Refocused on more travel path.
When Nissan debuted the 2013 Pathfinder concept at the Detroit auto show earlier this year, it was clear that little would change in the transition to production. Photos released last week confirmed that the shape stays largely the same, and now the veil has been mostly dropped from the seven-passenger Pathfinder’s spec sheet and interior.
The 2013 Pathfinder represents the second time the nameplate has been glued to a unibody vehicle; the second-generation SUV, phased out in 2003, was the first. Ditching the heavy—but robust—frame and using a liberal amount of high-strength steel has cut weight by 500 pounds compared to the previous model, which we liked well enough upon its introduction to award it the silver medal in a six-ute shootout. It was clearly in need of replacement, however, by the time it finished third out of four in a 2010 comparo.
Those comparison tests placed an emphasis on rock-hopping, an activity decidedly not among the fourth-gen model’s skill set. Instead, the focus is on comfort and efficiency. To aid the latter, Nissan reduced weight, improved aero—the drag coefficient of 0.34 is claimed to be best in class—and fitted the latest generation of its Xtronic continually variable transmission. (The CVT also is for driving pleasure, obviously.) The propellant here is the brand’s ubiquitous 3.5-liter V-6 making 260 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque. Towing capacity is 5000 pounds, enough to pull the pontoon to the lake.
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Economy is estimated at 20 mpg city and 26 highway for front-wheel-drive Pathfinders, 19/21 for all-wheel-drivers—a 30 percent increase over the outgoing truck. In AWD models, drivers can select front- or four-wheel drive, or they can let the Pathfinder decide for itself.
And now the comfort. We were able to crawl around the inside of a pre-production vehicle, and front- and second-row seating is comfortable, although the interior materials were unmistakably mid-grade. The interior design looks upscale, however. Front heated and cooled seats are available, as is a heated steering wheel. A dual-screen entertainment system (one screen in each front headrest) can be optioned, the center row of seats offers 5.5 inches of fore and aft travel, and even the third row can be reclined. One of the Pathfinder’s more ingenious features is what Nissan calls EZ Flex Seating with Latch and Glide. (Rolls off the tongue, eh?) The function allows the center-row seats origami into themselves while sliding to ease access to the third row. It also facilitates this same action—to a lesser degree—with a child seat still strapped in. For less emotionally distressing results, we recommend removing your child from the seat before operating.
This seating trick is one also featured on the Pathfinder’s luxed-up twin, the Infiniti JX35. Some other items are shared between the two, although that list doesn’t include sheetmetal or the Infiniti’s myriad nanny electronics. The Pathfinder will feature an Around View monitor and backup camera with radar and sonar detection systems, but the Nissan won’t stop itself if it detects a potential collision as can the JX. (The JX will even stop itself if it detects a collision while you’re backing up.) Other JX safety features like lane-departure warning, blind-spot assist, and brake assist likely won’t make it to the Pathfinder, either, but Nissan hasn’t completely finalized the equipment list.
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That info, as well as a breakdown of the Pathfinder’s S, SV, SL, and Platinum trim levels will be released sometime before the vehicle goes on sale this fall with a base price around $28,000.
The move to full-fledged crossover-hood was likely a smart one for Nissan’s bottom line—it needed a seven-seat family vehicle to sell alongside the popular Murano, and the Xterra can still serve the off-road crowd—but about the only other thing we can say until we drive the Pathfinder is that it’s a crossover and it exists. View Photo Gallery
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