Turbo Vs Supercharged Y62 Patrol: Which Setup Is Right for Your Nissan Patrol?

If you’re looking for more power from a Nissan Y62 Patrol, two of the biggest options are a supercharger or turbo setup.

Both can completely transform the performance of the Y62’s 5.6L V8, but they deliver that performance differently. There are also important differences when it comes to cost, maintenance, reliability and fuel consumption.

After building many supercharged Y62 Patrols and several turbo Y62s, we’ve been able to get some real-world experience with both setups.

So, how do they compare?

Real-World Fuel Consumption: Turbo Vs Supercharged Y62

We recently compared actual fuel consumption between a turbo Y62 Patrol and a supercharged Y62 Patrol under highway driving conditions.

The results were:

• Turbo Y62 Patrol: 15.6L/100km
• Supercharged Y62 Patrol: 21.3L/100km

These figures were calculated using the actual amount of fuel consumed rather than relying solely on the vehicle's displayed fuel economy.

However, there is an important difference between the two vehicles.

The turbo Y62 weighed approximately 2,850kg, while the supercharged Y62 weighed approximately 3,600kg.

That’s a difference of around 750kg.

Both vehicles were running 295/70R18 all-terrain tyres.

Because of the substantial difference in vehicle weight, these results shouldn’t be treated as a controlled test showing that a turbocharger will always use less fuel than a supercharger.

Instead, they provide an interesting real-world comparison of two differently configured Y62 Patrols travelling under highway conditions.

Supercharged Y62 Patrol

A supercharger is one of the most popular ways to extract more performance from the Y62 Patrol.

One of its biggest advantages is simplicity.

The supercharger provides strong, consistent power throughout the rev range, giving the Y62 an impressive increase in performance while retaining predictable power delivery.

With a quality supplied kit such as a Harrop supercharger setup, it can also be an extremely reliable option.

In its standard form, a supercharger is one of our preferred Y62 power upgrades for vehicles that are used for touring, towing and everyday driving, as well as owners who simply want a much more enjoyable Patrol.

For those chasing additional performance, there are further upgrades available, including an upgraded high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) and upgraded MAF components.

Turbo Y62 Patrol

A properly built turbo Y62 takes things to another level.

The turbo setup generally provides significantly greater potential when it comes to extracting power from the Y62 platform.

Where a supercharger provides smooth and consistent performance, a turbo build can produce massive power gains and make better use of the potential available from the engine's mechanical components.

However, there are some trade-offs.

A turbo Y62 can require slightly more maintenance, and building one properly is generally more expensive than installing a standard supercharger package.

This is particularly important when considering a turbo conversion. Cutting corners isn't something we recommend when you're dealing with this level of power and performance.

Turbo Vs Supercharger: What's the Difference?

For many Y62 owners, the decision comes down to what they actually want from the vehicle.

A supercharged Y62 offers:

• Strong and consistent power delivery
• A relatively simple setup
• Excellent reliability with a quality kit
• Great performance for touring and recreational use
• The ability to upgrade further if more power is required

A turbo Y62 offers:

• Huge potential power gains
• Greater overall performance potential
• The ability to push the Y62 platform considerably further
• A very different driving experience

The trade-off is generally higher build costs and slightly higher maintenance requirements.

Which Is Better for a Y62 Patrol?

There isn't a simple answer.

Having built many supercharged Y62 Patrols and now having experience with turbo Y62 builds as well, both setups have their strengths.

For a touring-focused Y62 where reliability, simplicity and predictable power delivery are priorities, a quality supercharger package is extremely difficult to overlook.

For an owner chasing substantially more power and willing to invest in a properly engineered setup, a turbo Y62 presents some serious possibilities.

After experiencing both, choosing which one to put on our next Y62 build would be a very difficult decision.

And that's probably the best indication of just how capable both setups can be when they're built properly.

Planning a Y62 Patrol Performance Build?

Whether you're considering a supercharger, turbo conversion or a complete Y62 touring and towing build, the most important thing is making sure the entire vehicle is considered as a package.

Power, vehicle weight, suspension, tyres, fuel system, towing requirements and how the Patrol will actually be used should all be taken into account before deciding on the right setup.

Talk to the Enhanced Offroad Solutions team about your Y62 Patrol and what you want to achieve from your build.