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MPG city hwy 2001 Nissan Pathfinder 16 19 2013 Ford Edge 18 26 2013 Ford Explorer 17 24 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee 16 22 Average 17 23 MPG16 City | 19 Highway
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2001 Nissan Pathfinder Review Summary
What reviewers liked most about the 2001 Nissan Pathfinder:
...exceptionally smooth-riding without a trace of mushiness on the road, and off-road it's agile and sure-footed.
- Car and DriverAll the added power is down in the low to mid-ranges, where it was so desperately needed.
- AutoWeek...so quiet that you can actually listen to the sound system while driving down the road at eighty...
- Woman Motorist[with the new 3.5-liter V6] suddenly we're getting V-8-caliber 0-60 mph time of 9.2 seconds...
- Car and DriverThe Pathfinder has always been a comfortable and attractive truck, but with the new... [240-hp] powerplant, it has become something more - a startlingly powerful, quick performer.
- New Car Test Drive...The Pathfinder has a relatively low step-in height and feels nimble in city traffic.
- Popular MechanicsGearshifts that rival, perhaps surpass, those of the best luxury-car transmissions.
- USA TodayQuality construction, supportive front seats and useful features make the interior one of the friendliest of any SUV on the market.
- Edmunds.com...new full-time four-wheel-drive system... automatically transfers power to the front wheels as the rear wheels begin to slip... [and] provides the Pathfinder with exceptional on-road traction while preserving its off-road capability.
- Automobile
What reviewers liked least about the 2001 Nissan Pathfinder:
...why isn't the new model, given its extra oomph, able to tow more? Overheating concerns, we were told.
- Car and DriverFull of people and cargo, the rear suspension finds itself against the stops at almost every bump.
- Popular MechanicsTight rear accommodations.
- Edmunds.comThe four-wheel-drive system remains a weak point. It's part time only.
- USA Today
2001 Nissan Pathfinder Comparisons:
Others may be better at one extreme or another, but the Nissan offers the best blend of ride and handling, on road and off.
- Popular Mechanics...with this Pathfinder - and the new SUVs from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and other luxury makes - the performance of these trucks has suddenly become competitive with conventional automobiles.
- New Car Test Drive...if you're considering a loaded 4x4 Pathfinder LE... for only a few grand more, the mechanically identical Infiniti QX4 offers a better warranty, a few more luxury items, and better dealership service, including free loaner cars.
- Automobile
Best one-liners about the 2001 Nissan Pathfinder:
The new engine is spectacular, with incredible power and more spunk and enthusiasm than a high-school cheerleading squad.
- Automobile...the Pathfinder's days as an also-ran are over.
- Woman Motorist
2001 Nissan Pathfinder Introduction
Perhaps more than any other single truck, the Nissan Pathfinder is responsible for the current popularity of sport-utility vehicles. More than a decade ago, when other manufacturers were only beginning to take note of SUVs, the compact, sturdy Pathfinder was already established with the knowledgeable, influential buyers who set such megatrends in motion.
Nissan is doing everything possible to keep its trendsetter at the forefront of SUV-buyers' minds. Last year marked the debut of a handsome new contemporary look for the Pathfinder, and in the odd way that Nissan does things, this year they have introduced the 2001 model with a new and dramatically more powerful engine. The combination of fresh looks and excellent power is certain to confirm Pathfinder's strong position in the market for years to come.
2001 Nissan Pathfinder Walkaround
Pathfinder's body and interior accommodations were redesigned for the 1999 model year; the new styling represents an evolutionary rather than revolutionary change from the previous generation. Winsome and efficient, the Pathfinder's styling has a square-jawed galoot look in front. Elsewhere it has been nicely modernized and smoothed out, while not losing any of its former ruggedly functional demeanor.
Our test vehicle was the performance-oriented SE 4X4. It featured body-colored wheel flares and painted rearview mirrors, and its alloy wheels contributed to its purposeful, well-integrated appearance. Under the hood was the newly enlarged 3.5-liter twin-cam V6, which offers a whopping 70 more horsepower than its forebear. This engine was coupled with Nissan's excellent 4-speed automatic transmission.
Our SE had a step rail for climbing into and out of the truck. The tailgate lifts up from the bottom, and there is a separate release to allow for opening just the rear window. The liftgate can be released from the driver's position, but opening the window requires unlocking it at the rear gate. The truck had a rear bug-deflector, as well as a standard rear washer and wiper. The spare tire is mounted underneath the rear of the truck; this provides more interior space, but may result in more of a struggle changing tires. The luggage rack has adjustable sliding tie-downs, and the radio antenna is wrapped in swirled wire to reduce wind noise at speed.
2001 Nissan Pathfinder Interior Features
Just as the exterior was redone in 2000, so was the interior. A new console and instrument panel replace the showier, more dramatic controls from the 1999 model. In place of wood trim, the new instrument panel is black, straightforward, all business. The main instruments follow Nissan's trademark black-on-white pattern and are extremely easy to read. The steering wheel of our SE had cruise-control buttons on the right of the hub and audio controls for on/off, mode, and seek-up on the left.
The center of the Pathfinder's dash contains the usual heating/air conditioning controls, using a conventional, entirely satisfactory three-knob layout. Audio controls are mounted below the heater controls, and in our SE, these controls included the aforementioned, excellent in-dash six-CD changer. (No more groping around with remote CD changers located in the trunk.) Our SE had heated leather front seats and not two but three power take-offs - one in the dash, one in the center console and one inside the tailgate - for running external electrical equipment.
In addition to central/remote locking, the Pathfinder had one-touch up/down windows and a one-touch open/close sunroof. These are a welcome convenience, because the vast majority of the time we want to open or close the windows or sunroof all the way. Mounted in our SE's overhead console was an outside temperature readout and a digital compass. Our eight-way power front seats were excellent, and the truck's black leather upholstery was sumptuous. The Pathfinder had four cupholders, two in front, two in back, and convenient grab handles for climbing in through both rear doors.
2001 Nissan Pathfinder Driving Impressions
The Pathfinder has always been a comfortable and attractive truck, but with the new 2001 powerplant, it has become something more - a startlingly powerful, quick performer. Indeed, the new combination offers almost sedan-like acceleration, especially in 4x2 models with the manual transmission. In that configuration, the Pathfinder has an enormous 80 more horsepower than the previous model, recording impressive 0-60 mph acceleration times of only 7.6 seconds.
Our SE 4x4 was equipped with the automatic transmission and thus had only 70 additional horses. Nonetheless, with 240 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, it produced 0-60 times in the mid-8 second range, vastly more spirited than most foot-dragging SUVs.
Just as surely, if you are the one in a hundred who intends to use your Pathfinder as an off-road vehicle, the 2001 model's more powerful drivetrain delivers enormous utility and flexibility in rough terrain. It remains rugged and ready to go anywhere, especially if you order the all-business limited-slip differential. But more likely than not, you will be using the Pathfinder exclusively on pavement. And with its vigorous new powertrain, there is no need for you to be one of those SUVs that is forever in the way. With the 2001 Pathfinder, you can lead the way.
2001 Nissan Pathfinder Final Word
Since the beginning of the SUV boom, buyers of these vehicles have been willing trade mediocre performance for utility and crash safety. But with the 2001 Pathfinder - and the new SUVs from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and other luxury makes - the performance of these trucks has suddenly become competitive with conventional automobiles.
In achieving this advance, the 2001 Pathfinder has sacrificed none of its earlier truck strengths. It is a modern, all-purpose sport-utility of the first order, delivering comfort, toughness and that tall, looking-down-atcha stature that SUV buyers value so highly.
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