The all-new Nissan Pathfinder sits between the X-Trail and the Patrol in the Nissan Australia SUV line-up. The Pathfinder offers something many of its seven-seat SUV rivals can’t match, a V6 petrol engine paired with a 9-speed automatic gearbox.
Drive in the Pathfinder Ti-L feels robust, but I found it to be comfortable enough around town. If you want to venture off-road the Intelligent 4×4 has seven drive and terrain modes, being Auto, Eco, Sport, Sand, Mud/Rut, Snow and Tow. The maximum braked towing capacity of the Pathfinder is 2,700kg with a maximum towball download of 270kg and a maximum roof load of 74kg for all the camping gear you will need for your next weekend family adventure.
The 3.5 litre, V6 petrol engine has 202kW of power and 340Nm of torque. The official combined fuel consumption 10.5L/100km and for my week I used 12.2L/100km. I used more fuel in the previous Pathfinder I drove (12.8L/100km), which had a continuously variable transmission paired with the V6.
The Pathfinder Ti-L has black quilted leather-accented seat trim (third row synthetic leather-look) in a 7-seat configuration (2:2:3). Both front seats are heated and cooled, with the heating working well and the cooling being adequate. The passenger seat has power adjustment for recline and forward/back only, but the driver’s seat also gets seat height adjustment front and rear, 4-way lumbar support with two memory positions. The memory positioning also incorporates the steering wheel position, which has tilt and telescopic power adjustment and the external rear vision mirrors.
There are plenty of storage options in the front of the cabin with large drink bottle storage in the door cubbies and two cup holders in the centre console with grippy sides and a removable rubber mat for easy cleaning. Under the arm rest there is a deep storage cubby and another cubby under the front of the centre console that is large enough for a handbag. Above the glove box is a storage ledge with a grippy rubber mat that is suitable for a smart phone. Additionally there is another cubby at the front of the centre console with wireless charge pad and connection for wireless Apple CarPlay. Android Auto requires a wired connection and for this there is one USB-C port, one USB-A port and a 12V for charging.
The 9.0″ touchscreen display has voice recognition technology that is activated by pressing the button on the steering wheel with the masculine looking silhouette on it. The voice control worked well for me for making phone calls and changing the radio station, but it wasn’t that good for setting a destination on the satellite navigation. Media sources include AM/FM radio, DAB+ digital Radio, Bluetooth, USB-1, USB-2 and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and you get a Bose 13 speaker premium audio system including dual subwoofer to enjoy your music on. The modern looking infotainment system is paired with 12.3″ digital driver’s instrument cluster and 10.8″ Head-Up Display.
The second-row captain’s chairs sit up slightly higher than the front seats, which I assume is to make it easier for the second-row passengers to see over the front seats. This meant that my head wasn’t far from the panoramic glass roof, but leg room was ample. These seats are heated and have manual recline and forward/back movement and both have ISOFIX/rear tether child seat restraint points.
Second row passengers will not dehydrate because there are four drink bottle holders in each of the door cubbies, two upper and two lower, and another two drink bottle holders in the fixed centre console, which has a deep storage cubby at the back of it as well. If the sun is too bright then you can raise the manual blinds to cover the windows.
These passengers will also stay at the perfect temp with separate digital climate controls for temperature, mode and fan speed, which can also be controlled from the front of the vehicle or turned on/off. The air vents are located in the roof and under the front seats. Below the central climate controls there is one USB-C and one USB-A port. Lastly parents will be happy that the Pathfinder Ti-L has one mat across the second-row floor and no transmission tunnel, making cleaning easier.
The third row of the Pathfinder Ti-L was a real surprise, in a good way. Firstly, the third row is easy to access by pressing a button on the side of the second-row captain’s chairs and this creates a gap large enough for me to easily step through. The chairs move up and forward in such a way that this would even work with a car seat fitted in the second-row seats. Secondly, there was enough head and leg room for me to comfortably sit there, even my knees did not feel like they were sitting up high. There is also a single mat that goes across the third-row floor to make cleaning easier.
With the roof vents on either side, two rigid cup holders on each side in the wheel arch and one USB-A port on the driver’s side, the third-row passengers in the Pathfinder Ti-L are very well catered for. There is even one ISOFIX/rear tether child seat restraint point located on the passenger side of the vehicle. To exit the third row, you press the button on the shoulder of the second-row seat and push the seat forward.
The tailgate is power operated for open and close with controls under the boot lid, on the key fob, a button in the cabin. With the third row seats in place there is enough space in the boot for school bags or a small shop. When you lower the 60:40 split folding third row seats using the straps behind the seats there is plenty of space for all the gear you would need for a weekend away, if you only needed space for four passengers. Under the boot floor there is a good amount of storage as well because the space saver spare tyre is located under the rear of the Pathfinder. The boot space has four substantial tie down points, two hooks, one 12V outlet and a roof mounted light.
The active safety features on the Pathfinder Ti-L are extensive thanks to the inclusion of Nissan’s ProPILOT and it has a 5-star ANCAP (2022) safety rating with an Adult Occupant Protection score of 86% (32.87 out of 38) and a Child Occupant Protection score of 93% (45.80 out of 49). ProPILOT includes Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Emergency Braking with junction assist & pedestrian/cyclist detection, Intelligent Rear Automatic Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Warning, Intelligent Blind Spot Intervention, Lane Departure Warning, Intelligent Lane Intervention and Intelligent (Adaptive) Cruise Control.
ANCAP tests of the autonomous emergency braking (AEB) (Car-to-Car) system showed GOOD performance, with collisions avoided or mitigated in all scenarios, including AEB Junction Assist where the test vehicle can autonomously brake to avoid crashes when turning across the path of an oncoming vehicle. ANCAP tests of lane support system functionality showed GOOD performance, including in all of the more critical emergency lane keeping test scenarios and full points were scored. Overall, the ANCAP Safety Assist score is 85%.
Passive safety includes front seat airbags (driver and passenger), seat side airbags (driver and passenger, second row outboard), front row far side airbag (centre), and side curtain air bags (all rows). The Pathfinder Ti-L also has an Intelligent Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection with front and rear parking sensors. It also has a digital rear view camera, which may come in handy if all three third rows seats are occupied, plus auto lights, auto high beam, and auto wipers.
All new Nissan vehicles come with a 5-Year Unlimited Kilometre warranty and five years of 24-Hour Roadside Assistance. The service interval for the Pathfinder R53 3.5 Litre 4WD is 12 months/15,000 km. Owners can pay as they go for servicing or purchase a three-, four- or five-year service plan for $1,290, $1,968, or $2,323 respectively.
The Nissan Pathfinder Ti-L is priced from $88,186 driveaway (driveaway price is indicative only and may vary based on location). You can build your Pathfinder online or visit your preferred Nissan dealer for more information.
| Pros | Cons |
| Seven good-sized seats | Second row seating position is too high for adults |
| Robust V6 engine paired with a 9-speed auto box | Voice control not quite up to standard |
| No transmission tunnel in second row | Only has a space saver temporary use spare tyre |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.