2017 Nissan Pathfinder ST AWD Review | Huge Space, Comfort, And Refinement For Aussie Families
In Australia the large car (that's sedans and wagons) is almost dead and buried, and in its place there’s the large SUV delivering the same big car space with added practicality - and in the case of SUVs like the Pathfinder, added seats too.
Earlier this year Nissan gave its big SUV a small facelift, to help it keep pace with the Mazda CX-9 and also-recently-updated Toyota Kluger. The most obvious change is a more confident face that helps the Pathfinder look less like a big wagon, and more like a big SUV.
Also heavily reworked, Nissan’s 3.5 litre V6 engine adds power and torque compared with the previous model, but also sips slightly less fuel. Despite the changes, Nissan has no easy task ahead of it with strong opposition from Mazda and Toyota, not to mention the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento.
Vehicle Style: Large SUV
Price: $45,490 plus on-road costs
Engine/trans: 202kW/340Nm 3.5-litre 6cyl petrol | CVT automatic
Fuel Economy Claimed: 10.1 l/100km
OVERVIEW
Nissan has kept the Pathfinder range the same as before, with three variants; the entry-level ST tested here, the mid-spec ST-L and the more plush Ti. Each can be had with a choice of petrol V6 or a supercharged four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid.
With the V6 set to be the more popular option, we’ve selected it, along with all-wheel drive (though two wheel drive is also available) giving the Pathfinder a price of $45,490 before on-road costs - perhaps not bargain basement but within the reach of family buyers.