The QUICKN the powerful

MANILA, Philippines - Few SUVs are as iconic as the Nissan Patrol. Whether keeping the peace in the Congo or parting traffic along EDSA, the Patrol has always had that look of power and purpose. After all, who knows whether the man inside is just another regular person on the way to work or one of those government types with the Very Important Siren and a squad of baby Armalite-toting bodyguards? Deterrence has its uses.

In keeping with the times, Universal Motors Corporation (the distributor of Nissan Commercial Vehicles) has seen fit to upgrade their flagship SUV with a navigation/entertainment/gee-whiz system. Called QUICKN (Nissan Patrol Quick Navigation System), it combines GPS navigation, DVD/MP3/CD entertainment, and hands-free cellphone operation in a tidy package that looks right at home in the dashboard. The primary interface is a 6.5-inch touchscreen LCD system, backed up by redundant steering wheel-mounted controls.

The GPS system will be the first feature any driver will want to try out. To get around town – assuming you don’t already know the way – you type the desired destination on the touchscreen’s alphanumeric keypad. Several categories simplify the process, such as “Park”, “Mall”, and “Bank”. Type in “SM”, for example, and the computer draws up a list of all the SM malls in Metro Manila (it also knows the ones out of town). From there you can choose from several routes, such as whether you’d like the fastest route, the one that takes you on a highway, or the one that has the least number of intersections. Once you have selected your route, you will be prompted by a series of arrows on the screen and voice commands. The moving map can be shown in 2D or 3D, and the voice commands come in handy if you don’t like to look down at the map all the time. It’s alright to rely solely on the voice commands as it anticipates practically every corner, intersection, and turn along the route, such as “In 600 meters, take next exit”.

Should you ignore or misunderstand a command and miss a turn, the system is quick enough to re-compute your route so you can get back on track. For example, take a wrong turn and QUICKN will issue a series of commands to either make a u-turn or a series of left/right turns to get you on the proper course. The “male” voice also speaks in a laconic manner that will remind you less of an annoying backseat driver than a commercial airplane pilot. It beats having to deal with a fold-out EZ- or Accu-Map. Well, at least most of the time.

Like most GPS navigation systems, it still has a few bugs in the programming. It is more Microsoft than Apple, at least for now. The “fastest” route from SM MoA to Parañaque, for example, had me backtracking several kilometers along Roxas Boulevard to turn right at Libertad, instead of taking the straightforward EDSA-South Superhighway route. In another instance, coming home from Pasig to our subdivision in Parañaque (you take SLEX, then Sucat exit, go towards NAIA along Sucat road, then turn left at President’s Avenue), the system was right on the ball up to Sucat exit. Then it insisted I take the service road. Unless there’s a secret gate along the service road that I’ve never known about for more than 20 years, I kept to the correct path. The voice commands were very insistent I turn back, so I did the most humane thing possible: I turned down the volume.

John Connor may be right: Machines can never replace humanity!

Still, I was impressed with the clarity of the map. Once inside my subdivision, I found that every street was properly plotted and spelled out in the system. Aside from major roads and secondary streets, the map also features most major landmarks, so if ever you decide to do away with the computed routes and make your own, it’s easy to get your bearings and just find your own way.

QUICKN is also updated every four months in anticipation of Bayani Fernando’s penchant for making new u-turn slots, new 1-way streets, and other forms of urban entertainment to match whatever the MMDA’s exhaustive traffic studies say. Map updates are done not via Skynet but at the dealership, and in case you need more convincing, they are free for 3 years within the warranty period.

Navigation aside, QUICKN is also a comprehensive entertainment and communication system. There is iPod, USB, and SD Card connectivity, as well as the ability to play DVDs. Bluetooth-equipped phones can also be paired with QUICKN. All major functions are controlled by the touchscreen keys and a few hard keys. While navigating through the various menus and sub-menus takes awhile to master, it’s not rocket science for anybody who trained the hard way with, oh, your average aftermarket stereo with the gazillion tiny buttons. The only thing missing would be a Facebook/Twitter/Email function. It would be so cool to be able to update your status in between voice commands.

Lest we forget, the whole system goes inside a vehicle that’s still one of the best in its class despite the platform’s age. UMC now offers only one version of the Patrol, doing away with the gasoline and 4x2 variants of before. Instead, you get the best possible package in the lone offering. For P2.655M, the Patrol Super Safari gets the 3-liter, direct injection turbo diesel rated at 160 HP and 36.1 kg-m of torque.

Matched to a beefy 4-speed automatic transmission, what it lacks in top-end speed it makes up for in low to midrange urgency. It tops out at around 160-170kph, but it feels most at home below 120kph, where it feels ready to lunge forward and roll over everything in sight with just a slight prod of the Go-pedal. From past experience, the turbodiesel gives around 8-10kpl, depending on traffic conditions and driving style. The standard, part-time 4WD and long-stroke suspension system are also welcome features as most Patrol owners will venture off road from time to time. The ride isn’t as plush as most unibody SUVs, but it’s not overly stiff. Handling characteristics are consistent and predictable. At the cornering limit it will gently understeer, but the early onset of body roll will persuade you to drive it in a more, ahh, stately manner. The steering is unapologetically truck-ish. Even with power assist, it takes some muscle to navigate the Patrol in a crowd.

For a full-size, ladder-frame chassis SUV with a reputation for toughness in Third World environments, it’s not without its First World charms. There is, of course, the QUICKN, as well as automatic, dual-zone climate control, plush leather upholstery, and power-adjustable front seats. A high level of fit and finish when it comes to body panel alignment, the fluid movement of the dials, and even the elegant font-type used for the instrument panel further explains why affluent types are happy to use the Patrol as an oversized luxury car.

UN peacekeepers may be using the Patrol to help save the world, but in our very own neck of the woods, the QUICKN’d Patrol may just help owners save a lot of time and frustration finding their way about town, not to mention keeping them out of harm’s way.

THE GOOD

• Comprehensive navigation, entertainment, and communications suite.

• Excellent fit and finish.

• Bulletproof construction, or at least feels like it.

THE BAD

• Noticeable engine noise.

• Ride could be softer.

• Could use more steering assist.

THE VERDICT

• A Patrol that will have you, err, trolling the city even more.