A legacy of reliability and integrity

The Philippine Daily Inquirer was founded on December 9, 1985, by Eugenia Apóstol, Max Solivén, and Betty Go-Belmonte during the final years of the Marcos regime. It succeeded the weekly Philippine Inquirer, which was created by Apóstol to cover the trial of those accused in the assassination of Ninoy Aquino. The Inquirer quickly became a prominent “alternative media” outlet that played a significant role in the 1986 People Power Revolution and is known for its commitment to fearless and truthful journalism.

After four decades, Inquirer continues to deliver the truth with integrity and honor. We celebrate four decades of excellence brought to you by the fearless people behind arguably the most respected media outlet in the country.

Integrity, dependability and reliability. The same traits we look for when investing in a car we expect to serve us for decades. We take a look at two vehicles that enjoy fairly similar traits.

Enter, the Toyota Land Cruiser and the Nissan Patrol.

The Toyota Land Cruiser is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota, the world’s biggest car manufacturer. The core Land Cruiser, now on its ninth generation, is one of Toyota’s longest running series of models. As of 2019, the sales of the Land Cruiser totalled more than 10 million units worldwide. It is very popular in the Middle East where it’s a favorite among sheikhs, emirs, oil barons, billionaires and royalty. In the Philippines, the Land Cruiser is a favorite of captains of industry, politicians and of course 4×4 off-road enthusiasts. It is arguably, the standard by which all other 4×4 civilian utility vehicles or sport utility vehicles are judged.

Its key rival, the Nissan Patrol follows the very same playbook as the Land Cruiser. The Nissan Patrol is a series of 4×4 full-size off-road vehicles manufactured by Nissan in Japan, also since 1951 and sold throughout the world. It is Nissan’s longest running series of models, and is equally popular in the Middle East, earning it the moniker “The Pride of Arabia” according to Nissan. Its latest generation, the Y63 was recently launched earlier this year and is also making waves, particularly in the Philippines where the Toyota Land Cruiser’s rarity and long waiting times for unit availability have put off enthusiasts waiting for a luxurious yet highly capable ‘ute that can survive Armageddon as well as insane traffic carmageddon in luxury.

The latest generation LC300 Land Cruiser is equipped with a 3.3L twin-turbo V6 diesel engine producing 306 hp and 700 Nm. It channels this through the four wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission with four wheel drive.

Standard equipment on the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 include a suite of active and passive safety systems, such as the Toyota Safety Sense with features like pre-collision system, lane tracing assist, and blind-spot monitor. Connectivity is provided through a large touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multiple USB ports, and a wireless charging pad. The interior is equipped with automatic climate control, a multi-function steering wheel, push-button start, and power-adjustable front seats.

The newest Y63-generation Nissan Patrol features a major upgrade from its predecessor, ditching the naturally aspirated gasoline V8 for a more powerful and more fuel efficient 3.5L twin-turbo V6 codenamed VR35DDTT with 431hp & 700 NM torque. This is channeled through a 9-speed automatic transmission, plus an advanced intelligent 4WD system. The Patrol has advanced features like Nissan’s ProPilot safety, adjustable air suspension, 8 seats, and the latest modern technologies.

While both ‘utes occupy the same segment and compete head-on, the two rivals could not be any more different. The Land Cruiser, albeit still luxurious, feels more utilitarian, simpler, more focused towards off-road, all-weather performance. The Patrol on the other hand feels far more opulent, with a more sumptuous leather interior with diamond quilting, a more upscale and bombastic Klipsch Surround Sound System and four LCD screens (two in front and two at the back).

The Patrol also represents better value for money, with more electronics goodies yet priced lower at P5.385M Pesos, while the more basic Land Cruiser is higher at P5.753M.

On the road, the Land Cruiser feels better suited for the driver as it feels more focused, more urgent and connected. Despite the large size, 2nd row space isn’t as good as the Patrol’s. The Patrol on the other hand, pulls double duty effortlessly: you can sit at the back and feel like a prince, or drive up front and feel like a conqueror. It also rides much more luxuriously, versus the Toyota’s firmer ride.

The Patrol’s controls feel lighter, so it’s easier to live with every day, while the Toyota surprisingly feels heftier. Great for driving, but when you’re not in the mood, it can be rather tiresome.

So what would you pick? The Nissan Patrol offers excellent value for money, rides comfortably, has much more in terms of standard features and equipment levels.