The second-row seat also has a storage area underneath it. A one-touch release lever moves the outer sections for easy access to the third row. The second-row seat is split into a 40/20/40 unit with three sections. The back of the seat is covered with a hard surface, and eight hooks in the cargo hold are convenient for tying down gear. The third seat is split 50/50, and it yields a flat cargo floor when folded. The Pathfinder’s third-row seat is fairly small, but it does provide a place for youngsters. When properly equipped, the Pathfinder can tow 6,000 pounds. The five-speed automatic transmission has widely spaced gears for strong acceleration and relaxed cruising. The engine also has variable valve timing, a variable intake system and an electronic throttle.
Although this engine is similar to the one found in the Altima, Maxima and Murano, it has a longer stroke that gives it more torque, and that’s useful in an SUV. The test car’s 4.0-liter engine was quite pleasant because it delivers the bulk of its power across a wide rpm range. Overall length is 187.6 inches, thanks to short front and rear overhangs that give moderate off-road capability. The fully boxed, all-steel frame no doubt contributes to the vehicle’s weight, but it also gives the Pathfinder the strength to be quite capable off-road. All but the Murano are truck-based vehicles with body-on-frame construction. In addition to the Pathfinder, Nissan’s family of SUVs now encompasses the Armada, Xterra and Murano. The Pathfinder’s rugged looks play a large part in its appeal. Other changes for 2008 include new exterior styling and a greatly refined interior, as well as newly available technology such as a revised Nissan navigation system with 9.3-gigabyte music box hard drive on the LE. The test car was a 2007 with the 4.0-liter V-6, but for 2008 Nissan plans to offer the Pathfinder with a new 5.6-liter V-8 with 300 horsepower. The test car had a base price of $31,650. Prices for the 2007 Pathfinder start at $25,600 for a two-wheel-drive model and $27,200 for four-wheel drive. The test vehicle was an SE equipped with the off-road package, and the rugged tires and special suspension meant that the ride was choppier than the ride of a normal Pathfinder. The Pathfinder is, and has always been, a trucklike vehicle with off-road characteristics and a much more rugged persona than many of the now-popular crossover SUVs. Nissan’s midsize Pathfinder blazed a trail when it was introduced in 1986, and now, 11 years later, it continues to hold its own in a field that is crowded with comparable SUVs.
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