Nissan Patrol vs Lexus RX

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
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
VS
Lexus RX in South Africa

Lexus RX

RX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,642,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 11.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Patrol
Fuel Economy RX
🛡 Safety Patrol
📦 Practicality Patrol
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Recorded price context Patrol: last listed from ZAR 1,579,900 · RX: current from ZAR 1,516,500

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Patrol RX
Maximum Power 298 kW 205 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 560 Nm 430 Nm
Engine Size 5552 cc 2400 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 9.0 km/l 11.5 km/l
Ground Clearance 272 mm 185 mm
Boot / Load Bay 490 l 612 l
Airbags 9 Side,Curtain,Driver,Passenger,Driver Knee,Passenger Seat Cushion
Kerb Weight 2660 kg -
Seating Capacity 8 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 Years / 100,000 km 7 years / 105,000km

= 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 and RX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Patrol +12 pts
Efficiency RX +9 pts
Safety Patrol +5 pts
Practicality Patrol +16 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

Patrol

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

RX

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Patrol

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

RX

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

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 Patrol RX
Model Introduced Year 2013 2023
Facelift History 2019 mid-cycle facelift with revised front fascia and updated technology Current fifth-generation South African range with petrol, hybrid, performance-hybrid and plug-in-hybrid choices
Facelift Launched Since 2019 Current fifth-generation South African range with petrol, hybrid, performance-hybrid and plug-in-hybrid choices
Tare Mass Kg 2660 kg 1895-2005 kg
Generation Not confirmed Fifth-generation Lexus RX luxury SUV
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed published
Segment Not confirmed Luxury SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec Patrol RX
Length 5165 mm 4890 mm
Width 1995 mm 1920 mm
Height 1940 mm 1695 mm
Wheelbase 2850 mm 2850 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 272 mm 185 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 140 l 67.5 l
Boot/Cargo Space 490 l 612 l
Kerb Weight 2660 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 3560 kg 2590 kg
Towing Capacity 3500 kg 2000 kg
Seating Capacity 8 seats 5 seats
Minimum Turning Radius 6.2 m 5.9 m
Doors Not confirmed 5 doors

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 7 points

Patrol and RX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 84 /100
Lead 7 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 7 points
77
#2

RX

70% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 46
Performance 85
Efficiency 46
Safety 93
Practicality 75
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Patrol +12 Efficiency RX +9 Safety Patrol +5 Practicality Patrol +16

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

RX

Performance 85/100
Efficiency 46/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 75/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Nissan Patrol leads the catalogue index with 84 pts vs 77 pts for RX

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Patrol leads. However, RX 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 Patrol and RX 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: Patrol 97 vs RX 85.

Efficiency index: Patrol 37 vs RX 46.

Safety-equipment index: Patrol 98 vs RX 93.

Practicality index: Patrol 91 vs RX 75.

Ownership-cover index: Patrol not separately scored vs RX 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.