly regarded off-road navigation tool that plots remote bush tracks right across Australia.

Prices for each model have risen by $3000 to account for the upgrades, however the Nissan Patrol still undercuts the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series by a significant margin.

• * Nissan Patrol Ti: $87,900 (was $84,900)
• * Nissan Patrol Ti-L: $100,600 (was $97,600)
• * Nissan Patrol Warrior: $104,160 (was $101,160)

* RRP before on-road costs such as stamp duty, registration and any arbitrary dealer charges.

For a list of feature highlights, see below.

MY24 Nissan Patrol Ti

New items in bold

• 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine (298kW/560Nm)
• Seven-speed automatic transmission
• Rear Helical limited slip differential
• Hill Descent Control (HDC)
• Hill Start Assist (HSA)
• Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
• Hydraulic Body Motion Control suspension (HBMC)
• Front and rear parking sensors
• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Heated door mirrors with power adjustment/folding and integrated indicator lights
• 10.1-inch high-definition central touchscreen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto
• 15-watt wireless smartphone charge pocket
• DAB+ Radio
• iGO Street Navigation, 1-month free subscription to Hema 4×4 Navigation
• USB A and C ports
• Six speakers
• Digital Rear View Mirror
• Centre console cool box
• Eight-seat capacity
• 10-way power adjustable driver seat including height adjustment and lumbar support
• Eight-way power adjustable front passenger seat
• Leather-accented seat trim
• Dusk-sensing LED headlights and LED daytime running lights
• LED front fog lights
• Sensor key with push-button start
• Intelligent Emergency Braking
• Intelligent Forward Collision Warning
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Intelligent Cruise Control
• Intelligent Lane Intervention
• Lane Departure Warning
• Blind Spot Warning

MY24 Nissan Patrol Ti-L

Adds or replaces:

• Driver’s seat memory with two settings, including side mirrors and steering column position
• Puddle illumination lamps in the side mirrors
• Power-operated tailgate
• Roof rails
• Sunroof (electric one-touch power tilt & slide) with Privacy Glass
• Heated and cooled front seats
• Tilt and telescopic electronically adjustable steering column
• Premium bumper with unique grille
• Seven-seat capacity
• Six speaker – Infinity Premium Audio