POWER OVER GLORY

NISSAN'S PATROL IS A PROVEN 4X4 THAT IS STARTING TO SHOW ITS AGE, WHILE THIS 2022 CHEROKEE LIS A BRAND-NEW MODEL LOADED WITH MODERN TECH - BUT CAN THEY BOTH DO THE SAME JOB WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH?

- EVAN SPENCE

IT HAS been a long time coming, but Jeep has released the first seven-seat Grand Cherokee, dubbed the 'L'. It's not just a longer version of the previous Grand Cherokee, either; this has been redesigned from the ground up, with a long list of ingredients that on paper sound perfect for families wanting the latest and greatest in technology and interior comfort.

However, it's not all-new, as this model retains the 3.6L V6 petrol Pentastar engine found in many Jeep products and, of main note, the Wrangler. Sadly, there's no diesel engine option.

We managed to snag a top-spec Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve straight from the vehicle's recent launch event, and we spent some time in the bush getting to know it and to see how it performs against the proven (albeit dated) Nissan Patrol.

Why the Patrol? Well, it's a large family wagon with eight seats (one more than the Jeep), a petrol engine, and all-independent suspension. There are definitely enough similarities to make an excellent comparison and see if the new family 4WD wagon has what it takes to outperform the solid and highly regarded Patrol. It's time to get muddy.

POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE

MAKE no mistake, this engine and gearbox package makes the Patrol what it is. Producing a claimed 298kW and 560Nm, it's an absolute ripper of a combo, outputting velvety smooth power the second you touch the accelerator. Some people take things a step further and bolt aftermarket superchargers on them that's madness, but my kind of madness.

With a 5.6-litre petrol V8 engine mated to a seven-speed automatic, the Patrol moves effortlessly on- and- off-road, albeit at the expense of fuel, which you'd expect from a big engine pushing more than 2800kg of weight.