Some sport utes are made for off-road stump-hopping, with rugged body construction, torquey drivetrains, and a high ground clearance. Others - the majority, in fact - aren’t, and the toughest driving conditions they’ll ever see is snow on the exit ramp at the local mall parkade.
And then there are some that are kind of in the middle. Definitely capable when the pavement turns to rubble, but also civilized enough for city duty. Falling into this category is the mid-size Nissan Pathfinder, which has enough of both characteristics to make it interesting.
The Pathfinder, which bears a strong family resemblance to the full-size Armada, received a complete makeover in 2005. But more than just tweaking the body and breathing on the interior, Nissan overhauled it from stem to stern, adding a new body-on-frame construction, to replace the previous version’s monocoque set-up. This makes the Pathfinder more than up to the task of tackling ugly backroads, or no roads at all. My test model was the middle of the range SE, but there is an Off-Road version that, among other things, comes with heavy duty shock absorbers, off-road tires, Hill Descent Control, and Hill Start Assist. This last feature is one of my favourites; basically, it prevents the vehicle from rolling backwards when you’re stopped on a hill and trying to go forward from a dead stop. Brake pressure is automatically maintained so that you can go from brake pedal to gas pedal without slipping backwards. Ostensibly, it’s meant to offset the perils of off-road driving, but it works just fine in town too. Subaru used to have a similar arrangement on some of their models, and so, I believe, did Studebaker, ‘way back when.
All Pathfinders come with Nissan’s “All Mode” 4WD system, which is accessed via a console-mounted rotary knob. It can be set to automatically switch from 2WD to 4WD when conditions require. Power for all models is supplied by the company’s ubiquitous VQ-series V6 engine, which displaces 4.0 litres, has dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, and Nissan’s variable valve timing system - CVVTCS. It develops 270 hp at 5600 rpm, and 291 foot pounds of torque at 4000 rpm. So it’s a fairly high-revving powerplant, and is, in this application, a little short on bottom end grunt. Although Nissan has apparently reprofiled the camshafts to deal with the situation, this is the Pathfinder’s weakest link, in my opinion. During highway driving, I often found that a quest for reserve power resulted in a lot of engine noise, but little in the way of additional forward momentum.
Only one transmission is available: a five-speed automatic, and all models come with a limited slip arrangement that redirects power accordingly whenever one of the driving wheels breaks traction.....on all four wheels...as well as four wheel disc brakes with ABS. Suspension is four-wheel independent, with double wishbones front and back and front and rear stabilizer bars. On the highway, where, despite its off-road abilities, this rig is going to spend most of its time, the ride is stable and predictable, with a firm but not jarring ride, thanks to a comparatively long wheelbase: 2850 mm.
Aside from the restyling job, the biggest change to the new Pathfinder - at least for me - is in interior layout. I always found the last version to be a little on the cramped side. With the second and third row seats folded flat, there’s 2093 litres of total cargo space and both second and third row seats have 40/20/40 and 50/50 folding features. As well, there are no less than six cup-holders.
The Pathfinder will seat seven people, but the ones in the third row are going to find things a bit snug. Nissan isn’t really tagging it as a people-mover anyway, thus the various seat folding combinations....for recreational gear like skis, surfboards and so on. And I really liked the two-piece tailgate that allows you to open the glass hatch independently of the rear door.
For its under $42,000 price tag, the Pathfinder does come well-equipped. All the usual modcons are here....power windows and door locks, air conditioning, cruise control, tilt steering and on and on. You can also get rear passenger a/c, as well as power adjustable pedals, dual zone climate control, and even a first aid kit, depending upon the model. My test SE had all of the above, plus cloth seats, rear reading lights, and a roof rack. If you opt for the full-zoot rendition - the LE - you’ll also get leather interior, drivers seat memory system, wood trim, and if you really must have it, a DVD navi and entertainment system. Safety equipment abounds: front, side, and roof-mounted airbags, vehicle stability control, and a child’s seat installation guide.
Although somewhere in the middle of the mid-size SUV pack, this is kind of a thirsty little puppy. According to Transport Canada’s EnerGuide, you’ll consume 15.7 L/100 km in town, and 10.6 L/100 on the highway, which translates into at least $1900 a year in fuel costs. That’s fairly substantial, and by way of comparison, Toyota’s Highlander is thriftier, as is Honda’s Pilot, if only by a small margin.
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