Nissan Pathfinder – What you need to know

Nissan has flooded its showrooms with a raft of new models this year including the fifth-generation Nissan Pathfinder family SUV.

Sporting a new look and feel, the fully redesigned Pathfinder is powered by a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission with a 4x4 driveline and a towing capacity of up to 2700kg.

The slightly shorter but higher and wider new Nissan Pathfinder takes a big step forward in refinement, safety and tech across two premium model grades only – Ti and Ti-L – after the launch range was cut back early in 2023.

Prices range from $71,490 plus on-road costs for the eight-seater Ti to $81,490 plus ORCs for the seven-seater Ti-L.

Now that we’ve whetted your appetite for more info, let’s dive into the specs and help you decide on the one for you.

Standard features in the entry-level Ti include:

Nissan Pathfinder options

Glacier White and Super Black are the standard finishes in the seven-colour palette for the Nissan Pathfinder.

The other five premium single hues cost $750, and if you go for one of the four snazzy-looking two-tone schemes, add $1400.

Nissan Pathfinder safety and driver assistance

Both Nissan Pathfinder model grades have a comprehensive list of safety and driver assist systems.

These include predictive forward collision warning with junction assist and emergency braking (calibrated for pedestrians and cyclists), driver attention alert, blind spot warning and intervention, lane departure warning and intervention, rear cross traffic alert with auto braking, adaptive cruise control with speed limiter, hill start and descent controls, and traffic sign recognition with overspeed prevention.

There are nine airbags fitted to the new Pathfinder, including a centre front airbag and head-protecting curtain airbags that extend to all three seat rows.

Other standard features include electronic traction and stability control, anti-lock brakes, a 360-degree camera and a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring, trailer sway control, auto dusk-sensing LED headlights with high beam assist, LED tail-lights, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and powered, folding and heated door mirrors.

Exclusive to the Ti-L are auto rain-sensing front wipers, an intelligent rear-view mirror and auto-tilting door mirrors when reversing, for a better view of the kerb. 

Both Ti and Ti-L Pathfinders have a choice of seven drive and terrain modes and all versions of the SUV carry a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Nissan Pathfinder infotainment

Another area to be given a big upgrade in the new Nissan Pathfinder is the infotainment system.

It now features a 9.0-inch touch-screen with sat-nav, wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, Bluetooth audio and phone streaming, and AM/FM/DAB digital radio played through a Bose 13-speaker sound system with dual subwoofers.

In both variants you’ll find a wireless smartphone charging pad, two 12-volt outlets and five USB ports with a USB-A and USB-C in the front two rows and USB-A in the third row.

A 10.8-inch head-up display is standard in both models, while the Ti uses a 7.0-inch TFT screen in the instrument cluster and the Ti-L has a larger 12.3-inch display.

Nissan Pathfinder comfort and convenience

No matter which Nissan Pathfinder you decide on – the eight-seat Ti or seven-seat Ti-L – both come with tri-zone climate control and vents in the second and third rows.

On a vehicle this size, a powered tailgate is certainly welcome and both models have this feature as standard.

At the other end, the leather-accented steering wheel has manual tilt and reach adjustment in the Ti and convenient power adjustment in the Ti-L.

Are leather seats on the wish list? Both the Ti and Ti-L have a degree of leather within the cabin. Cloth and leather-accent trim adorns the first two seat rows in the Ti, while the Ti-L gains quilted leather accent trim across the pews.

Exclusive to the Ti-L are two individual ‘captain’s seats’ in the second row, which slide, recline and fold. This model also has memory position for the driver’s seat, door mirrors and steering wheel.

Both variants have a synthetic leather-look seat trim in the third row.   

Accessing the third row is a cinch with the latch and glide system making the opening larger along with the fore and aft sliding of the second-row seats, which like the third row have a reclining function.

You want those seats power-operated? The Ti variant comes with a 10-way powered driver’s seat but only six-way manual adjustment for the front passenger. In both variants, the two front seats and outboard second-row seats are heated.

If you want the full enchilada the Ti-L has a 12-way powered driver’s seat and a four-way powered front passenger seat, both with heating and cooling functions. 

Family buyers of either variant are catered for with a variety of ISOFIX and top-tether child seat anchorage points, while built-in blinds in the second-row doors keep sun glare at bay.

What about a sunroof? While both come with rear privacy glass only Ti-L has a tilt and slide panoramic glass roof along with ambient lighting.

Differentiating the variants externally, the Ti has machine-finished 18-inch alloy wheels while the Ti-L has the same finish with larger 20-inch rims.

While both Pathfinder models come with silver roof rails, a body-colour rear spoiler, shark fin antenna door handles and chrome window surrounds, setting them apart are the black side mouldings on the Ti and silver with chrome trim on the Ti-L.

The Ti-L also has silver on its lower fascia panels front and back. 

Nissan Pathfinder engine and transmission

It’s one size fits all with the Nissan Pathfinder.

The engine is a 3.5-litre direct-injection petrol V6 producing 202kW at 6400rpm and 340Nm at 4800rpm.

Bolted to it is a nine-speed automatic transmission with manual mode and paddle shifts on the steering wheel, and the driveline is a 4x4 configuration.

Nissan Pathfinder key dimensions and capacities

The new Nissan Pathfinder measures 5004mm long, 1978mm wide and 1798mm tall (Ti-L, the Ti is slightly higher at 1802mm), with a 2900mm wheelbase.

Ground clearance is 178mm in the Ti or 181mm in the Ti-L, while braked towing capacity for both models is 2700kg.

Cargo capacity is rated at 205 litres with all seats upright, expanding to 554L with the third row folded and to 782L with both the second and third row down.

Verdict on the Nissan Pathfinder

As both Nissan Pathfinder models have the same engine, transmission and four-wheel drive combo, it comes down to how much comfort, convenience and infotainment bang you want for your bucks.

Regardless of the budget, the model that grabs me for the best blend of features and value is the Ti.

It’s hardly fair to call it an entry model given the lavish spec, but there you go. And I think the deep ocean blue exterior paint colour looks stunning.

How much does the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder cost?
Ti – 71,490 
Ti-L – $81,490
* Prices exclude on-road costs

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