2022 Nissan Pathfinder First Look: Desirable Again?

MotorTrend

Join MotorTrend’s Technical Director for a First Look at the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder. Will the new powertrain and styling bring back the desirability this SUV once had?

Transcript

00:00 I'm Frank Marcus with Motor Trend and I'm here in a studio with the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder

00:08 arriving in dealerships this summer.

00:17 Now we all fondly remember the original Pathfinder as basically an SUV body on the Nissan hardbody

00:23 pickup truck, square, burly, tough, and it stayed truck-based for the first three generations.

00:31 Then in 2013, Nissan followed the industry trend toward front-wheel drive-based crossovers

00:37 and moved the Pathfinder onto that type of architecture.

00:40 That's when the Motor Trend staff dubbed it the "Mall Finder."

00:45 Well for 2022, we are returning to the truck-based roots, square-jawed, broad-shouldered, burly

00:51 looking, and a lot of cues that pick up the look of a Nissan Armada.

00:55 Now that squared-off styling cuts about an inch and a half off the overall length while

01:00 increasing overall cargo room by one cubic foot.

01:04 Now the styling is truck-based, but the underpinnings retain their front-wheel drive crossover architecture.

01:11 Unchanged is the 3.5 liter direct-injected V6 engine, although it does now mount to a

01:18 proper nine-speed automatic instead of the continuously variable transmission that was

01:22 used in the fourth generation.

01:24 Similarly, the all-wheel drive system hardware is carried over, but new software gives it

01:31 one of those ubiquitous now terrain control adjusters so you can find paths on seven different

01:37 types of terrain, sand, mud, snow, highways, etc.

01:42 The new Pathfinder is also still capable of 6,000 pounds of towing with the proper equipment.

01:48 It is a leader in the class.

01:50 Big changes are also in store inside.

01:52 Let's take a look at those.

01:56 Inside the look is also a bit more squared-off and boxy and much more modern looking.

02:02 We've got a big nine-inch touchscreen here.

02:05 This is a platinum model, which also has a big fully digital instrument cluster.

02:11 We've gone to electronic shifter now, which freed up this storage space underneath the

02:16 console.

02:17 You also get electric parking brake, auto hold, all of that sort of thing.

02:23 The safety features have also stepped into the 2020s.

02:26 We've got the ProPILOT Assist option, which brings lane-keeping assist to the typical

02:33 adaptive cruise control, and a full suite of Safety Shield 360 pedestrian sensing and

02:41 collision prevention.

02:43 The design is also much more up-to-date with this elaborate stitching and perforation pattern

02:49 on the seats, bronze accents, all really dress up the platinum model.

02:54 There's even bigger news in the back seat.

02:56 Let's have a look back there.

03:01 A lot of things have changed in here.

03:03 Although the bodywork only gets six-tenths of an inch larger, there is seven inches more

03:08 hip room in the back, which allows them to put three seat belts in the third row.

03:13 I'm in the third one, and sure enough, it looks like there's room for another modest

03:17 size person on either side of me.

03:19 It's also nice to notice that there is a very easy pass-through with a one-button touch

03:25 that moves the seat forward like that.

03:28 And even a child can get an entrance to the third row by pressing that one single button.

03:34 Also new for 2022 is an option for captain's chairs in the middle row.

03:39 The captain's chairs come with a removable center console in case that's useful.

03:48 So that's it for this quick look at the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder.

03:51 We expect it in showrooms this summer, starting at a price probably around $35,000.

03:57 I'm Frank Marcus with Motor Trend.

03:59 Just keep it right here for more information about this and other new cars.

04:02 [music]

04:06 [end]

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