A makeover around the nose, more power and torque and a simplified model range are carrying Nissan's solidly-hewn third-generation Pathfinder SUV into its sixth year in the New Zealand market.
The cosmetic surgery, which adds 80mm to the vehicle's length, features a more prominent front bumper, new bonnet, new grille, and xenon headlights. Although the revised nose softens the vehicle's appearance at the front, it retains a solidly-hewn, angular look that distinguishes
it from its rivals.
The engine upgrade meantime, brings the Pathfinder's outputs up to par with those of the latest Mitsubishi Pajero, boosting power by 11% to 140kW and torque by 12% to 450Nm. Fuel economy also improves by 13% to 9 litres per 100km on the combined cycle.
As before, the 2.5-litre turbo-diesel motor operates in conjunction with a five-speed automatic transmission, and it is possible to slip from
two-wheel-drive to automatic or locked 4WD on the fly at the turn of a knob. There is also a low-ratio locked 4WD mode that is selected from the same control.
As well as consigning petrol versions of the Pathfinder to the used car ranks, Nissan has shifted to a single variant for the range. Badged the 450T, it is based closely on the old Ti specification, but with keyless entry and start, an auxiliary iPod input and Bluetooth connectivity included.
Dual-zone climate control (plus a supplementary rear fan control), leather trim, heated front seats, a power sunroof, cruise control and a decent six-disc sound system also feature, while the safety array includes electronic stability programming, hill descent and hill start assist and six airbags.
Oddly, given the 450T's $76,800 tag, parking sensors (or a camera), auto lights and rain-sensing wipers are all missing from the standard bill of fare.
The facelift includes some interior freshening, with changes to trim surfaces and the instrument binnacle. The cabin, however, remains an area of contrasts, being airy and spacious up front, but rather more constricted behind as Nissan seeks to provide adequate but hardly startling space in the second and third rows of seats.
Raising the rear seats is an easy matter, and when they are in place there is a simple tumble-forward release mechanism from the middle row to give easy access to the back of the cabin.
The engine delivers a marked improvement in performance, particular in the area of low-end responsiveness. As a result, the 450T is an appreciably sharper performer than the previous diesel Pathfinder, with the benefits most apparent in round-town motoring and when accelerating to overtake on the open road.
That decent dollop of additional torque also comes in handy in off-roading situations, enabling the Pathfinder to conquer some quite daunting slopes and soft-surface challenges without the need to rev hard and risk breaking traction.
All of this adds up a useful late-life upgrade for the Pathfinder, and one which is certainly good enough to allow it to remain in the mix for buyers seeking a larger style of SUV.
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