Nissan has overhauled nearly its complete SUV vary over the previous few years, after letting some fashions wither on the vine.

The Nissan Pathfinder was probably the most uncared for. The earlier era was launched in Australia in 2013, however the present mannequin didn’t arrive right here till late in 2022.

It rides on a revised model of the outdated automotive’s platform, and continues to be constructed within the US. It’s been developed primarily for the North American market, and goes up towards different North America-focused crossovers just like the Toyota Kluger and Hyundai Palisade.

The Qashqai and X-Path are Nissan’s volume-selling crossovers in Australia, with the entry and flagship fashions of the model’s SUV lineup being significantly much less widespread.

The poor Pathfinder has been hamstrung by provide points, which led to Nissan eradicating greater than half of its lineup and leaving solely the 2 costliest – and, apparently, hottest – variants: the all-wheel drive Ti and Ti-L.

Nissan’s flagship SUV subsequently has one hand tied behind its again, with solely a single V6 engine, no non-compulsory hybrid or diesel powertrains, and no price-leader front-wheel drive mannequin.

That helps clarify why its gross sales are effectively beneath these of rivals just like the Hyundai Santa Fe and Palisade, Kia Sorento and Toyota Kluger – ought to it’s in your consideration listing?

How does the Nissan Pathfinder examine?

View an in depth breakdown of the Nissan Pathfinder towards equally sized automobiles.

Nissan

Pathfinder

How a lot does the Nissan Pathfinder value?

The 2024 Nissan Pathfinder lineup consists of two variants, each with normal all-wheel drive.

Costs exclude on-road prices

To see how the Pathfinder compares with its rivals, use our comparability instrument.

What’s the Nissan Pathfinder like on the within?

The Pathfinder’s inside will likely be acquainted in case you’ve sat in an X-Path, with numerous frequent switchgear and a robust household resemblance.

The X-Path has one of many extra spectacular interiors in its section, however the Pathfinder’s – at this a lot larger value level – doesn’t impress as a lot.

It’s not helped by the black colourway that’s the one one on provide in Australia. Whereas there’s some engaging metal-look trim for distinction at both finish of the dashboard, it’s used sparingly whereas gloss black trim is slathered throughout the centre stack – it doesn’t actually make for a lot distinction, and it simply attracts mud and smudges.

Materials high quality is tough to fault. There are many soft-touch surfaces, together with the door tops entrance and rear, in addition to the perimeters of the centre console.

Talking of the doorways, they open good and huge however a few of my passengers noticed they really feel a little bit gentle. The strategy locking and unlocking system nonetheless, works excellently.

The tech is nice. A 9.0-inch touchscreen isn’t all that enormous in 2024, however the infotainment system is simple to navigate and the interface is passable in presentation, if not as fashionable as rivals just like the Kluger.

The surround-view digicam has first rate if unexceptional decision.

There’s a 7.0-inch display within the instrument cluster, as seen in decrease variations of the X-Path, permitting you to view journey data and alter settings. It’s bracketed by a pair of easy, legible analogue gauges. You don’t really want to take a look at these although, due to the helpful head-up show.

A 13-speaker Bose sound system provides good sound high quality, however the air-conditioning behaved unusually at instances with lowered airflow out of 1 vent and further air popping out of one other.

The structure of the cabin is user-friendly.

The local weather controls are a easy array of buttons and knobs, positioned good and excessive; the touchscreen juts out of the dashboard with out wanting like a tacked-on iPad; and there are helpful bodily shortcut buttons beneath the display.

However general, the inside doesn’t really feel significantly nicer than an X-Path’s, nor does it look dramatically completely different. The yellowish inside lighting additionally feels low-rent.

Up entrance, there’s a deep centre console bin; massive, simply accessible cupholders; a storage slot and wi-fi charging tray on the console itself; a rubberised shelf in entrance of the entrance passenger good for a cell phone; and a helpful shelf beneath the place you may put a smaller purse. There are additionally massive bottle holders within the doorways.

Step into the again by way of the wide-opening doorways, and there’s a flat flooring, plus massive cupholders within the doorways and one other pair in a fold-down armrest. There are separate local weather controls again right here, in addition to a USB-C and a USB-A outlet and heated seats.

There are top-tether anchor factors for baby seats throughout all three seating positions too, in addition to ISOFIX factors for the outboard seats.

There’s ample room right here, and the second-row seats helpfully slide to provide third-row occupants extra room. To get again there, press a button on both aspect of the cut up second-row bench and every part will tilt and slide ahead.

I’m 180cm tall, and in contrast to in a Hyundai Palisade I’m unable to take a seat within the third row with out my legs firmly up towards the second-row seatbacks.

However all you must do is slide the second-row seats ahead barely, and you will get a cushty seating place for many adults throughout each rows.

That’s proper, the third row can truly match adults with the second row adjusted thusly. Headroom is surprisingly ample again right here as a result of Pathfinder’s boxy physique.

There are fewer facilities again right here, although you continue to get air vents (within the roof), extra cupholders, and a single USB outlet. Most significantly, there’s curtain airbag protection.

You may match a toddler seat again right here utilizing both a top-tether or ISOFIX anchor level, however just for the left seat.

Open the facility tailgate and also you’ll discover 205L of boot area behind the third row, sufficient to suit a big suitcase. There’s additionally a large cupboard space beneath the boot flooring, which was helpful once I was transporting some crops I didn’t wish to tip over.

Drop the third row and the area expands to 554L, and we had been in a position to simply accommodate three massive suitcases for an airport run. The third row seats fold flat, too. Drop the second row, and there’s 782L of area, and a 12V outlet will be discovered within the boot space.

What’s below the bonnet?

The Nissan Pathfinder is obtainable with only one powertrain in Australia

How does the Nissan Pathfinder drive?

It’s unusual that Nissan dropped the Pathfinder hybrid proper as hybrid gross sales surged, and we will solely hope the corporate ultimately drops one in every of its wonderful e-Energy setups in its flagship crossover.

We’d additionally guess Nissan is popping a turbocharged four-cylinder engine on this, given the Chinese language-market Pathfinder provides simply that and this section is transferring away from V6s.

The Toyota Kluger swapped its V6 for a turbo 4, whereas the brand new Hyundai Santa Fe is launching right here as a hybrid however might effectively achieve a turbo 4 down the road to exchange the present V6 – one thing we count on the Palisade to ultimately provide, too.

Even the Jeep Grand Cherokee is rumoured to be ditching its V6 for a turbo 4. That’s making the Pathfinder look a little bit old style, even when the V6 isn’t a nasty mill – although it’s thirsty.

We averaged 13.1L/100km over the course of every week of largely city driving, although on a loop comprising inner-city, suburban and freeway driving we managed 11.7L/100km.

Many of the automobiles I’ve owned have had naturally aspirated six-cylinder engines mated with torque-converter automated transmissions, so the Pathfinder feels comfortably acquainted to me, making the noises and sensations I’m well-accustomed to.

In previous testing, we’ve managed a 0-100km/h time of 8.1 seconds within the top-spec Ti-L. It positively appears like an 8.0-second automotive – the V6 is of course perkier than a turbo 4, so it’s important to rev it extra with peak torque accessible at 4800rpm.

It doesn’t really feel sluggish, thoughts you, however neither is it as easy as some turbocharged rivals. All of the whereas, it makes the type of raspy sounds you’d count on of an atmo V6. Once more, comfortably acquainted, however not innovative.

The Pathfinder’s cabin stays fairly hushed even at freeway speeds or on coarse-chip roads. Engine noise isn’t too loud, both, and it’s not a nasty soundtrack to hearken to.

Repeatedly variable transmissions (CVTs) have their place, although I’d argue a big V6 engine isn’t the precise one. So I used to be happy to study when this Pathfinder was revealed that Nissan had swapped the outdated automotive’s CVT for a nine-speed auto.

The nine-speed does have a behavior of holding gears for a contact too lengthy, even in the usual drive mode, lending a barely slurring sensation to the automotive – nearly like Nissan didn’t wish to alienate homeowners of CVT-equipped Pathfinders.

Total, it’s not the slickest shifting unit, nevertheless it will get the job carried out.

Journey high quality is common. Rivals just like the Santa Fe really feel tighter and extra pliant, with the Pathfinder transmitting growth joints and patchwork surfaces into the cabin.

It’s uncommon, because the trip doesn’t really feel all that stiff, it simply can’t appear to iron out these facets of the street floor all that effectively and finally ends up feeling fairly busy on a variety of roads. The tyres had been on the placarded pressures, too.

I used to be stunned by how a lot wheelspin the Pathfinder has, notably for an all-wheel drive car. It’s fairly simple to chirp the tyres with a heavier throttle enter, whereas a drive by way of the mountains had the tyres howling in some corners.

We marvel how a lot these points may very well be addressed by merely altering the tyres – the Kumho rubber on that is disappointing, notably for a big household SUV.

Grip is poor, and on a few moist corners we felt the Pathfinder lose traction. The digital stability management was a bit slower to intervene than we wish, as effectively.

It’s not as if we had been driving this prefer it was on a race observe, both. Thoughts you, rubber apart, the Pathfinder’s dynamics are aggressive if not segment-leading.

The steering lacks the progressive really feel of rivals just like the Santa Fe and dearly departed Mazda CX-9, although the weighting strikes a great steadiness for the section and the Pathfinder is simple to park.

Physique roll is well-controlled, with the Pathfinder staying pretty flat in corners. Total physique management is first rate, with the Nissan not bobbing an excessive amount of on undulating roads.

The motive force assists are well-calibrated. Lane-centring, for instance, does a commendable job of holding you inside your lane with out always feeling prefer it’s attempting to countermand your steering inputs.

If you’re heading off the crushed, err… path… you may select between a number of terrain modes for snow, mud and sand.

What do you get?

With no ST or ST-L at the moment accessible, the Ti is the bottom mannequin within the native Pathfinder vary. Regardless of its price ticket, nonetheless, it misses out on rain-sensing wipers.

Commonplace gear contains:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• House-saver spare
• Tyre stress monitoring
• Computerized LED headlights
• Computerized excessive beam
• LED entrance fog lights
• Energy-folding exterior mirrors
• Energy tailgate
• Distant begin
• Proximity entry with push-button begin
• Rear privateness glass
• Constructed-in rear door sunshades
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Satellite tv for pc navigation
• Wi-fi Apple CarPlay
• Wired Android Auto
• DAB+ digital radio
• 10.8-inch head-up show
• 7.0-inch instrument cluster display
• Wi-fi cellphone charger
• 13-speaker Bose sound system
• Tri-zone local weather management
• Leather-based-accented steering wheel
• Tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment
• 8-seat configuration, incl. second-row three-seat bench
• 10-way energy driver’s seat
• Black leather-accented upholstery (leatherette in third row)
• Heated entrance seats
• Heated outboard second-row seats

For an additional $10,000, the Ti-L provides:

• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Panoramic sunroof
• Rain-sensing wipers
• 7-seat structure incl. second-row captain’s chairs
• Quilted leather-accented upholstery (leatherette for third row)
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 4-way energy passenger seat
• Ventilated entrance seats
• Digital rear-view mirror

Is the Nissan Pathfinder secure?

The Nissan Pathfinder has a five-star ANCAP security ranking, based mostly on testing carried out in 2022.

It obtained an grownup occupant safety ranking of 86 per cent, a toddler occupant safety ranking of 93 per cent, a susceptible street consumer safety ranking of 78 per cent, and a security help ranking of 85 per cent.

Commonplace security gear contains:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
  • Junction help
  • Pedestrian and bicycle owner detection
  • Reverse AEB
• Adaptive cruise management
• ProPilot (adaptive cruise + lane centring)
• Blind-spot help
• Lane-keep help
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Site visitors signal recognition
• Encompass-view digicam
• Twin entrance airbags
• Entrance centre airbag
• First- and second-row aspect airbags
• Curtain airbags for all three rows

How a lot does the Nissan Pathfinder value to run?

The Nissan Pathfinder is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.

Servicing is required each 12 months or 15,000km – whichever comes first.

2024 Nissan Pathfinder service pricing:

2024 Nissan Pathfinder service plans:

Even with the low cost in pre-paying for companies, the Toyota Kluger continues to be cheaper to take care of than the Pathfinder, as it’s with every thing else on this section. The Kluger’s first 5 companies are capped at $265 every.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Nissan Pathfinder

The Nissan Pathfinder isn’t probably the most economical car in its section; nor does it have probably the most upscale or spacious inside, the best efficiency, or probably the most snug trip.

That makes its circa-$70,000 base value a troublesome tablet to swallow.

Not solely are you able to get a mid-range, all-wheel drive Kluger GXL for round $3000 much less, even the hybrid model undercuts the Pathfinder Ti.

You get a bigger touchscreen however miss out on a head-up show, although in any other case the gear lists of those two Japanese-branded rivals look fairly comparable.

The mid-range Elite model of the new-generation Hyundai Santa Fe additionally undercuts the Pathfinder, whereas providing a thrifty hybrid powertrain and a spacious third row.

If you would like a big, all-wheel drive crossover with a extra conventional really feel, nonetheless, the Pathfinder will enchantment.

Not all people needs a turbo or a hybrid, and the Pathfinder is among the final automobiles in its section to mix a naturally aspirated V6 with all-wheel drive. We additionally recognize Nissan dropping the CVT for a traditional auto.

It mightn’t have the biggest third row, however you may nonetheless get a complete complement of adults comfortably on board and the quiet cabin has loads of storage – and a plethora of cupholders.

Throw in good-looking styling and first rate dealing with and the Pathfinder nonetheless makes a case for itself. We’d advise you to take a look at rivals just like the Hyundai Santa Fe, Palisade and Toyota Kluger although, earlier than signing on the dotted line.

Click on the photographs for the complete gallery

MORE: Purchase a Nissan Pathfinder
MORE: The whole lot Nissan Pathfinder