One of the things you immediately notice about the Pathfinder is how big it feels. The front hood looks enormous from the driver’s seat and you feel like you’re sitting up higher than the car’s exterior dimensions would lead you to believe. I think they were really trying to go for that Ford Explorer type aura with the Pathfinder, and you certainly don’t mistake it for a minivan when sitting behind the wheel. When you’re out on the road the Pathfinder feels fine, but in small parking lot maneuvers I noticed the car generally feels big and heavy. When you put it in drive the Pathfinder just kind of sits there stationary until you hit the gas, as if the weight holds everything back. The steering is also a little heavy in low speed situations and seems to require more steering revolutions in sharper turns. Some people like this type of feel out of their SUV, however I personally like a car that feels lighter and more capable of cornering and zipping around on its own without much effort involved.
On the road, the Pathfinder feels much like a taller, wider, V6 Altima. It has a smooth and quiet ride. As I said, the dimensions do feel somewhat bigger than you would expect, however it still has that traditional easy to drive nature that you get out of most of the modern Nissans. The steering in this vehicle feels similar to the Nissan Altima, and surprisingly it feels more communicative than the Nissan Rogue. Out on the road at normal speeds the steering is pretty light, however it still feels fairly natural in what the front tires are doing. Like most Nissans, the feel and precision is absent from the steering going around corners, along with a lack of road feel, but that is to be expected in a full-size crossover SUV. One thing I wasn’t crazy about was the fact that the steering just felt a little bit cheap sometimes. You feel some vibrations through the wheel and overall it’s not quite as elegant or refined in its response compared to a Honda or a Toyota product. It’s not noticeable at first, but after a while you start to feel just some slight chintziness in the steering. At higher speeds the steering seems to point straight with a very slight amount of ponderousness, but it’s not very noticeable. The Pathfinder pretty much steers where you want it to go, just not in the most interesting or engaging fashion.
I think the engine and CVT combo work well. Nissan’s CVTs feel much better when they are paired to V6 engines. The rubber band effect is much more subdued and I didn’t notice any shortage of power from the engine. With 284 horsepower and 259 lb. ft. of torque, the Pathfinder gets right up to speed just fine and doesn’t give you any drama when passing or merging on the interstate. It’s not a jetliner, but the power feels nice and adequate. The CVT does a good job at keeping the engine in the heart of its power band and it is quick to raise the engine RPM when you need it. The power band feels linear and I appreciate the unique, burly sound of Nissan V6 engines.
The ride and handling is very average for the midsize crossover segment. The Pathfinder isn’t sporty like a Mazda CX-9, it’s not particularly quiet or refined like a Toyota Highlander, and it’s not particularly solid or substantial like a Ford Explorer. You still get a smooth ride, adequate acceleration and predictable handling. The Pathfinder isn’t floaty or ponderous, however it doesn’t really excel in any particular category. This is a crossover that you buy for its utility purposes and nothing much else.
The visibility is fine, as the the exterior mirrors are large and the rear window gives you an unobstructed view of what is happening behind you. The only visibility issue some might have is that massive, curvy front hood always within your line of sight, but out on the road I barely noticed it.
The response of the vehicle is very predictable. The Pathfinder keeps a constant speed well, and the accelerator has nice responsiveness and progression. I do think the brake pedal feels a bit vague and lacks in bite, however the brakes feel strong enough to stop the car when you want them to, and they do so in a smooth and refined fashion.
One thing I didn’t like about the Pathfinder was the fact that you can sometimes hear the gasoline sloshing around in the tank. It’s especially evident after you put the car in park and shut the engine off. As you can tell from the video, I had the chance to drive two different Pathfinders and they both did this, so I know it’s not an isolated issue.
I also think the interior of the Pathfinder feels dated compared to its competitors. It’s a functional interior with simple controls and good ergonomics, but the aesthetics and features are not up to par compared to the Pilot, Highlander, Explorer, as well as the Acadia and Traverse twins. That said, I think the exterior styling of the Pathfinder looks good, especially after the mid-cycle refresh. Again, the Pathfinder’s mission is to provide good utility without much of the extra frills. Some will appreciate that, and others won’t. For those who just want a good family car that is simple to operate and doesn’t involve any drama, the Pathfinder makes the perfect SUV for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PDr8wJTYMM