Is it a car or a truck? From the inside, you'll be hard-pressed to tell
which category the Pathfinder fits best. Granted, the seats are higher
off the ground than they would be in, say, a Nissan Altima, but the dashboard,
seats and all other trim pieces convey a sense of passenger car ambience
and comfort.
Like most sport-utes, getting into or out of a Pathfinder requires a
long step up (or down), but once inside you'll find all the right stuff
in all the right places. Dials (speedometer, tachometer, water temperature
and fuel level) are large, as are buttons for most other necessary functions
and rotary dials for climate control. The radio buttons are a little too
small, and the electric mirror switches are hidden from view by the wheel,
but by and large, the designers have done their work well. Everything else
is sited for easy use.
Seating quality and noise isolation fall into the car-like class as
well. A quiet, comfortable environment is one of the Pathfinder's greatest
assets, followed by generous cargo space, enhanced by the vehicle's increased
dimensions. On the debit side, taller occupants may find a little less
headroom than they'd like, and all adults will wish the rear seat offered
more legroom.
Very little needs to be added to complete the Pathfinder's cabin, especially
when it's an SE or LE; most of us will be quite well served by an SE with
added air conditioning. In fact, we prefer the lesser model's cloth upholstery--especially
for the first sit-down on cold winter mornings. On the other hand, we like
the LE's power glass sunroof and excellent Bose sound system.
One standard feature that might work better on the option list is the
heavily tinted privacy glass for rear doors, quarter windows and liftgate.
Some buyers might find it a trifle dark for night driving.
On the plus side of the driver sightline ledger, the 1996 redesign moved
the spare tire from the liftgate to an underbody storage nook, a change
that also makes it easier to get in and out of the rear cargo hold.
Though not quite up to Rolls-Royce legendary quietness standards--neither
are Rolls-Royces, for that matter--the Pathfinder is a quiet operator on
paved roads. Wind noise is exceptionally low, and the engine is well-muted.
The tires generate some sound (unavoidable with all-season rubber) but
even that is minimal.
On pavement, the Pathfinder's suspension delivers a comfortable ride.
Soft springs and generous wheel travel smooth out all but the worst bumps;
the sole negative in this area is body roll during cornering, a common
trait for sport-utility vehicles. Steering is good as well, striking a
nice balance between precision and low effort.
Performance is still another Pathfinder plus. Even with a load of passengers
and/or cargo, acceleration is brisk and there's enough torque to pull a
5000-pound trailer.
Good as the five-speed manual transmission is, the four-speed automatic
(standard with the LE) struck us as a better all-around match to our tester's
luxo character. It shifts crisply yet unobtrusively, and subtracts less
from straight-ahead performance than many automatic-equipped sport-utes.
We put this down to the power traits of the V6 engine. Its peak horsepower
output isn't extraordinary, but its robust torque comes on early and peaks
at a relatively low 3000 rpm.
Like virtually all sport-utility vehicles, the Pathfinder's fuel economy
is just so-so, even with a manual transmission. But that doesn't seem to
matter much to most SUV buyers.