Nissan Pathfinder Interior Review
Echoing the exterior design tilt toward passenger-car looks, the Pathfinder cabin has been brought a long way from its
truck-oriented roots. Granted, the seats are higher off the ground than they would be in a Nissan Altima, but the
dashboard, seats and other trim pieces seem to have been selected for looks rather than hose-it-out-when-dirty utility.
And that suits us just fine.
Getting in or out requires a long step up or down, but once inside you'll find all the right pieces in all the right
places. The speedometer, tachometer, water temperature and fuel level gauges are large and big buttons are used for the
necessary functions. Sensible rotary dials operate the climate control system. The radio buttons are a little too small,
and the electric mirror switches are hidden from view by the wheel, but Nissan's designers have done their work well.
A quiet, comfortable environment is one of the Pathfinder's greatest assets. The seats are as accommodating as they
appear to be. Plush pile carpeting is underfoot; SE and LE trim levels offer higher quality carpeting than the XE. An
excellent heating/ventilation/air conditioning system keeps interior temperatures at the desired level. This pleasant
environment is complemented with generous cargo space.
On the debit side, taller occupants may find a little less headroom than they'd like, and adults sitting in the rear seats will wish for more legroom.
All Pathfinders come well equipped, especially SE and LE trim levels. We prefer cloth upholstery in the SE--especially when climbing in on cold winter mornings. Seat heaters help warm the seats quickly. But we also like the upgraded trim, power glass sunroof and excellent Bose sound system found in the LE.
Nissan Pathfinder Road Test
If Nissan owners conform to the general SUV-buyer profile, most Pathfinders will spend the bulk of their lives on the
highway. We spent most of our test drive on paved roads. But a foray into the California desert, an unplanned run through
a mountain snowstorm, and several laps around an off-road obstacle course in Canada showed us the Pathfinder can go just
about anywhere.
The Pathfinder is a competent performer, especially in the highway cruise mode. Shorter occupants will find the step
up into the cabin a high one, even when accessory step rails are fitted. On the plus side, the Nissan is quiet, a benefit
of the Pathfinder's rigid unitized structure and well-placed sound insulation. It's also easy to drive. Soft springs and
generous wheel travel smooth out all but the worst bumps. In hard cornering, the body leans a fair amount, but this is
common to the sport-utility breed. The steering strikes a nice balance between precision and low effort.
The Pathfinder performs well even when packed with a full load of passengers and cargo. The engine is responsive and
quiet and it's strong enough to pull a 5000-pound trailer. At high altitudes it doesn't have the passing power of some
of its competitors.
The base 5-speed manual transmission shifts well, but we consider the 4-speed automatic (standard with the LE package)
a better all-around match to the Pathfinder's character. It upshifts smoothly and downshifts responsively, which makes
city driving easy. Automatics are preferred by many experienced drivers for off-road use.
The Pathfinder copes as well with sand, mud and snow as it does with pavement. Traction was never a problem, nor was stability--even when the side of a sand dune proved steeper than it looked.
Sport-utility vehicles are not noted for fuel efficiency. Our 18-mpg average during testing was par for the SUV course.
Nissan Pathfinder Lineup