Petrol-only Pathfinder

The next model of Nissan Pathfinder, due here within the next 12 months, will introduce a monocoque platform and seating for seven in its quest for sales superstardom. But it won't offer an alternative to petrol power, in a market segment where buyers prefer the torque, range and running costs that go with diesel SUVs.

Nissan takes heart from Toyota's Kluger — exclusively petrol, without even a hybrid variant on sale in Australia to overcome buyer resistance.

"Kluger's not low-volume..." offered Jeff Fisher, Nissan's General Manager for Media Enquiries, as a counterargument to the proposition the Pathfinder will suffer in the market without a diesel option.

The Kluger consistently posts monthly sales in four digit numbers, but the new Pathfinder, short of offering outstanding attributes and virtues, can be expected to sell in the same sort of figures notched up by the Mazda CX-9. Last month Toyota sold 1115 Klugers, versus 337 of the Mazdas. Still, 337 is better than the 296 units of Pathfinder sold in July — and that was with a diesel. The importer is hoping that the seven-seat capability and the added refinement and safety of a monocoque design can overcome other objections from prospective buyers.

"Do we need to have a diesel?" Mr Fisher asked rhetorically. "Hopefully, the appeal of the car, in terms of design execution, powerplant and so on... will broaden that market for us, so... all right, we don't sell too many petrol Pathfinders at the moment. In fact we don't sell any, because we discontinued it... we'll look for those families that want seven-seat capability and think 'Pathfinder', because it's much more aesthetically modernistic...

"That's the plan behind Pathfinder."

But the change of direction for Pathfinder leaves Nissan Australia with little to satisfy traditional offroaders and buyers who need to tow or travel offroad without incurring the costs associated with petrol-engined SUVs. And anyone who expected the Pathfinder to step up into the vacuum left by the lack of a diesel in the (Y62) Patrol range when the new model reaches the market, will be further disappointed by the latest news.

According to Mr Fisher, the Pathfinder, which is built in Spain, is "European-oriented", but European markets are currently grappling with economic turmoil. Consumers in the market for diesel-engined SUVs are more price-sensitive and are settling for a lower-cost entry point to the market.

"Medium-sized SUVs, which is the Pathfinder, are on the wane in Europe. No one wants medium-sized SUVs in Europe anymore," Mr Fisher explained, saying also that medium SUVs in Europe were increasingly "considered anti-social". Without the market to support and amortise development costs, plus the increasingly stringent emissions standards set, diesel is posing a new set of challenges for the global brand to meet.

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