New Nissan Pathie takes shape

Nissan has revealed the final production version of its fourth-generation Pathfinder on Facebook.

Emerging almost identical to the concept that previewed it at the Detroit Motor Show in January, the next-generation Pathfinder will take a radically different direction from the Navara ute-based model it will replace in Australia late next year.

Instead of riding on a full ladder chassis, the new car-based Pathfinder will join the majority of medium-large SUVs (except Toyota’s top-selling Prado, which rides on a truck-like body-on-frame architecture) by being based on a monocoque platform – like Ford’s Falcon-based Territory and Toyota’s Camry-based Kluger.

Like the new Kluger, Nissan’s next Pathfinder will be produced in North America for right-hand drive markets including Australia for the first time, from late 2013.

Although it retains its family-friendly seven-seat layout, the Pathfinder eschews its boxy Navara-like exterior design, reflecting its less rugged underpinnings that will be shared with Infiniti’s North America-only JX crossover.

The move will leave Nissan without a player in the off-road oriented end of the large SUV market, which is occupied by the Prado and Mitsubishi’s Triton-based Challenger and will soon be joined by other ute-based models in Holden’s Colorado 7 and Ford’s Ranger-based wagon, which is likely to be called Everest here.

Beneath the 2013 Pathfinder’s more svelte shape, however, will be a vastly more upmarket interior that features higher-quality materials and improved refinement, plus luxury features like leather trim, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, keyless entry/starting and 13-speaker Bose sound system with Bluetooth connectivity.

Available features – at least in the US – will include tri-zone climate-control, a powered tailgate, a rear DVD entertainment system, Nissan's Around View monitor and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Engine details remain unknown ahead of the Pathfinder’s early 2013 release in the US, but expect the redesigned wagon to come with a version of the 195kW/336Nm 3.5-litre petrol V6 that powers the Murano, in which it is matched to Nissan's Xtronic CVT automatic transmission. No diesel engine has yet been mentioned for the new Pathfinder.

However, Nissan has said the move to a unibody platform design has saved more than 200kg over the old Pathfinder, which is powered exclusively by 2.5- and 3.0-litre turbodiesel engines, so expect the next Pathie to be more fuel-efficient as well as offering vastly superior on-road dynamics and improved crash safety performance.

Instead of about 200 sales a month like the existing Pathfinder, Nissan Australia expects the new model to attract around 1000 monthly sales, which would make it one of Australia’s most popular large SUVs.

The new Pathie will be among the last of eight new or additional Nissans to arrive here in the next two years, including the new-generation Patrol (December), plus redesigned X-Trail and Navara models, not to mention next month’s all-new Almera light sedan, January’s Tiida-replacing Pulsar hatch and sedan, and next year’s Maxima-replacing Altima flagship sedan.

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