Nissan puts Pathfinder on path to more power, safety technology
Nissan’s raised the power and towing power of its three-row, seven-passenger Pathfinder for the 2017 model year. The utility vehicle, which went on sale in August at a starting MSRP of $29,990, also sports bolder styling and more safety and infotainment technology.
Bolder styling, a new grille and “boomerang” headlights featuring LED daytime running lights should make it easy to tell a 2017 from the outgoing model. The redesigned grille and front chin spoiler have improved engine cooling as well as aerodynamics and Nissan said the new Pathfinder plows through the air with a 0.326 coefficient of drag, 4 percent better than its predecessor.
Elsewhere, shoppers will find new taillights, rear bumper and outside mirrors that integrate turn signals.
The Pathfinder dates back to 1987. The current fourth generation people mover was ushered in with the 2013 version. In keeping with the times, four grades are offered to fit a range of consumer budgets and needs.
The base Pathfinder S features an 8-inch color touch screen, HD Radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, tri-zone automatic temperature control and rearview color camera and monitor. Bluetooth phone and streaming audio and hands-free text messaging assistance are now standard across the lineup. Also upgraded this year is a color monitor in the gauge cluster that reports data like fuel economy, trip computer and outside temps. The SUV also comes privacy glass, recessed front windshield wipers, chrome door handles and roof rails.
Moving up a notch to the SV shatters the 30-grand ceiling and adds smart keys, eight-way power driver’s seat and leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, rear sonar, fog lights, auto-dimming rearview mirror with universal garage door opener and remote engine start. The Pathfinder SV starts at $32,680.
Pathfinder SL ($35,700) is the entry-ticket for buyers who want leather-covered (and heated) first – and second-row seats, four-way power front passenger’s seat, driver seat two-way power lumbar support and heated steering wheel. Also standard are a power rear hatch that can be operated with the wave of a foot, a birds-eye style monitor with moving object detection, blind spot warning and rear cross traffic alert. Like ambiance? Stepping up to the SL also gets you “welcome lighting.”
The gotta-have-it-all Platinum ($41,870) has a raft of standard goodies, including LED headlights, 235/55R20 tires and alloy wheels, NissanConnect with navigation and services through SiriusXM, Bose audio, cooled front seats, wood-grain trim and a dual pane panorama moonroof that stretches over the second – and third-row seats. There’s also a towing package, forward emergency braking and Nissan’s “intelligent cruise control” which adapts to traffic ahead and, within reason, brings the Pathfinder to a stop if needed. The system can also work with the GPS system, adjusting the vehicle’s speed to the curves ahead. Yes, Big Brother is watching.
Our SL loaner had the SL premium package that piles on NissanConnect with navigation powered by SiriusXM, the 13-speaker Bose system, dual panorama moonroof and tow hitch receiver. The $3,400 package puts an SL at $41,690, just $1,870 shy of the Platinum. If safety is your No.1 priority, we should note that only the Platinum comes with forward emergency braking.
But there are no decisions to struggle with on powertrains. There’s only one. For the 2017 model, Nissan’s workhorse 3.5-liter V6 now pumps out 284 horsepower and 259 lb.-ft. of torque, a 24 horse and 19 lb.-ft. bump over the 2016 Pathfinder. The engine gets direct injection and a higher compression ratio: 11.0 to one vs. the previous 10.3:1.
Bolted to the aluminum V6 is Nissan’s third-generation continuously variable transmission. Nissan said its “Xtronic” CVT not only delivers smooth acceleration and crisper gear changes, it’s quieter at cruising speed and, with fewer parts, is lighter. For max traction, Nissan’s four-wheeldrive system adds $1,690 to the bottom line no matter which grade level is chosen.
On 4WD Pathfinders, drivers can select the normal two-wheeldrive for maximum fuel economy, while the auto mode adjusts the balance of power between front and rear wheels for best traction with no driver input.
Then there’s 4WD Lock mode for full-time four-wheel-drive.
Thanks to the engine’s added oomph and reinforcements to the tow hitch receiver structure, 2017 Pathfinders are rated to tow up to 6,000 pounds, 1,000 more than 2016. The fuel economy remains the same as the slightly lighter 2016s: 20 mpg city and 27 highway for front-wheel-drive Pathfinders, and 19/26, respectively, for four-wheel-drives.
One of our favorite aspects of the midsize Pathfinder is its storage capacity and flexibility. Both second and third row seats recline or, when needed, fold flat. The second row is split 60/40 and the third row is a 50/50 arrangement. With all seats up, there are 16 cu. ft. of storage. That grows to a whopping 79.8 cu. ft. with the second and third rows down.
The 2017 SV, SL and Platinum also accommodate more mobile devices, with two 12-volt outlets in the center stack, one in the center console and one back in the cargo area. The basic but nicely equipped Pathfinder S makes do with one outlet in the center stack and one in the cargo area. You’ll find two of those increasingly necessary USB ports in the center console.