BYD ATTO 3 vs Nissan Patrol

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Nissan Patrol Discontinued model
BYD ATTO 3 in South Africa

BYD ATTO 3

Extended Range EV Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 783,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 310 Nm
VS
Nissan Patrol in South Africa

Nissan Patrol

5.6 V8 Platinum 4x4 7AT Petrol 7-Speed Automatic Discontinued model
ZAR 1,949,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 298 kW 🔧 560 Nm ⛽ 9.0 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Patrol
Fuel Economy ATTO 3
🛡 Safety ATTO 3
📦 Practicality Patrol
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Recorded price context ATTO 3: current from ZAR 699,900 · Patrol: last listed from ZAR 1,579,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec ATTO 3 Patrol
Maximum Power 150 kW 298 kW
Maximum Torque 310 Nm 560 Nm
Engine Size Not Applicable 5552 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Not Applicable 9.0 km/l
Ground Clearance 175 mm 272 mm
Boot / Load Bay 310 l 490 l
Airbags 7 9
Kerb Weight 1750 kg 2660 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 8 seats
Warranty 5 years/100000 km complete vehicle; 8 years/200000 km power battery; 5 years/100000 km drive unit 3 Years / 100,000 km

= leads in this spec

Archived vehicles remain available for comparison. Verified specs stay visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

Patrol has a modest catalogue-index lead, while ATTO 3 remains close.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Patrol +32 pts
Efficiency ATTO 3 +53 pts
Safety ATTO 3 +1 pts
Practicality Patrol +40 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

ATTO 3

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency
Catalogue-index leader

Patrol

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

ATTO 3

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Patrol

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec ATTO 3 Patrol
Model Introduced Year 2023 2013
Generation First South African ATTO 3 generation Not confirmed
Facelift History No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026 2019 mid-cycle facelift with revised front fascia and updated technology
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2019
Facelift Version Ending Current Not confirmed
Body Style SUV Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status Active Not confirmed
Segment Compact SUV Not confirmed
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg - 2660 kg
Spec ATTO 3 Patrol
Length 4455 mm 5165 mm
Width 1875 mm 1995 mm
Height 1615 mm 1940 mm
Wheelbase 2720 mm 2850 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 175 mm 272 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 150 mm Not confirmed
Fuel Tank Capacity 0 l 140 l
Boot/Cargo Space 310 l 490 l
Kerb Weight 1750 kg 2660 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2160 kg 3560 kg
Payload Capacity 410 kg Not confirmed
Towing Capacity 750 kg 3500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 8 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows Not confirmed
Doors 5 doors Not confirmed
Minimum Turning Radius 5.25 m 6.2 m
Front Headroom 1010 mm Not confirmed
Rear Headroom 920 mm Not confirmed
Front Legroom 1070 mm Not confirmed
Rear Legroom 760 mm Not confirmed

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Patrol leads by 9 points

Patrol has a modest catalogue-index lead, while ATTO 3 remains close.

Index leader 84 /100
Lead 9 points
Data 78% source coverage
84
#1 Index leader

Patrol

78% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Efficiency 37
Performance 97
Efficiency 37
Safety 98
Practicality 91
Leads by 9 points
75
#2

ATTO 3

69% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Practicality 51
Performance 65
Efficiency 90
Safety 99
Practicality 51
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Patrol +32 Efficiency ATTO 3 +53 Safety ATTO 3 +1 Practicality Patrol +40

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Patrol

Performance 97/100
Efficiency 37/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 91/100

ATTO 3

Performance 65/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 51/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Nissan Patrol leads the catalogue index with 84 pts vs 75 pts for ATTO 3

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Patrol leads. However, ATTO 3 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This ATTO 3 and Patrol comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: ATTO 3 65 vs Patrol 97.

Efficiency index: ATTO 3 90 vs Patrol 37.

Safety-equipment index: ATTO 3 99 vs Patrol 98.

Practicality index: ATTO 3 51 vs Patrol 91.

Ownership-cover index: ATTO 3 not separately scored vs Patrol not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.