Nissan Pathfinder reviews

1996 Nissan Pathfinder Walkaround

In its initial conception, the Pathfinder was designed to be more car-like in looks than Jeep-like. By that we mean it had the more rounded, softer contours of a sedan than the angular, military look of the competition. In fact, Nissan says it led the segment transition from trucks with a back seat to a more balanced merging of sports and utility, although we suspect both Jeep and General Motors would take issue with this position.

When it came time--perhaps even past time--to develop a successor, Nissan felt it had the edge in off-road ruggedness, driver control and occupant comfort, so all that was necessary was to improve on what it already had. But Nissan went much further than that; the new Pathfinder is really all new.

The new look maintains a strong resemblance to the original. There are the signature grille slots, the integrated door handles and distinctive sloping C-pillar. Overall, of course, the new look is much more aero. And it conveys a sense of muscular mass, which is a good thing to have if you're a sport-utility.

The new unitbody construction makes the vehicle quite a bit stiffer than the previous body-on-frame, which means doors can be opened and closed without sticking or binding when the vehicle is teetering on uneven ground.

The more rigid body, Nissan explains, provides a better platform for suspension components for a more comfortable ride and improved tire contact. The unitbody construction means more room in the engine compartment for easier maintenance, more room in the interior and less weight, which helps fuel economy, performance and handling.

Nissan joins Jeep as the only manufacturers offering unitbody construction in this size class. Most still use body-on-frame, an approach with proven credentials for absorbing off-road punishment. How well the Pathfinder will stand up to hard use remains to be seen, although few are likely to find their way into the wilds.

The new engine is based on the previous 3.0-liter V6, but has been completely re-engineered. Horsepower has jumped from 153 to 168, which is a nice improvement. But the magic of re-engineering is especially felt in the torque curve. The old engine pumped out 180 lb.-ft. of torque at 4000 rpm--not exactly stump-pulling numbers. The new engine, on the other hand, develops 196 lb.-ft. at a low 2800 rpm, with 90 percent of that available in the 1500 to 1800 rpm range.

Again, not that many Pathfinder owners are likely to do any serious off-road driving, but this improvement nevertheless means the vehicle will be a bear in the mud, sand or whatever. Also, the towing capacity of models equipped with automatic transmissions is increased, from 3500 lbs. to 5000 lbs.

The engine uses a fuel injection system Nissan calls SOFIS (for Sophisticated Optimized Fuel Injection System). SOFIS optimizes the fuel/air mixture under all driving conditions by sensing and correcting fuel flow delays inside the intake ports.

The extra horsepower is easily noticed on the highway; less strain, less noise at launch and cruise, better acceleration, better 50- to 70-mph passing response.

You can have a Pathfinder in either 2wd or 4wd, which is par for the entire sport-utility class. For 4-wheeling there's a new transfer system that allows shift-on-the-fly into 4-wheel high-range at speeds up to 50 mph. Going to 4-wheel low requires stopping. A limited slip differential is standard on the top Pathfinder LE 4wd, optional for the basic XE and sportier SE versions. Nissan does not yet offer a full-time 4wd system.

The new front suspension has been designed to maintain off-road ruggedness while improving on-road comfort and control. The previous suspension used wishbones and shocks. The new design is strut-type with shocks and springs as integral components. The new front suspension has longer up-down travel, which means a smoother pavement ride and improved stability off road. A wider tracker results in better cornering stability.

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