Five cars to buy if you don't want a Nissan Patrol, from economical GAC to electric Ford

From price to power to performance, these motors provide a similar experience but with a twist

The GAC GS8 has a pocket-friendly price of Dh170,000. Antonie Robertson / The National

The electric Ford Explorer is an eco-friendly option. Photo: Ford Motor Company

The Chevrolet Tahoe offers 3,479 litres of space. Photo: Chevrolet

The Hyundai Palisade is available for Dh180,000. Photo: Hyundai Motor America

The Ram 1500 TRX offers 712hp and 881Nm of power. Photo: Stellantis

The Nissan Patrol 2025 was unveiled in Abu Dhabi this week, with the Japanese carmaker promising the new model will be bigger and bolder (read: taller and wider) and “engineered and built for the Middle East”. The car will be available later this year, with prices starting at $65,000 (Dh238,000) in the UAE.

While our region's penchant for the Patrol is undeniable, here are some alternatives should you want a three-row SUV that's similar but offers something different.

GAC GS8

USP: Price

Short for Guangzhou Automobile Group, Chinese carmaker GAC has made noticeable inroads into the UAE market in recent years. Its GS8 model is a seven-seater SUV that costs significantly less than the Patrol, with a starting price of Dh170,000.

While the third row is best suited to children, the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine of this year's model provides healthy outputs of 252hp and 400Nm of torque. It also has a luxe-looking interior to boot.

Hyundai Palisade

USP: Price

If you're looking for a cheaper South Korean marque over a Chinese one, the Palisade is a pocket-friendly option at Dh180,000. There's also ample head and shoulder room in all three rows. Luggage space measures 510 litres with all seats in place, but this can easily be boosted to 1,297 litres by folding down the third-row seats.

The 3.8-litre V6 comes standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission, for an output of 291hp and adequate acceleration.

Chevrolet Tahoe

USP: Space

The Tahoe can easily accommodate seven adults. Photo: Chevrolet

Should space be your primary criteria, the Tahoe is a viable option with its staggering 3,479-litre capacity.

The power-operated folding third row of seats includes decent footwells rather than sitting flat on the floor, thanks to a new suspension. This alone is a big win as it makes the third row a genuine place for adults to sit for long journeys, helped by easy access to the back, with enough head and leg room as well as air vents.

Ford Explorer

USP: Eco-friendly

An arguably more environmentally friendly option thanks to its small four-cylinder turbo engine, instead of a 3.5 V6, the Ford Explorer is also easy on the pocket, with a starting price of Dh180,000.

While the cabin does not have an all-luxe feel, this fast-charging EV is spacious and practical and ticks both the sporty and safety boxes.

RAM 1500 TRX

USP: Performance

While it's hard to pick a better performer than the 2025 Nissan Patrol – given nobody outside the company has driven it yet – the RAM 1500 TRX stands head and shoulders above, quite literally, everything else, at least on paper. This is down to its sheer power: a 6.2-litre supercharged V8 that thrashes out 712hp and 881Nm, which are sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic box with paddle shifters.

Despite its size and weight (2,880kg; and nearly six metres from bumper to bumper), it accelerates from 0-100kph in 4.5 seconds. That said, it is a pickup rather than a wagon.