Nissan Pathfinder 2013 Review - International

What we liked:
>> Smooth petrol V6
>> Refined, quiet ride quality
>> Better fit and finish throughout

Not so much:
>> No diesel option
>> No low-range 4WD
>> CVT lacks polish under duress

It's only months away from its debut Down Under, and the good news is that the new Nissan Pathfinder is set to impress. The bad news is that there's no diesel option, no manual transmission and no low-range four-wheel drive. But this is certainly not going to impact on the bulk of buyers for whom Pathfinder is a strictly urban proposition.

In fact, where refinement and build quality are concerned, the new P42K-series Pathfinder is a massive step forward for Nissan. The new model's weight-saving monocoque construction means it loses that hard, perhaps rugged edge of the body-on-frame R51-series it replaces. Ergo, the suspension is a calmer and better damped arrangement that provides the new model with the car-like ride it arguably always deserved.

That doesn't mean the new Pathfinder has gone completely soft on us, or that it handles like a tent in the wind. The seven-seat SUV is very well tied down and corners with confidence, while at the same time ironing out those niggling corrugations and surface changes that are usually the enemy of ride quality in better-handling SUVs of this ilk (Hyundai Santa Fe I'm looking at you).

The Pathfinder still has four-wheel drive, courtesy of the same electronically-switchable arrangement as found in the X-TRAIL, though we believe a two-wheel drive version will also be offered to compete with the likes of Mazda CX-9 and Toyota Kluger. Pathfinder's offroad geometry sees if offer a 14.7-degree approach angle and a 22.3-degree departure angle. Ground clearance is a quite generous 165mm. The bad news for offroad-goers is that Pathfinder makes do with a space-saver spare wheel.

As we mentioned at the outset the new Pathfinder arrives solely with petrol power. The choices extend to a 194kW/325Nm 3.5-litre V6 petrol mated to a continuously variable transmission (as tested) or a petrol-electric hybrid featuring a 187kW/330Nm supercharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder and synchronous electric motor (also hooked up to a CVT). On test, the normally aspirated petrol version proved strong under acceleration and, unless really pushed hard, operated smoothly in conjunction with the CVT to provide fuss-free operation.

Rapid changes in speed, for example through sharp undulations or faster winding stretches of road, did cause the transmission to work a little hard, though we should add not intrusively. Like the remainder of the Pathfinder's NVH levels, mechanical vibration and feedback is remarkably well suppressed.

In spite of its still-boxy shape, the Pathfinder is quiet on the open road, and even on freeway stretches of Californian concrete highway proved that tyre noise was not an issue. There's just a hint of wind noise from the mirrors.

The cabin is more stylish but retains many of Nissan's carry-over design elements. Large, concise dials and easy to navigate hard buttons mean Pathfinder is something of a pragmatists choice, but when you look closer at the attention to detail and higher quality of materials you could be forgiven for thinking that this model has skipped an entire generation over its predecessor.

That level of detail can also be found in the operation of Pathfinder's primary controls. The brake and throttle pedals have an appropriate level of travel and are well modulated with a respectable amount of feel. The steering is equally well metered, though perhaps a little too well assisted for our tastes.

It's interesting that in 'softening' the Pathfinder Nissan has been careful not to 'Americanise' the vehicle entirely. It retains most of the versatility that made it famous while maturing to meet the demands of a broader set of buyers.

Nissan Australia has yet to finalise equipment levels or powertrain offerings for the local market, and although we have it on good authority that both the aforementioned V6 petrol and petrol-electric hybrid models will make it to Oz, chances are they will not arrive concurrently.

The new Nissan Pathfinder is expected in local showrooms by November (2013). We anticipate the arrival of the hybrid variant by Q2 next year.