2020 Nissan Pathfinder S

Model Highlights

The Nissan Pathfinder is powered by a 3.5L V6 making 284 horsepower. The Pathfinder is rated at 27 mpg on the highway and 20 mpg in the city for 2-wheel-drive models, while 4-wheel-drive versions are rated only 1-mpg lower in both ratings. Part of this economy is attributable to Nissan's standard continuously variable transmission (CVT), which, unlike traditional automatics, has an infinite number of gear ratios and is consequently always able find the best compromise between economy and power.

With a third row for seating and passenger capacity up to seven, Nissan boasts that the Pathfinder has best-in-class front headroom, front foot room and overall interior passenger volume. While the Pathfinder has an additional 8.4 cubic feet of interior room over the outgoing model, it also makes better use of its interior space, with a flat load-floor and second-row seats that slide a full five-and-a-half inches to make third-row access much easier. The third row even has a reclining feature, which is uncommon for vehicles in this class.

The Pathfinder comes in four different trims--S, SV, SL and Platinum--which allows for a broad range of pricing and features. Base S models come with plenty of nice features, including attractive 18-inch wheels, rear sonar, tri-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, a 6-speaker stereo with auxiliary input, an 8-inch touch screen display, a rearview monitor to make backing out of parking spaces easier and safer and a forward collision mitigation system.

SV Pathfinder models add roof rails, automatic headlights, Bluetooth connectivity, intelligent cruise control, a blind-spot warning and rear cross traffic alert, plus Nissan's Intelligent Key system.

The SL Pathfinder gets luxurious, with leather seating, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, a remote engine starter and a power rear liftgate. It also features additional exterior amenities such as LED headlights, fog lamps, heated mirrors and chrome side moldings. An SL Premium Package adds a dual panorama moonroof, a tow hitch and a Bose sound system. The Platinum Pathfinder is the next step up and features 20-inch wheels, a navigation system and climate-controlled front seats. The Platinum Family Entertainment Package includes pretty much every feature listed above plus a tri-zone entertainment system.

Safety is addressed in the Pathfinder with dual-stage front airbags, side impact airbags, side curtain airbags and a rollover sensor. Preventative safety systems include anti-lock brakes, stability control, traction control and a tire pressure monitoring system.

Vehicle Value

Between its seating capacity and fuel economy, the Nissan Pathfinder makes a good value play. While previous Pathfinders competed with truck-like SUVs like the Toyota 4Runner, the Pathfinder aims instead to compete more closely with crossover vehicles such as the Toyota Highlander, bringing more space and refinement to the market at a slight cost to seldom used off-road capabilities.