Nissan Pathfinder Interior Review
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. Big buttons are used for the necessary functions. Sensible rotary dials operate the climate control system. The radio buttons are too small and the electric mirror switches are hidden from view by the steering wheel, but overall 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 head- and legroom.
All Pathfinders come well equipped, especially SE and LE trim levels. We prefer the SE's cloth upholstery -- especially when climbing in on cold winter mornings. Seat heaters warm the seats quickly on the LE, which comes standard with heated leather seats -- an option on SE 4x4 models. Another nice option is the power glass sunroof/Bose audio package on SE and 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 we added a foray into the California desert, an unplanned run through a mountain snowstorm and a daylong run around an off-road obstacle course in Canada.
The Pathfinder is a competent performer, especially in the highway cruise mode. Soft springs and generous wheel travel smooth out all but the worst bumps. In hard cornering, the body leans a fair amount, but the Pathfinder handles well. The steering strikes a nice balance between precision and low effort. Braking is competent and without drama, since anti-lock brakes are standard equipment.
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 the engine is taxed a bit, so a little planning is needed when attempting a pass in the mountains. The base 5-speed manual transmission shifts well. Even better is the 4-speed automatic, which comes standard with the LE package. The automatic matches the Pathfinder's character well upshifting and downshifting responsively for efficient, pleasant city driving. Automatics are preferred by many experienced drivers for off-road use. Sport-utility vehicles are not noted for fuel efficiency. Our 18-mpg average during testing was par for the SUV course.
At an off-road course in Canada we found the Pathfinder offered plenty of ground clearance and suspension articulation to handle obstacles that appeared impassable to our eyes. Shifting it into low range was useful for creeping over extremely rugged or slippery ground. The Pathfinder copes well with sand, mud and snow. Traction never seems to be a problem. The Pathfinder is extremely stable on uneven ground -- as we discovered on the side of a sand dune that proved steeper than it looked. One feature the Pathfinder lacks is push-button or rotary-switch activation of four-wheel drive.
In cruise mode, the Pathfinder is quiet, a benefit of its rigid unitized structure and well-placed sound insulation.
Nissan Pathfinder Lineup