The upcoming Nissan Patrol, internally coded Y63, has been caught undergoing evaluation on Australian roads ahead of its planned local debut later this year.

A sharp-eyed member of the Y63 Patrol Australia Facebook group, Bassam Khala, photographed a right-hand-drive example with Victorian plates parked in Thomastown, a northern Melbourne suburb.

Already offered in left-hand-drive countries such as the United States where it carries the Armada badge, the vehicle shown wears Everest White paint and rides on wheels identical to those fitted to the top-spec Platinum variant sold overseas.

The sighting follows earlier images of a Pro-4X grade prototype captured during local testing late last year.

The redesigned Patrol retains the existing 3075 mm wheelbase yet measures taller, wider and longer overall than the outgoing Y62 and remains unavailable in any right-hand-drive market.

A Nissan Australia spokesperson confirmed the Y63 is completing extensive local testing and validation ahead of its introduction Down Under.

The company previously announced that orders will open late in 2026 with first deliveries expected early in 2027.

Images posted online show the prototype towing a Jayco Discovery Outback dual-axle caravan measuring 5386 mm in length with a standard tare weight of 1967 kg.

It is not known whether the caravan carried additional options that might alter its mass or dimensions.

In the United States the Y63 Armada is rated to tow up to 3855 kg when braked, comfortably above the current Y62 Patrol limit of 3500 kg.

Power comes from a new 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 producing 317 kW and 700 Nm, replacing the 5.6-litre V8 that powered the previous generation.

Anticipation of the V8's departure has already lifted sales of the current model despite several price rises over the past year.

Nissan Australia stated that remaining stocks of both the standard Y62 Patrol and the Patrol Warrior are still available through the dealer network.

Local testing of the Y63 is described as routine, with the brand confirming it undertakes thorough validation to match Australian conditions on both sealed roads and off-road tracks.

Engineering partner Premcar has previously developed local chassis calibrations for the Navara ute and created the rugged Warrior variants of both the Navara and Patrol.

While a new Navara Warrior has been confirmed, a Y63 Patrol Warrior has not yet been officially announced, although comments from Nissan Australia managing director Steve Milette suggest further collaboration is likely.