Nissan has pleaded guilty to keeping a model in production well past its expiration date numerous times in recent memory. The last-generation Frontier landed on dealer lots in 2005 and somewhat unexpectedly stayed there until 2021, while the popular GT-R released in 2007 stands out as one of the oldest cars you can still buy new in the United States. Another aging Nissan currently being sold globally makes Godzilla look fresh: the Y61-generation Patrol, now known as the Patrol Safari to differentiate it from the much newer version sold on our shores as the Armada.
You’ll need to travel to the Middle East or some South American countries, including Bolivia, to find a new Patrol Safari in a showroom. Like in 1997, when the Y61 went on sale in dozens of global markets, the line-up includes a five-seat, two-door model and a four-door, seven-seater. Look closely and you’ll spot a handful of styling cues that set the 2025 Patrol apart from the original, including redesigned headlights, a new-look grille, and beefier flares on the wheel arches. However, the basic structure has soldiered on for over a quarter of a century. The newest brochure (which was printed in 2020) lists two available paint colors: White Pearl and Light Gold, respectively, that give the Patrol a two-tone look.
Not a lot has changed inside. Nissan updated the center stack, but the driver still faces a four-spoke steering wheel and an analog instrument cluster. The list of standard equipment in the Middle East includes some creature comforts you’d expect to find in 2025, such as front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, and Bluetooth connectivity. Leather upholstery and wood-look interior trim also come standard.
One of the features highlighted in the aforementioned brochure is a “newly-designed pintle hook [that’s] useful for towing disabled vehicles,” which tells you everything you need to know about the Y61. There’s also a tow hook and an electric winch integrated into the front bumper. The version sold in South America is a lot more basic, coming standard with 16-inch steel wheels, black plastic bumpers, and cloth upholstery.
Power comes from a 4.8-liter straight-six, rated at 280 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. Part-time four-wheel-drive (with a two-speed transfer case) and a five-speed manual transmission come standard, but a five-speed automatic gearbox is offered at an extra cost. Some off-roaders, like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and the Jeep Wrangler, evolved to look like their predecessor. The Y61-generation Patrol never changed.
Nissan’s Middle Eastern division doesn’t publish pricing information for the Patrol Safari, its official site simply says “get an online quote,” but it doesn’t sound like the model’s prehistoric age makes it a bargain. Looking through the Dubai-area classifieds, we’re seeing several 2024 models with delivery mileage priced between AED230,000 and AED255,000 (about $62,700 and $69,500, respectively). For context, a new, current-generation Patrol starts at AED239,900 (approximately $65,400) in the United Arab Emirates. Nissan of Bolivia doesn’t provide pricing, either.
How long can the Y61 stay in production for? Good question; we’ve reached out to Nissan and we’ll update this story if we learn more. Articles and social media posts claiming that the Y61 has been canceled are all over the internet, but many are a couple of years old at this point—yet this big, no-nonsense SUV is still around. Why wouldn’t it be? It doesn’t have a hybrid system or a driver-monitoring camera but it’s rugged, authentic, and capable, and these attributes remain sought-after.
Context is useful, too: body-on-frame SUVs are hugely popular in the Middle East. In 2023, the Nissan Sunny sedan was the best-selling car in the United Arab Emirates. The second spot went to the Patrol, though whether Nissan lumps sales of the current- and Y61-generation models into one figure isn’t clear. Toyota’s Hilux took third place, and the Land Cruiser finished fourth. The Patrol was the best-seller in November 2024.
Besides, the Y61-generation Patrol isn’t the oldest SUV on the global market; far from it. Toyota’s Australian division still sells a heavily updated version of the 70-Series Land Cruiser that debuted in 1984. The Lada Niva celebrates its 48th birthday in 2025, and the UAZ 469 that was introduced in 1971 is still sold new in several markets (a Czech brand even turned it into an EV). So cheers to you, Y61, and may you live long.
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