Road Test: 2024 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD
This Nissan Pathfinder is a good, old-fashioned SUV (sport-utility vehicle). What do I mean by that?
In a marketplace where talk of electrification falls from the lips of every car reviewer, industry pundit and vote-chasing politicians, almost no one talks with any passion or even interest about gas-powered SUVs. They are soooo 2010, aren’t they?
Yeah, maybe.
But tens of thousands of car consumers buy SUVs like the Pathfinder, a rig with:
- three rows of seating;
- a strong if not particularly overwhelming V-6 engine (284 hp/259 lb-ft of torque);
- excellent seat comfort;
- loads of safety features;
- standard all-wheel drive (AWD);
- clever storage features;
- a big, flexible cargo space;
- and, a price tag that starts at just under $50,000 and top out at where my tester landed — $61,078, including freight, PDI and $950 in options for floor mats, splash guards and two-tone Pearl Metallic paint.
The 2024 Pathfinder Platinum 4WD I sampled stands out as something that in this marketplace qualifies as “affordable,” in fact. I mean, the average price of an EV in Canada is north of $73,000. AutoTrader says the average price of a new vehicles in Canada is more than $66,000, by the way.
By any measure, this version of the Pathfinder is a luxury car. I will not list every feature, but when you look at the spec sheet, what more could anyone want in an SUV. I mean, standard here are:
- mechanical features such as Hill Descent Control, Intelligent AWD (more on that later), front sonar sensors, Traffic Sign Recognition, and Trailer Sway Control with a tow hitch receiver and harness (max. towing is 6,000 lbs.);
- exterior features that include Panoramic Sunroof, silver roof rails, motion-activated liftgate, front stainless kickplates, and rear privacy glass;
- comfort and convenience, features ranging from EZ FLEX second row seating system, to ProPilot Assist (semi-autonomous drive), Tr-Zone Automatic Climate Control, 12-volt DC Power Outlet, and two USB charge points up front, and two more in the second row.
On the other hand, no, it’s not a hybrid. No, there is no plug at all because Nissan does not make an electrified Pathfinder, not yet at least.
If pay attention to the cost of filling up, well, the combined fuel economy of 11.1 litres/100 km means the average owner will spend upwards of $3,000 or more a year on fill-ups. In a world heading to automotive electrification, this Pathfinder is not on the leading edge and it won’t be cheap to run as a daily driver.
For many, that will not be a big issue.
The truth is, rigs like the Pathfinder have long been a staple of buyers the world over. That is why car companies keep making them, just as they have since, really, the late 1990s.
The 2022 Pathfinder is all-new from the ground-up. Every inch of the vehicle was carefully designed to convey a sense of strength and capability with a strong front face, wide stance, blister fenders and a shorter front overhang (versus the previous design).
This Nissan SUV first arrived in the 1980s as a two-door, in fact. And since then, it has grown, and grown, and grown. Oddly, Nissan does not even offer a hybrid version here, even though the fifth-generation Pathfinder is relatively new – released as a 2022 model in 2021.
To be fair many automakers haven’t bothered with three-row hybrid SUVs. Yes, Toyota has, of course, and Ford, too. Toyota has committed to hybrid for all its SUVs, big and small. Thus, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is a rival to this Pathfinder, one that gets far better fuel economy and has lower C02 emissions. Ford has the Explorer Hybrid, too. I would suggest cross-shopping these two, without a doubt.
But do not wait for Nissan to introduce a Pathfinder hybrid in the near or even distant future. That development almost certainly is NOT in the works.
This is not particularly odd. Nissan has been a laggard on the electrification front since 2010, when the pioneering LEAF EV arrived. For more than a decade after the LEAF launched, Nissan turned its attention to other things, such as trying to chase down its former CEO, not a fugitive living in Lebanon. (Search for Carlos Ghosn for more on that amazing story.)
However, Nissan has now finally committed to electrification. The company says it plans to release 27 electrified models globally by 2030. Most (19) will be pure EVs, another eight hybrids.
Here is do have to question Nissan’s product planning. The company has hybrid technology in its arsenal. They’re called e-Power variants and you can find them in markets other than Canada and the United States. At present, Nissan Canada’s only electrified models are the all-electric Ariya crossover and the venerable LEAF small car.
So, we need to take the measure of the ’24 Pathfinder on its merits as an old-fashioned SUV.
Start here. This is a sharp-looking large SUV with telling design features, such as C-shaped headlamps, slim taillamps, a powerful stance and standard 20-inch wheels. It’s a strong design, marked by LED headlights and taillights, slim daytime running lights, alloy wheels, and block-letter PATHFINDER branding on the tailgate.
The cabin? Wide-open and airy. Throughout you’ll find rich-looking materials, a sleek dashboard, a full 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a centre console topped by an undersized 9.0-inch free-standing touchscreen equipped with intuitive software.
The aesthetic is modern and all the functions are user-friendly. The Pathfinder can seat up to eight, and second-row captain seats are available. What’s more, a tools-free removable centre console is available.
Safety? This is all about the Safety Shield 360:
- Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection
- Blind Spot Warning
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Lane Departure Warning
- High Beam Assist
- Rear Automatic Braking
As for the drive, the Pathfinder is a tall SUV with a tidy ride. The 3.5-litre V-6 is serviceable, but it’s not class-leading. The gearbox is a 9-speed automatic that shifts smoothly and precisely. The available a 7-mode Drive and Terrain selector gives the driver many options, probably six more than the majority will every want or need.
Perhaps this is how to look at the Pathfinder: this is your family ride, the one you take for vacations and to two the boat to the lake. In town, you may want something a little more energy efficient. Perhaps an EV, like the LEAF, or a hybrid small car or SUV of any sort.
Road Test: 2024 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD
This Nissan Pathfinder is a good, old-fashioned SUV (sport-utility vehicle). What do I mean by that?
Yeah, maybe.
But tens of thousands of car consumers buy SUVs like the Pathfinder, a rig with:
By any measure, this version of the Pathfinder is a luxury car. I will not list every feature, but when you look at the spec sheet, what more could anyone want in an SUV. I mean, standard here are:
If pay attention to the cost of filling up, well, the combined fuel economy of 11.1 litres/100 km means the average owner will spend upwards of $3,000 or more a year on fill-ups. In a world heading to automotive electrification, this Pathfinder is not on the leading edge and it won’t be cheap to run as a daily driver.
For many, that will not be a big issue.
The truth is, rigs like the Pathfinder have long been a staple of buyers the world over. That is why car companies keep making them, just as they have since, really, the late 1990s.
The 2022 Pathfinder is all-new from the ground-up. Every inch of the vehicle was carefully designed to convey a sense of strength and capability with a strong front face, wide stance, blister fenders and a shorter front overhang (versus the previous design).
This Nissan SUV first arrived in the 1980s as a two-door, in fact. And since then, it has grown, and grown, and grown. Oddly, Nissan does not even offer a hybrid version here, even though the fifth-generation Pathfinder is relatively new – released as a 2022 model in 2021.
To be fair many automakers haven’t bothered with three-row hybrid SUVs. Yes, Toyota has, of course, and Ford, too. Toyota has committed to hybrid for all its SUVs, big and small. Thus, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is a rival to this Pathfinder, one that gets far better fuel economy and has lower C02 emissions. Ford has the Explorer Hybrid, too. I would suggest cross-shopping these two, without a doubt.
But do not wait for Nissan to introduce a Pathfinder hybrid in the near or even distant future. That development almost certainly is NOT in the works.
This is not particularly odd. Nissan has been a laggard on the electrification front since 2010, when the pioneering LEAF EV arrived. For more than a decade after the LEAF launched, Nissan turned its attention to other things, such as trying to chase down its former CEO, not a fugitive living in Lebanon. (Search for Carlos Ghosn for more on that amazing story.)
However, Nissan has now finally committed to electrification. The company says it plans to release 27 electrified models globally by 2030. Most (19) will be pure EVs, another eight hybrids.
So, we need to take the measure of the ’24 Pathfinder on its merits as an old-fashioned SUV.
Start here. This is a sharp-looking large SUV with telling design features, such as C-shaped headlamps, slim taillamps, a powerful stance and standard 20-inch wheels. It’s a strong design, marked by LED headlights and taillights, slim daytime running lights, alloy wheels, and block-letter PATHFINDER branding on the tailgate.
The cabin? Wide-open and airy. Throughout you’ll find rich-looking materials, a sleek dashboard, a full 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a centre console topped by an undersized 9.0-inch free-standing touchscreen equipped with intuitive software.
The aesthetic is modern and all the functions are user-friendly. The Pathfinder can seat up to eight, and second-row captain seats are available. What’s more, a tools-free removable centre console is available.
Safety? This is all about the Safety Shield 360:
Perhaps this is how to look at the Pathfinder: this is your family ride, the one you take for vacations and to two the boat to the lake. In town, you may want something a little more energy efficient. Perhaps an EV, like the LEAF, or a hybrid small car or SUV of any sort.
About the Author / Jeremy Cato
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