2013 Nissan Pathfinder: New star of the urban jungle

What was Nissan thinking when they built the last Pathfinder on a slightly shorter version of the Titan pick-up’s frame? With its optional 5.6-litre V8, rugged look and large tires, this macho Pathfinder was equipped to either climb mountains or tow them. But the market changed and its sales plummeted; buyers went elsewhere.

Last year, Nissan delivered almost five times fewer Pathfinders to Canada than Ford did its new Explorer. That’s the kind of thing that makes a manufacturer take notice.
You don’t have to be psychic to know that the next sales reports will be very, very different. The winds of change are blowing and the numbers will change as soon as the new Pathfinder arrives this fall, because it’s roomier, more practical, more comfortable, more modern, better equipped and more fuel efficient. And it’s much less expensive to boot.

Beneficial about-face

All these improvements are evidence that Nissan has come to its senses and is once again using a unibody design. The second generation Pathfinder (1996 to 2004) was also built using a unibody design, like Nissan cars. Thus, Nissan did a U-turn by designing the Pathfinder’s fourth generation on a version of the platform used for the stylish Murano SUV. The new Infiniti JX is its more luxurious near-twin.

The Pathfinder’s new body alone reduces the vehicle’s weight by 48 kilos. The manufacturer’s claim that the new version is 227 kilos lighter than the old one is based a comparison between each of the base versions. Moreover, the new Pathfinder is equipped with two-wheel drive while the old version featured four-wheel drive. Our American neighbours were able to opt for a two-wheel drive version of the 3rd generation Pathfinder. So the weight difference is 110 kg, but who would want a two-tonne SUV with rear-wheel drive in Quebec or in Alberta?

Space and balance

The 2013 Pathfinder comes standard with front-wheel drive, but optional four-wheel drive is also available. In any case, this latest metamorphosis has forced it to change category. Whereas it used to be an SUV in the classic mould, now it’s a pure crossover. And since its most serious competitors are all offered with two- or four-wheel drive, the Pathfinder had to do the same.

Indeed, it seems unwise – and unsafe – to drive a two-tonne SUV in a climate like ours with two-wheel drive, especially when the vehicle is so high-sitting. That said, the new Pathfinder is lower by almost 8 centimetres. It’s also 10.9 cm wider, 11.7 cm longer and its wheelbase is 5.1 cm bigger. Basically, it has stacked the cards in its favour for stability and space in the passenger compartment.

The only victim in this equation is the ground clearance. At a mere 16.5 cm, it is down from the previous version’s 22.9 cm. For comparison’s sake, the Subaru Outback’s is 22 cm. So forget about driving on really bumpy roads. Although the Pathfinder climbed an impressive hill with ease during its launch in California, I found myself slowing down at the smallest crevice for fear hearing the bumper or underside scrape the ground.

It’s no Sherpa

Even equipped with the optional 4WD, the Pathfinder is not a true all-terrain vehicle – but it climbs with confidence nonetheless. The automatic 4WD mode varies the torque distribution between the front and rear axles depending upon the actuation, like an all-wheel drive system, while the classic 4WD mode transmits it to the two axles in equal portions. The knob on the console also allows you to choose 2WD mode, if you want to save a little fuel on the highway.

Nissan proudly asserts that the Pathfinder is the most frugal in its class, even though its 3.5-litre V6, descended from the venerable VQ series, doesn’t benefit from direct injection. Its trump card is the most recent version of the Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT), whose virtues add to its reduced weight and aerodynamic drag coefficient (Cx) of 0.34, a 13% improvement. The respective city/highway/combined figures of the 2WD and 4WD versions are 10.5/7.7/9.3 and 10.8/7.9/9.5 L per 100 km.

This new CVT gearbox is more or less perfect for the VQ35 and helps leverage its 260 horses at 6,400 rpm and its 240 lbs-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. Its handling is completely normal and its reactions are impeccably linear. Initial bursts of speed are surprisingly lively and the CVT’s flexibility helped me tow an Airstream trailer that weighed almost the recommended limit of 2,268 kg (5,000 lbs) – even on a long, winding, several kilometre climb in Napa Valley. Sure, it offers less engine brake than the old five-speed automatic gearbox, but you get used to it.

Drive confidently

With its new drive system and new proportions, the Pathfinder’s ride is stable and predictable. You might even say unremarkable, with a controlled ride and well-cushioned suspension. And that holds true for the 2WD and 4WD versions. I noticed that the steering is a little more incisive, but it seems a little lighter with the 20-inch rims and the 235/55R20 size tires on the Platinum version, at the high end of the line-up.

The other versions ride on 18-inch rims and 235/65R18 size tires. We have yet to see how well their quality and the comfort of the ride measure up on Canadian roads. Inside, the front seats are spacious and the seats offer an excellent balance of comfort and support with quite a long cushion and a well-sculpted seatback.

The dashboard design is simple and classic. The large, impeccably clear dials, with white numbers on a black background, are positioned right in front of the driver. The well designed leather-covered sport steering wheel is adjustable on both axes and includes efficient controls for the sound system, cruise control and for the choice of technical data displayed between the dials.

There are more buttons on the more posh versions, where the touch screen is accompanied by a large knob and a series of buttons for various functions. As a result, the climate controls have been pushed all the way to the bottom. Their main buttons are also identical to those of the sound system just above. Thus, it’s easy to accidentally turn up the volume instead of the ambient temperature.

The new Pathfinder makes excellent use of the additional 238 litres of its passenger compartment. The middle seat is particularly well designed. It slides and tips upward to help access the third row, although the child seats are fixed to their anchors. The mechanism functions wonderfully and the execution is impeccable, just like the finish of seats and the baggage hold. And, for once, the third bench is actually useful. Even a six-footer can slide in without risking amputation. We checked.

Accessories galore

As usual, Nissan doesn’t skimp on the accessories, systems and technologies. The equipment gets gradually better as you move from the S, the most simple and affordable version, to the SV, SL and Platinum versions. The Pathfinder S already has everything that is truly essential with the exception on Bluetooth connectivity. For that, you’ll have to get the SV that also includes a heated steering wheel and front seats, power liftgate, keyless entry and drive, satellite radio and a 7-inch (17.8 cm) screen to see the images from the rear parking camera.

The SL version, yet another notch up, will probably be the most popular with its leather seats (heated also in back), its tow hitch receiver and trailer harness for towing trailers and caravans. We predict that the SL will garner half the sales. The most pampered version, the Platinum, with its ventilated front seats, 20-inch alloy wheels, the Around View system’s peripheral cameras, a Bose audio system with 13 speakers, and a navigation system, will account for 20% of Pathfinder sales.

You can even add an extra layer of comfort with the optional Premium Packages that include a Bose audio system and a 120-volt jack in the SL and a multimedia system with a double DVD screen in the Platinum, crowned by a double sunroof on both.

The new Pathfinder’s price ranges from $29,998 for an S with 2WD to $45,198 for a Platinum with the Premium Package. With one stroke, this veteran of the Nissan line-up goes from the margins to the lead group of crossovers. Of course, more extensive testing and comparisons still have to be done to determine where exactly the new Pathfinder ranks, but the folks at Nissan have good reason to be confident.