Nissan Pathfinder 2018 Review

The Nissan Pathfinder is all about space.

Yes, that might seem an obvious remark for a seven-seat SUV, but even in a tightly-fought segment, there is something proportionally pleasing about the Japanese marque’s big offering.

To the uninitiated, the Pathfinder is Nissan’s unapologetically American SUV. It has a big engine, big cabin, big chairs and big cupholders (read: the supersized Slurpee-accommodating variety).

And that’s OK because like Americans, Aussie families love space.

Mildly updated late last year, the 2018 Series II Pathfinder is headlined by the flagship Ti variant driven here.

Our 4x4-spec Ti is priced from $66,190 (plus on-road costs), $4000 more than its front-wheel drive namesake but $3000 less than a hybrid Pathfinder, which uses a 2.5-litre supercharged four-pot engine with an electric motor. Our tester’s starting price represents a considerable outlay – one to rival the top-spec variants from Mazda, Toyota, Hyundai and Kia – but it does buy you a lot car.

The Pathfinder Ti rides on 20-inch alloy wheels and is resplendent with LED headlights with daytime running lights. Its seven chairs are dressed in fake leather, and all three rows of the car are accessed via the tri-zone climate control system. Quasi-luxury touches are correct and present, too, including twin sunroofs, a 13-speaker BOSE audio system, heated and cooled front seats, and an entertainment package for the second row (comprising headrest-mounted screens and wireless headphones) and a motion activated tailgate.

The Nissan Pathfinder has a 2700kg towing capacity with a braked trailer, along with a 73-litre fuel tank.

The Nissan is supported by an ageing warranty and servicing scheme of three years/100,000km and 12-month/10,000km intervals respectively. According to Nissan, the first three years/30,000km of servicing with the Pathfinder Ti will set owners back $991.

But more than anything, the Pathfinder’s price tag buys you a lot of space. And that’s important.

If you wanted proof of the Pathfinder’s American origins, the interior is a good place to start.

The fit out, finish and styling of the car’s internals feel decidedly American, from the oversized cupholders to the complicated make-up of the switchgear. Even the car’s foot-operated park brake takes inspiration from Trump land.

Nonetheless, it is a practical space, underlined by armrest-mounted cupholders for little ones through to large door and boot apertures. Heated and ventilated front seats offer terrific long-journey amenity, while soft-touch materials imbue the car with a comfortable, premium feel.

Storage is likewise a strong point. Generously-proportioned door pockets team with a big centre console and practical hidey holes – perfect for the modern family. In all, the Pathfinder is fit out with 10 cup-holders, 12V power outlets (three in the front and one in the rear cargo area), two USB points, four cargo tie-down points and four luggage hooks.

Less impressive is the car’s infotainment system. An 8.0-inch centre touchscreen lacks the clarity and ease of use of rivalling units, accessed by a plethora of hard-wired buttons.

The infotainment system is plain fiddly to operate when on the move, sorely missing out on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality.

Similarly, the driver instrument cluster lacks execution. Easy-to-read analogue dials are split up by a clunky digital display that is devoid of a digital speedo and doesn’t display simple trip information such as fuel use. Importantly, it does supply an estimated fuel range.

That said, there are some really well thought-out touches. The car’s interior lights will automatically switch on as you approach it at night, for example, and the tailgate features a cool movement function that will save you from dropping your shopping bags to access the key fob.

Second-row space is excellent, with terrific outward vision and separate climate control buttons. The headrest-mounted screens are a worthy addition for road trips with littlies, too.

The Pathfinder’s boot will happily swallow a family’s worth of luggage for weekends away.

Even with the seven-seat configuration engaged, a total of 453 litres of space is available, which easily swallows several full shopping bags. Fold the twin rear seats flat and the big US-built wagon gets even more space, up to 1354 litres.

Stowing the three middle-row seats liberates 2260 litres. Alternatively, the second-row seats offer fore and aft adjustment, enabling more access space for third row occupants.

Speaking of which, the rear bleachers aren’t as cramped as you might expect. A higher-set seating positioned means smaller adults can squeeze in on small journeys (we can vouch) without their knees being up at their chest. Happily, the third row also offers cupholders and air vents.

On the child seat front, the Pathfinder offers four top-tether and two ISOFIX child seat anchorages. This is down on Mazda’s CX-9, which offers four ISOFIX points. General safety is also strong, thanks to a full suite of airbags and driver aids such as automated emergency braking, radar cruise control and blind spot monitoring.

Nissan’s focus on space and decent seven-seat amenity is enough for the Pathfinder to at least garner some kind of second glance from prospective buyers in the face of newer, shinier rivals.

Like its interior, the Pathfinder employs slightly older-tech engine to shift its two-tonne heft.

A naturally-aspirated 3.5-litre V6 engine continues service under the bonnet, albeit with 50 per cent new parts compared with the predecessor including new hardware for direct fuel injection, new pistons, re-designed combustion chamber, new intake manifold and higher compression ratio.

The upshot is revised output of 202kW/340Nm (up 12kW/15Nm respectively). Fuel use has dropped incrementally by 0.2L/100km, to 10.1 Combined.

With peak torque reached from 4800rpm (and peak power from 6400rpm), it is clear the Nissan is happy rev. Not that it really needs to.

The engine is at its best in casual driving, developing a big dollop of useable torque low-down in the rev range. The matching continuously variable transmission, pre-programmed with seven ratios, is a strong accomplice here, too. Day-to-day driving is accommodated with little fuss.

It is a largely under stressed engine which, when called upon, will happily build speed at a more moderate pace, breaking into a slightly raucous note in the meantime.

Really step on the gas pedal and the Pathie responds with the added urgency asked of its driver, even tugging at the steering wheel momentarily as it channels power predominantly through the front wheels. A Sport button on the gear shifter elicits slightly more presto under acceleration, enabling easy passage over steep accents and through overtaking lanes – albeit with the accentuated elasticity of a CVT.

One caveat: throttling the Pathfinder is a sure-fire recipe to spiking fuel use. Overall, we saw a respectable 11.5L/100km over the course of our loan. In regular city driving and with more aggressive right foot, you can expect markedly more.

The Pathfinder promises some semblance of off-road ability without pretending to imitate the ruggedness of earlier models. Irrespectively, the furthest we ventured was dry and corrugated dirt tracks, in which it barely raised a sweat. A multi-mode drive controller allows the driver to switch between 2WD, Auto and Lock settings, the latter maintaining a 50:50 torque split across the front and rear axles at speeds below 40km/h to optimise its off-road capabilities.

The immediate drawback from having so much interior space is a car’s exterior dimensions. At more than five metres long (5042mm) and almost two metres wide (1960mm), the Pathfinder is a suitably sizey billing.

But the Nissan manages to offset its size through clever technology. The key points are forward-facing and rear-facing cameras and a 360-degree view of the car, both of which allow you to needle the Nissan into and out of tight parking spaces. While the cameras lack the clarity of some rivals, they are incredibly handy.

The Pathfinder’s inherent size is also readily evident in everyday driving. It feels like a big, wide vehicle from the driver’s seat, but with time it manages to offset body roll, pitch and lethargic dynamics with comfort and a certain predictability.

Moreover, road noise and wind noise are nicely insulated from the cabin and the Pathfinder’s ride is soft and pillowy, despite its big 20-inch wheels. Road joins, corrugations and even potholes are nonchalantly dealt with, without intruding occupant comfort.

What really charms with the Pathfinder is that its dynamics do not change markedly irrespective of how many people are on board – something that cannot be said of more dynamic, smaller-engined rivals.

That really helps define the car itself. The Pathfinder is all about ferrying the family in comfort – something it does in its own indomitable style, even if the popular vote doesn’t always agree.

How much does the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder Ti AWD cost?
Price: $66,190 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.5-litre six-cylinder petrol
Output: 202kW/370Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed continuously variable
Fuel: 10.1L/100km (ADR Combined); 11.5L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 234g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (tested 2013)