AutoTrader SCORE
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STYLING8/10
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Safety9/10
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PRACTICALITY8/10
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USER-FRIENDLINESS8/10
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FEATURES9/10
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POWER8/10
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COMFORT8/10
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DRIVING FEEL8/10
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FUEL ECONOMY8/10
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VALUE8/10
The 2024 Nissan Pathfinder arrives virtually unchanged, having been updated into a redesigned version for 2022.
It competes in the midsize three-row SUV segment, a very popular choice for families who don’t want a minivan. The Pathfinder comes in six trim levels, starting with the S at $48,928, including a non-negotiable delivery fee of $2,030. I tested the top-level Platinum, which starts at $60,128. Mine further had a two-tone paint job for $950, bringing it to $61,078 before taxes.
Styling: 8/10
The Pathfinder sports a smooth exterior design that suits it well, and the long, wide tailgate makes it easier to stash items in the back. Lower trims ride on 18-inch wheels, while the SL Premium and Platinum top trims move up to 20-inch alloys. LED headlights are standard on all trims, and all but the base S get a panoramic sunroof.
Safety: 9/10
The 2024 Nissan Pathfinder receives the top five-star crash-test rating from the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). For 2023, it received a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It earned the top “Good” in the updated side crash test, which better simulates being struck by a large SUV. At time of writing, it hadn’t yet been rated in the updated front overlap test, which now assesses potential injury for a rear-seat passenger, as well as those up front. The IIHS also gave the Pathfinder a “Good+” rating for ease of use on its child-seat tethers.
All trims include adaptive cruise control, a panoramic camera, driver and front passenger knee airbags, emergency front and rear braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and highway driving assist, which Nissan calls ProPilot. All but the base S trim further add blind-spot and lane-departure assist, and the three top trims include traffic sign recognition.
Features: 9/10
All trims come with such items as heated front seats and steering wheel, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Siri and Google Assistant voice recognition, auto up/down windows, and tri-zone automatic climate control. At the next SV trim level, you get a panoramic sunroof, power tailgate, power driver’s seat, auto-dimming mirror, and integrated garage door opener.
The three lower trims get an eight-inch centre screen, while the top three have a nine-inch version, and the Platinum exclusively adds a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Moving up the trim levels also adds such features as heated second-row seats, wireless Apple CarPlay, navigation, a wireless charger, 120-volt power outlet, and head-up display. The top Platinum exclusively has power-folding mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, and heated and cooled front seats.
User-Friendliness: 8/10
The Pathfinder’s controls are simple and easy to use, with dials and buttons for the climate control and drive modes. The centre touchscreen is equally intuitive, with hard buttons to bring up the menus.
It’s easy to get into the first- and second rows. It’s also easy to move the middle-row chairs forward, although it’s a squeeze for adults to gain access to the third row. All Pathfinder trims have a second-row bench for eight-passenger seating except for the Platinum, which has two captain’s chairs for a maximum of seven people. There’s a removable console between them, but it’s not quite as friendly: to take it out, you have to snap off its front cover to access the release lever, and it requires a fair bit of force that makes me question that plastic panel’s longevity.
Practicality: 8/10
The Pathfinder’s cargo volume is toward the lower end of its rivals, but it includes a storage bin under the cargo floor, along with grocery bag hooks on the sides of the cargo area. The second- and third rows fold flat for carrying extra cargo. Small-item storage is well done, including an open bin under the front centre console, a shelf above the glovebox for stashing soft items such as mittens, and that second-row console box with open bins. The base S trim can tow 1,587 kg (3,500 lb). All other trims come standard with a Class III hitch and trailer harness, and can tow as much as 2,721 kg (6,000 lb), the most among its close rivals.
Comfort: 8/10
The Pathfinder has more front-seat leg- and headroom than most of its competitors, but trails them for leg space in the second row and especially in the third, which is tight. Nissan calls its seat design “anti-gravity” and the chairs are indeed comfortable and supportive, at least for those in the first two rows. The third-row seats are flat and hard, as is common in this category. The ride can be firm and bumpy over imperfect roads, and you can chalk up at least some of that to those lower-profile tires on the 20-inch rims. Automakers love installing these on higher trims, and they do look good, but they can stiffen the ride as well as increase the cost of replacement or winter tires.
Power: 8/10
The Pathfinder uses a 3.5L V6 that makes 284 hp and 259 lb-ft of torque (in the Rock Creek, a trim intended for the great outdoors, it’s tweaked to deliver 295 hp and 270 lb-ft if you use premium-grade fuel). That’s about mid-pack with rivals, many of which are turbocharged, but the Nissan has enough to get the job done and with the simplicity of a non-turbo engine. Acceleration is strong and linear when passing, and easy to modulate if you’re working your way through city traffic. The transmission is a smooth-shifting nine-speed automatic.
Driving Feel: 8/10
The power is mid-pack and so is the driving feel. It’s not exciting to drive, but then, the three-row family-hauler segment isn’t generally about sporty handling. All-wheel drive (AWD) is standard equipment, as is the case with most of its rivals. The Pathfinder primarily drives its front wheels but can send up to 50 per cent of power to the rear as needed. It uses a boatload of sensors to monitor when that might happen and brings those rear tires on board proactively, rather than waiting for the front wheels to slip. When I purposefully tried to lose traction, the system did a very good job of preventing it and keeping me in a straight line.
Fuel Economy: 8/10
The Pathfinder is officially rated by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) at 11.7 L/100 km in the city, 9.3 on the highway, and 10.6 in combined driving. In my week with it, I averaged 11.4 L/100 km, and it takes regular-grade gasoline (you can put premium in the Rock Creek trim for extra power, but it isn’t required).
The Pathfinder rates well for fuel economy among its rivals, where the Toyota Highlander and Grand Highlander come in at 9.9 and 10.0 L/100 km in combined driving, respectively, but most others are good for 11.0 or above.
Value: 8/10
The Nissan Pathfinder ranges from $48,928 to $60,128, and you get a lot of features for the price. Among its three-row, AWD-equipped competitors, the Subaru Ascent starts at $44,190, and the Toyota Highlander at $48,480 – but the Grand Highlander, with more second- and third-row legroom, begins at $52,420. Other rivals are pricier: the Kia Telluride runs about $52,645 to $65,356; its Hyundai Palisade sibling is $56,699 to $60,299; the Volkswagen Atlas is $52,045 to $62,045; and the Ford Explorer runs from $50,570 to $70,135, all prices including delivery.
The Verdict
The 2024 Nissan Pathfinder does a lot right at a reasonable price for what you get. It has a lot of very good rivals, and it doesn’t stand head-and-shoulders above them, but it should be cross-shopped. For performance and value, it’s a contender.
| Engine Displacement | 3.5L |
|---|---|
| Engine Cylinders | V6 |
| Peak Horsepower | 259 hp @ 6,400 rpm |
| Peak Torque | 259 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm |
| Fuel Economy | 11.7 / 9.3 / 10.6 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb |
| Cargo Space | 470 / 1,274 / 2,279 L behind 3rd/2nd/1st row |
| Model Tested | 2024 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum |
| Base Price | $58,098 |
| A/C Tax | $100 |
| Destination Fee | $2,030 |
| Price as Tested | $61,178 |
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Optional Equipment
$950 – Two-tone paint, $950
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