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Fuel bills, service contracts, insurance, 5-year resale values, and desert-durability data compared side by side. Here is the definitive total-cost-of-ownership breakdown for UAE buyers choosing between the Nissan Patrol and the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 in 2026.
On any Friday morning at a Dubai dealer floor, the same argument plays out between two buyers staring at window stickers: one points at a Nissan Patrol, the other at a Toyota Land Cruiser 300. Both are right, and both are wrong, depending on how they plan to spend money over the next five years. The purchase price is only the opening move.
This is not a road-test comparison. It is a cold-numbers ownership calculation built around UAE petrol prices, official service packages, RTA Mulkiya costs, Dubai insurance averages, verified 5-year resale trends, and the specific punishment that 48°C summer heat inflicts on running gear. Every figure below is sourced from manufacturer UAE pricing or publicly verifiable UAE government data. Prices accurate as of July 2026.
If you are ready to browse available stock right now, Nissan Patrol listings on Carzle and Toyota Land Cruiser listings on Carzle are both updated daily by verified UAE dealers.
The 2026 Nissan Patrol opens at AED 189,900 for the base SE trim and climbs to AED 289,900 for the fully-loaded Platinum Reserve in the GCC specification. The 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 starts at AED 279,000 for the GXR trim and peaks at AED 389,000 for the ZX in full GCC specification. That means the entry gap between the two nameplates is AED 89,100 in favour of the Patrol, and the top-spec gap narrows to AED 99,100. Both prices include VAT.
At equivalent trim levels - say, the Patrol Titanium at AED 239,900 versus the Land Cruiser GXR at AED 279,000 - buyers are looking at a AED 39,100 difference before a single litre of petrol is purchased. That gap is large enough to cover roughly 3.5 years of routine servicing on either vehicle, which reframes the entire conversation.
The 2026 Nissan Patrol uses a 5.6-litre V8 rated at 400 hp. Nissan's official UAE combined consumption figure is 14.7 litres per 100 km. The 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 uses a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 rated at 415 hp and is officially rated at 11.6 litres per 100 km in combined cycle. UAE Special 95 petrol is priced at AED 2.88 per litre as of July 2026 (ENOC/ADNOC pump price).
Over 25,000 km per year - a conservative UAE annual mileage for a primary family vehicle - the arithmetic is straightforward. The Patrol burns 3,675 litres per year at a fuel cost of AED 10,584. The Land Cruiser 300 burns 2,900 litres per year at a fuel cost of AED 8,352. That is a saving of AED 2,232 per year in favour of the Land Cruiser, or AED 11,160 over five years. In Dubai summer stop-start traffic, where the air-conditioning compressor runs at maximum load for five months of the year, real-world consumption on the Patrol regularly reaches 18-19 litres per 100 km, widening that gap further.
Nissan UAE offers the Nissan Service Plan for the Patrol, covering scheduled maintenance for up to 5 years or 75,000 km. The current retail price for this plan on a Patrol V8 is AED 5,800. This covers oil changes, filters, and standard inspections at Nissan-authorised workshops across the UAE.
Toyota UAE offers the Toyota Genuine Service package for the Land Cruiser 300, with a 5-year/100,000 km plan retailing at AED 6,500. The Land Cruiser's twin-turbo V6 requires premium 98-octane oil grades and has more complex turbocharger service intervals, which contributes to the slightly higher package cost. Outside of package coverage, an out-of-warranty timing chain service on the Land Cruiser 300's V35A engine commands significantly higher workshop rates than the Patrol's VK56 V8, which is among the simpler and better-documented large displacement engines in the region.
Independent workshops in Dubai - Al Quoz, Ras Al Khor, and Sharjah Industrial Area - quote routine service for the Patrol at AED 650-850 per visit outside of official packages. Equivalent Land Cruiser 300 service at independent shops runs AED 900-1,200 per visit, reflecting the higher-complexity engine and the premium parts pricing on the newer platform. Over five years of independent servicing, the Patrol holds a clear cost advantage of AED 1,500-2,000 in total service bills.
Comprehensive motor insurance in the UAE is priced as a percentage of the vehicle's declared value, typically between 2.5% and 4.0% depending on the insurer, the driver's age, and the claims history. On a AED 239,900 Patrol Titanium, a competitive comprehensive premium lands at AED 5,997-9,596 per year. On a AED 279,000 Land Cruiser GXR, the same percentage range yields AED 6,975-11,160 per year. The Land Cruiser's higher declared value means it costs more to insure at every equivalent tier.
Over five years, assuming no claims and a modest depreciation-adjusted premium reduction each year, the cumulative insurance advantage of the Patrol over the Land Cruiser is AED 8,000-12,000. Buyers who finance through a UAE bank will also find that the Patrol's lower purchase price reduces the mandatory comprehensive insurance period and the bank's minimum coverage clause.
Both vehicles attract the same RTA registration structure in Dubai. First-year registration (Mulkiya) for a vehicle above AED 150,000 is AED 900, covering plates, registration card, and technical inspection at an authorised testing centre. Annual Mulkiya renewal is AED 290 for the registration card plus AED 400 for the inspection fee (Emirates vehicle classification: heavy private), totalling AED 690 per year for each vehicle. Neither model attracts a congestion-zone surcharge beyond standard Salik toll tags.
Salik (Dubai's electronic tolling system) charges AED 4 per gate crossing. A Dubai resident commuting across two Salik gates twice a day will spend approximately AED 5,760 per year on tolls regardless of which of these SUVs they drive. This cost is vehicle-agnostic but worth factoring into any total ownership budget. Abu Dhabi's Darb tolling system applies similarly to both.
Resale is where the Land Cruiser 300 redraws the entire cost calculation. GCC-spec Toyota Land Cruisers have historically retained 65-70% of their original purchase price after five years in the UAE market. This is among the highest retention rates of any vehicle sold in the region, supported by permanent regional demand, parts ubiquity, and a reputation for longevity that stretches across three generations of buyers.
The Nissan Patrol is also a strong retainer by global standards, typically holding 50-58% of its original value after five years in UAE conditions. It is not a depreciating liability by any measure, but against the Land Cruiser's benchmark it concedes 10-15 percentage points. On a AED 279,000 Land Cruiser GXR, 65% residual value means a five-year resale of AED 181,350. On a comparable AED 239,900 Patrol Titanium, 55% residual means AED 131,945. The difference in retained capital is AED 49,405 in favour of the Land Cruiser.
When you subtract that residual gap from the Land Cruiser's higher purchase price of AED 39,100, the Land Cruiser actually returns a net capital advantage of AED 10,305 over five years before fuel, service, or insurance differences are counted. This is the number that changes minds on showroom floors.
The Land Cruiser 300 wins on five-year net cost by AED 13,765 despite costing AED 39,100 more at point of purchase. The two key drivers are fuel economy and resale value. The Patrol fights back on lower insurance premiums, a cheaper service package, and simpler independent workshop repairs - but it cannot overcome the Land Cruiser's residual value advantage at these mileages.
Both vehicles are built for desert environments, but their parts ecosystems differ meaningfully. The Nissan Patrol's VK56 V8 has been in production since 2004 and its components are available from Jebel Ali spare parts districts at competitive prices. Suspension arms, wheel bearings, and shock absorbers for the Patrol can be sourced from multiple non-OEM suppliers certified for UAE conditions, keeping repair bills lower at higher mileages.
The Land Cruiser 300's V35A-FTS twin-turbo V6 is a newer architecture. Toyota's UAE dealer network (with locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Al Ain) maintains strong OEM parts stock, but non-OEM alternatives remain scarce given the platform's relative youth. A turbocharger replacement on the Land Cruiser 300 outside warranty coverage costs AED 12,000-18,000 per side at a Toyota-authorised workshop. The Patrol V8 has no turbochargers to fail.
In desert driving durability, the Patrol's live rear axle option and proven off-road geometry give it a marginal edge on extreme dune bashing - a fact acknowledged by most UAE off-road clubs. The Land Cruiser 300's KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) and e-KDSS on higher trims deliver superior on-sand composure in controlled conditions, but added system complexity raises long-term repair risk. For buyers who genuinely plan to use Al Qudra or the Liwa dunes regularly, the Patrol's mechanical simplicity is a durability asset.
Both vehicles are available from verified UAE dealers on Carzle. Browse used Nissan Patrol listings or explore Toyota Land Cruiser stock to compare trim levels and mileage brackets currently on the market.
Buyers considering alternatives in the full-size luxury SUV segment should also look at the Lexus LX 600, which shares the Land Cruiser 300's TNGA-F platform and offers a compelling ownership case of its own. For those drawn to American engineering at a similar price point, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe listings on Carzle represent strong value with broad UAE service networks.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal, financial, tax or insurance advice. Prices, specifications and availability are indicative, vary by trim and GCC specification, and change without notice - confirm current figures with the selling dealer. Government fees, registration, import, customs and traffic regulations are subject to change; always verify current requirements directly with the relevant UAE authority (RTA, MOEI, Customs, your emirate's traffic department) or your insurer before acting. Carzle is a marketplace: vehicles are listed and sold by independent licensed dealers, and Carzle is not a party to any sale.
AED 329,000
AED 239,000
