

On a practical level, Nissan’s Latch-and-Glide system is a clever way to provide easier access to third-row seats.To accomplish that, the back and bottom of the second-row seats fold like a clam shell, making it easier to slide forward. The interior is exquisitely crafted with premium wood, sumptuous leather and splashes of brushed aluminum trim. Standouts include a well-designed center-stack console that maximizes use of that prime real estate. The interior is spacious yet intimate, efficient yet aesthetic, functional yet artful. The new Pathfinder shows what’s inside counts. The transformation earns the vehicle a 2013 Ward’s 10 Best Interiors win. The Pathfinder interior has gone from cramped and clunky to flowing and refined. As part of that switch, the auto maker’s designers went to work creating an interior more befitting of CUV buyers attracted to style, connectivity and creature comforts. Back then, it had an interior to match its rough ways.īut Nissan has converted the Pathfinder into a cross/utility vehicle built on a unibody, car-like platform. The Pathfinder debuted about 25 years ago as a rather brutish body-on-frame SUV. Warranty Three years or 36,000 miles with a five-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.The Nissan Pathfinder dropped some weight, redefined itself and went to finishing school, as evidenced by the striking interior of the all-new ’13 model. Options included sunroof, airbags, Bose stereo, rear-seat entertainment system and leather seats. Price The test car’s base price was $31,650. The Pathfinder is now 3 years old, but it is holding its own quite nicely. The test vehicle’s heated leather front seats were quite comfortable, and creature comforts included a power sunroof, rear-seat entertainment system and 10-speaker Bose stereo. While the Pathfinder has a rugged persona, the cabin of the SE is far from rough. Side and side-curtain airbags are part of an airbag option package. The second-row seat also has a storage area underneath it. A one-touch release lever moves the outer sections for easy access to the third row. The second-row seat is split into a 40/20/40 unit with three sections. The back of the seat is covered with a hard surface, and eight hooks in the cargo hold are convenient for tying down gear. The third seat is split 50/50, and it yields a flat cargo floor when folded. The Pathfinder’s third-row seat is fairly small, but it does provide a place for youngsters. When properly equipped, the Pathfinder can tow 6,000 pounds. The five-speed automatic transmission has widely spaced gears for strong acceleration and relaxed cruising. The engine also has variable valve timing, a variable intake system and an electronic throttle. Although this engine is similar to the one found in the Altima, Maxima and Murano, it has a longer stroke that gives it more torque, and that’s useful in an SUV. The test car’s 4.0-liter engine was quite pleasant because it delivers the bulk of its power across a wide rpm range. Overall length is 187.6 inches, thanks to short front and rear overhangs that give moderate off-road capability. The fully boxed, all-steel frame no doubt contributes to the vehicle’s weight, but it also gives the Pathfinder the strength to be quite capable off-road. All but the Murano are truck-based vehicles with body-on-frame construction.

In addition to the Pathfinder, Nissan’s family of SUVs now encompasses the Armada, Xterra and Murano. The Pathfinder’s rugged looks play a large part in its appeal. Other changes for 2008 include new exterior styling and a greatly refined interior, as well as newly available technology such as a revised Nissan navigation system with 9.3-gigabyte music box hard drive on the LE. The test car was a 2007 with the 4.0-liter V-6, but for 2008 Nissan plans to offer the Pathfinder with a new 5.6-liter V-8 with 300 horsepower.

The test car had a base price of $31,650. Prices for the 2007 Pathfinder start at $25,600 for a two-wheel-drive model and $27,200 for four-wheel drive. The test vehicle was an SE equipped with the off-road package, and the rugged tires and special suspension meant that the ride was choppier than the ride of a normal Pathfinder. The Pathfinder is, and has always been, a trucklike vehicle with off-road characteristics and a much more rugged persona than many of the now-popular crossover SUVs. Nissan’s midsize Pathfinder blazed a trail when it was introduced in 1986, and now, 11 years later, it continues to hold its own in a field that is crowded with comparable SUVs.
