We have lamented the Nissan Patrol SUV not being available in the US. Instead, we are stuck with the overpriced, bloated, overstuffed Armada. The 2021 Nissan Patrol “Super Safari” is the new SUV you really want. This is a full-size SUV 4×4 available in the Middle East and the Philippines. They’re rugged, dependable, and as capable as any stripped-down Toyota Land Cruiser. 

The 2021 Patrol Super Safari has seen limited changes which is probably good

Nissan has chosen 1) not to change it since the late-1990s, and 2) not to make it available anywhere else but the aforementioned countries. For 2021 Nissan has added some great features and upgrades making us want it even more. The change you’ll notice first is that black has been added to the very limited pallet of Patrol colors. So now paint colors have really expanded with black added to either gold or white. No, we’re not kidding.

The other noticeable changes include 17-inch alloy wheels, now finished in black. Also, the Super Safari decal on the quarters has been updated. Nissan doesn’t hesitate to pull out all of the stops for some exciting and dynamic changes from 2020 to 2021 models. Not. 

Inside the center stack is housed an eight-inch infotainment screen and includes Apple CarPlay. New cloth upholstery along with tan leather are two new features. An option is the addition of Super Safari embossing in the seats. 

The Middle East get the Patrol-both as a two- or four-door

So why does the Middle East get the Patrol-both as a two- or four-door, and the rest of the world doesn’t? Thierry Sabbagh, Nissan’s Managing Director in the Middle East, told Carbuzz that Super Safari’s longevity in the Middle East is due to its “deep-rooted heritage.” He continues that the Patrol “adds a modern look to the powerful performance and durability of the SUV – maintaining its credibility to be the ideal partner for an off-road driving adventure across the region.” In other words, he doesn’t have a clue why. 

We suppose if he knew why he’d be head of marketing or he’d be a VP at Nissan. Instead, he is tasked with providing no reason for the reason the Patrol is popular there and why it is not sold here. But we digress.

One reason we can readily see why the Patrol is so popular in the Middle East is price

One reason we can readily see is because of the price. The 2021 Patrol Super Safari lists for 171k AED, which translates to $47k in the US. Some may find that a bit high considering the Nissan Armada starts at just $1,500 more. But let’s get real; most Armadas are loaded up to the $65,000 to $80,000 price. That is getting close to twice the price of a Patrol.

We can lament further but instead look to the immediate future for a new Nissan Titan and its SUV offshoot Armada. Nissan has a lot of catching up to do as it has let its catalog of vehicles somewhat die on the vine. That in turn has caused a cash crunch that puts the future of the company in question. There is hope that Nissan can get its act together and start a product cadence of new, competitive vehicles that match feature to feature the best in each class.