- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 8 seats
- Engine
3.5i, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
202kW, 340Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 10L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2022)
2023 Nissan Pathfinder video review: Australian first drive
With rivals like Toyota Kluger, Kia Sorento, and Hyundai Santa Fe to name just a few, Nissan needed a new Pathfinder to take into battle. Trent Nikolic samples Nissan's new large SUV on local roads to find out whether it has the chops to take on the segment leaders.
- Enough off-road ability with strong tow rating
- Cabin design and execution is excellent
- Comfortable and practical for family touring
- Lack of a hybrid or diesel will be a challenge
- Third row not quite spacious enough for tall adults
- Big ten grand price jump between top two models
2023 Nissan Pathfinder
The Nissan Pathfinder was, not that long ago, a rugged off-road four-wheel-drive, with genuine terrain-conquering ability and the requisite compromise in on-road composure and road holding. Still, the buyer – at that time at least – seemed intent on heading off-road with the segment that Pathfinder threw punches in.
Then, Nissan took a gamble and softened the edges, so much so that Pathfinder become known as a soft-roader. Its real 4WD ability had been forgotten by the new-generation buyer, focused more on style than substance.
Now though, Nissan may have found the perfect formula. New Pathfinder is capable enough to tackle the kind of dirt roads most Aussies will head down, and it can tow, but unlike the rugged off-road brigade, it handles road driving with a sense of poise and comfort.
It remains to be seen, but Nissan's formula could be spot on for this segment. The Patrol sits as the off-road legend, while the new X-Trail sits as the new breed of soft-roader. Pathfinder now holds the middle ground in between.
Large SUVs – or four-wheel-drives as some still call them – are a broad segment in this country. And, plenty of them aren't really '4WDs' anymore either. At one end you have something like a Mazda CX-8, which is undeniably road-focused and car-like. At the other you have a vehicle like the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, which is very much an off-road capable, touring 4WD.
In between, there's just about any flavour you like. As such, finding the flavour for success is no easy feat.
On paper, Nissan appears to have nailed the brief for a large cross section of the SUV-buying public. Time to assess the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder at its local launch, to find out how it tackles not just the urban confines, but also the type of rural road trip its likely to be used for.
How much does the Nissan Pathfinder cost in Australia?
Pathfinder's genuine seven or eight-seat cabin, and clever second row access give it a strong position in a segment where seven seats are often highly valued. First, let's run through the pricing. The range starts with the 2WD ST, which starts from $54,190 plus on-road costs.
Even the base Pathfinder presents as well-equipped, competitive offering, if you're on a tight budget. From there, you step through the 4WD ST-L from $61,790, the 2WD Ti from $65,910, the 4WD Ti from $70,030 and lastly the 4WD Ti-L range-topper from $80,227. Those prices are, of course, before on-road costs.
The big hitter in the segment, certainly for those buyers focused on around town duties, is the Toyota Kluger. Kluger's range is extensive, with 2WD and AWD models available, as well as AWD with hybrid. If we focus on the three hybrid models, they start from $54,150 for the GX, $63,650 for the GXL and $75,700 for the Grande, all before on-road costs.
I reckon the Pathfinder's lack of either an efficient turbo-diesel or a hybrid could be an issue in our market, but more on that later. Spec for spec though, and with up to date tech and inclusions, on paper the Pathfinder stacks up well against traditional rival Toyota.
The Patrol-inspired styling ensures new Pathfinder looks attractive out on the road, while under the skin, the old CVT is gone (thankfully) replaced by a traditional nine-speed automatic. Options like two-tone exterior paint on Ti and Ti-L as well add a premium touch to the more expensive variants, but even the entry-grade ST cuts a stylish figure.
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Particularly attractive form side-on, it's a significant departure from the old model's bulbous shape. Wheel options range from 18-inch to 20-inch.
Key details | 2023 Nissan Pathfinder |
Price | Pathfinder ST 2WD – $54,190 Pathfinder ST-L 4WD – $61,790 Pathfinder Ti 2WD – $65,910 Pathfinder Ti 4WD – $70,030 Pathfinder Ti-L 4WD – $80,227 All prices listed before on-road costs |
Colour of test car | Deep Ocean Blue Pearl Scarlet Ember |
Options | Two-tone paint (Ti, Ti-L) – $1904 |
Rivals | Toyota Kluger | Kia Sorento | Hyundai Santa Fe |
How much space does the Nissan Pathfinder have inside?
The first thing you'll notice about the Pathie's cabin when you're on the move is how insulated and quiet it is. It's a lovely place to settle in for a long road trip, whether you're riding solo or loaded up. And, that's a genuine consideration for plenty of buyers in this segment.
If you're not heading off chasing the sunset, but you do have a section of coarse chip bitumen on the highway on your run to and from work, you'll appreciate the effort that's gone into cabin insulation.
Visibility, from all three rows to be fair, but especially from the front two seats, is excellent. The driving position provides a solid view of the road ahead, and the A-pillars aren't so thick that they obstruct the view forward.
The seats themselves are excellent. Supportive, firm without being too hard, and comfortable even after a few hours behind the wheel, you'll have no trouble getting comfortable behind the wheel. Even the entry-grade ST gets heated front seats. Step up to Ti and you get heated rear seats, too.
The layout of the major controls and switchgear is good, too, with everything in easy reach and where you would expect it to be. There's no weirdly placed switches or controls, that are hard to access on the move or in the dark. If you're moving straight out of the old Pathfinder into this new model, the cabin is like a completely different vehicle, there's basically no similarity.
Nissan has taken no shortcuts when it comes to execution and attention to detail inside the cabin either. Perhaps knowing how competitive this segment is, but certainly aware that the Pathfinder needed the best the brand could conjure for success, the trim, the fit and finish, the small details, and the way the cabin is laid out are all excellent.
You see that quality across all three rows, too, with the Pathfinder hanging its hat on proper eight-seat practicality in ST, ST-L and Ti grades, or plush and roomy second row captains chairs in the seven-seat Ti-L.
The way the second row moves forward with the touch of a button for example, is clever. It means you don't have to wait to be freed from the third row, if your family members or friends have exited the cabin and run off as they tend to do.
The second row is accomodating for adults, while the third row is a bit tight for that, but kids will have no problem back there. On the subject of the third row, you also get air vents, cup holders and some storage back there.
Other clever additions include the sun blinds in the second row – perfect for when you have babies in capsules or seats or young kids back there and you want to keep the harsh sun off them. Storage is well catered to throughout the cabin, with useful door pockets front and rear, a chunky centre console bin and a storage shelf beneath the floating section of the centre console, a really clever way to get two bites at the cherry from one section.
2023 Nissan Pathfinder | |
Seats | Seven or Eight |
Boot volume | 205L to third row 554L to second row 782L to first row at window line |
Length | 5004mm |
Width | 1978mm |
Height | 1802mm |
Wheelbase | 2900mm |
Does the Nissan Pathfinder have Apple CarPlay?
As befits the segment and the buyer, there's a lengthy list of included tech across the Pathfinder range. For example, all grades get an excellent 10.8-inch head-up display, which we found to be clear and visible in any light. It's got some clever black magic that keeps the reflected image stable too, regardless of the driver's eye position. Handily, the display also features turn-by-turn notifications for the native satellite navigation system.
From the base model up, driver's get a 7.0-inch advanced drive assist display instrument cluster, but that expands to 12.3 inches on Ti-L Pathfinder. All models get a 9.0-inch central infotainment touchscreen, with wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. Pathfinder Ti and Ti-L add a 13-speaker Bose audio system and wireless smartphone charging.
We tested wired and wireless Apple CarPlay at launch and that system worked well, as did the proprietary satellite navigation system. We'll spend more time with the infotainment systems as we work our way through the grades, post launch.
Is the Nissan Pathfinder a safe car?
Right at the time of testing, and tested against the most up to date, stringent protocols, the New Nissan Pathfinder was awarded a full five-star safety rating by testing body ANCAP. That rating applies to all models across the Pathfinder range.
Pathfinder achieved 32.87 out of 38 (or 86 per cent) in terms of Adult Occupant protection, 45.8 out of 49 (or 93 per cent) in the Child Occupant portion of the test, 42.31 out of 54 (or 78 per cent) on the Vulnerable Road User test, and 13.61 out of 16 (or 85 per cent) in Safety Assist testing, including perfect scoring in occupant status and Lane Support Systems testing.
2023 Nissan Pathfinder | |
ANCAP rating | Five stars (tested 2022) |
Safety report | Link to ANCAP report |
What safety technology does the Nissan Pathfinder have?
Key to the Pathfinder's family credentials is the fact that the five-star ANCAP rating applies to all vehicles across the range. More stringent testing in 2022 than ever before ensures that a five-star rating earned by a vehicle now is the result of excellent standard inclusions.
Pathfinder gets the full suite referred to as 'Nissan Intelligent Mobility' which includes predictive forward collision alert with junction assist and emergency braking (for pedestrian and cyclist), driver attention alert, blind sport warning and intervention, lane departure warning and prevention, rear cross-traffic alert, back up collision prevention, intelligent cruise control with adjustable speed limiter and traffic sign recognition. There's also a tyre pressure monitor fitted to all model grades.
From ST-L up, you also get semi-autonomous functionality (which Nissan calls ProPilot). It links the intelligent cruise control system with steering assist, which maintains vehicle to vehicle distance and speed and keeps the Pathfinder int he middle of the lane. Also from ST-L up, the around view monitor gets moving object detection with digital high resolution and a wider field of view.
Occupants are covered by nine airbags including full-size airbags protecting all passenger rows, along with the addition of a centre airbag between the two front seat occupants. There's some clever design, too, like the positioning of the rear camera, which is now mounted inside the glass, where the view out is cleared by the wiper and kept free from dust or grime obstructing the view.
How much does the Nissan Pathfinder cost to maintain?
Pathfinder is covered by Nissan's five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with included roadside assistance for the same period. There's also a capped-price servicing scheme that runs out to six years or 90,000km. 2WD Pathfinders cost $1370 and $2451 over three and five years respectively, while 4WD models cost $2451 and $2581 over the same two timeframes.
Insurance for the new Nissan Pathfinder will cost $1651.60 based on a comparative quote for a 35 year old male driver, living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.
At a glance | 2023 Nissan Pathfinder |
Warranty | Five years, unlimited km |
Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
Servicing costs | 2WD $1370 (3 years) 2WD $2451 (5 years) 4WD $1433 (3 years) 4WD $2581 (5 years) |
Is the Nissan Pathfiner fuel efficient?
In comparison to other petrol engines of this size and output, the new Pathfinder's V6 isn't thirsty. Claims range from 10.0L/100km to 10.5L/100km across the range, depending on model. We'll test those figures in the real world soon, but at launch we saw live averages from the mid 11s to the mid 13s depending on the driving we were doing.
The challenge will come for Pathfinder among buyers who want to be as frugal as possible with their fuel use. Kluger – as the most obvious example – presents buyers with the ability to effectively halve their fuel bill in the real world, thanks to its hybrid engine option.
Some of you don't care about fuel use, some do. With the cost of petrol skyrocketing over the last six to 12 months, it's fair to say that plenty of you are now thinking about how much fuel you're using.
Fuel Consumption - brought to you by bp
Fuel Useage | Fuel Stats |
Fuel cons. (claimed) | 10.0L/100km (2WD) 10.5L/100km (AWD) |
Fuel cons. (on test) | Not recorded |
Fuel type | 95-octane premium unleaded |
Fuel tank size | 71L |
What is the Nissan Pathfinder like to drive?
With the conversation regarding the Pathfinder's lack of a turbo diesel or hybrid noted, we can take some time to assess the smooth quality and easy nature of the excellent petrol V6 engine that the Pathfinder does have. With 202kW at 6400rpm and 340Nm at 4800rpm, the V6 makes enough easy power to almost never feel like it's even nearing the edge of its comfort threshold.
Peak power coming as high as it does indicates that the Pathfinder likes to rev, and it does, eager to wind out as far as you need it to. Peak torque being available off redline, means you get that meaty shove through the middle off the rev range once you get moving, too, the mark of a good petrol engine.
With peak power available high up, you do need to get some revs on board to feel like you're really moving. Luckily the engine note that accompanies the climbing revs, is a good one.
Those of you who regularly read our reviews will know that we're not huge fans of the CVT automatic, with only the best iterations gaining a pass mark from us here at Drive. Cleverly, Nissan has opted to leave the old model's CVT behind, and instead opted for a quality nine-speed automatic transmission of the traditional variety, and the drive experience is more the better for it.
Neatly matched to the V6, the gearbox never puts a foot wrong, and whether you're rolling through a country town, or stamping on the pedal asking for the maximum to overtake uphill on the freeway, the auto is smooth, snappy and precise. Doesn't matter which model grade you're driving either, it's always smooth and pretty much effortless.
Note that in all-wheel drive models, you also get seven drive modes: Standard, Sport, Eco, Snow, Sand, Mud/Rut and Tow. Nissan has retained the Pathfinder's 2700kg tow rating, keeping it at the pointy end of the class in terms of weekend practicality.
Steering, braking and all round chassis composure are all excellent, and you can engage yourself in the driving experience on a twisty road much more directly than you otherwise might in most other large SUVs. No, it's not a sportscar, and you won't be driving it like one with the family on board, but the balance and calm nature of the chassis and steering mean that you can have a bit of fun if you want to.
The braking comes in for special mention here, especially in a big SUV, where they never feel overworked or prone to fade. Likewise the electrically assisted power steering, which is hefty at highway speed such that it never feels floaty or too light, but light enough in the carpark that moving the Pathfinder around is effortless. It's a large SUV, that doesn't feel as big as it is.
Where the Pathfinder really separates itself from those four-wheel-drives more focused on off-road touring, is it's ability to cruise in comfort on road. While Pathfinder is capable of some medium duty off-road work and towing, it makes light work of our typical country road network more in line with what we'd expect from a car than a rugged 4WD.
The chassis is largely unflustered even over poor road surfaces, with only the biggest ruts and bumps registering inside the cabin.
Key details | 2023 Nissan Pathfinder |
Engine | 3.5-litre V6 petrol |
Power | 202kW @ 6400rpm |
Torque | 340Nm @ 4800rpm |
Drive type | Front- or All-wheel drive |
Transmission | Nine-speed torque converter automatic |
Power to weight ratio | 97-102kW/t |
Weight (kerb) | 1977kg - 2WD 2083kg - 4WD |
Spare tyre type | Full-size |
Tow rating | 2700kg braked 750kg unbraked |
Turning circle | 11.8m |
Should I buy a Nissan Pathfinder?
Nissan's new Pathfinder is, across many aspects, an excellent large SUV. It's comfortable, quiet, well-equipped, family friendly and capable. Playing into that latter point is the cabin space, seven or eight-seat cabin, and tow rating.
It should fare well against its on-road focused competition. It can't match the most capable off-road in the segment, and it only comes with a petrol V6, those two points being very dependent on the buyer.
Pathfinder slots neatly into a refreshed Nissan lineup that now offers something for most buyers in the big ticket segments in Australia. Its ability to handle a long touring run, emblematic of what so many Aussie buyers either aspire to do, or already do, is excellent, and one of its strongest points.