SUV HAULS WITH CLASS
Nissan finds the right path with its quietly competent crossover, writes Brian Harper
Over its 30-year run, Nissan’s Pathfinder has undergone several transformations — from bodyon-frame covered version of a pickup to sophisticated SUV.
But the most dramatic change occurred with the 2013 fourthgeneration model. It shed its body-on-frame architecture for a unibody — this time based on the Altima/Maxima car platform — and became a mid-size, threerow crossover.
Though quiet and comfortable, this latest version of the Pathfinder has never left an indelible impression on me, being one of those not-a-minivan, familytype, all-wheel-drive vehicles. But when I offered a good friend’s 87-year-old father a ride in my 2016 Pathfinder Platinum 4WD tester, I began to see it in a different light.
Fred, who still drives, was quite taken with the Nissan’s level of refinement and solidity. Looking around the cabin and the dash area, with its leather seats, polished wood, satin metal trim, full instrumentation and the navigation screen in operation, I had to agree. For its $47,000 price (Platinum is Pathfinder’s highest trim level) it offers a near-luxury experience.
Though it isn’t nearly as popular as Nissan’s Rogue and Murano crossovers, Pathfinder sales are up 18 per cent so far this year. Consumers like its sevenpassenger capacity, intuitive all-wheel-drive, 5,000 pound towing capability and a high level of comfort and modern conveniences — and its styling.
The Pathfinder’s profile is smooth and aerodynamic, with pronounced wheel arches, a solid stance and large door openings, for easy access.
The Pathfinder is also ridiculously easy to park, even in tight mall spaces, thanks to the brilliant Around View Monitor, which projects a virtual 360-degree image onto the centre-console screen.
The Pathfinder comes with a 260-horsepower, 3.5-litre, DOHC V-6 with 240 pounds-feet of torque mated to an Xtronic continuously variable transmission. This quiet, balanced motor will propel the two-tonne Pathfinder to 100 km/h in about 8.5 seconds — delivering good fuel economy for a vehicle its size. I averaged 11 litres per 100 kilometres during my week with the tester.
Pathfinder’s All-Mode fourwheel-drive system includes Auto mode, which automatically monitors conditions and adjusts power between front and rear wheels for the best traction, and 4WD Lock mode for when road conditions make full-time 4WD the best choice. The rig is not meant for heavy off-roading, but it does include standard hill-start assist for added control when starting and driving away on a steep incline, and hill-descent control to help travel slowly down steep, rough terrain.
The EZ Flex seating system has 140 millimetres of second-row seat travel for ease of entry to the third row. When the third row is stowed, there’s 47 cubic feet (1,331 L) of cargo space. When the second row is also dropped, there’s a cavernous 79.8 cu. ft
(2,260 L) of flat-floor room.
Not flashy or extreme, the Pathfinder goes about its business with a quiet competency, though there’s little, if anything, that blows me away — dynamically or otherwise. Conversely, it would be difficult to find any particular deficiency in this solid family crossover for those needing both space and utility.
After three decades of rejigging its formula, Nissan has found the right path for Pathfinder.