Nissan's modernized Pathfinder takes to the trail (pictures)
At a press event, CNET drove the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder along paved highways and over mountains on dirt roads, showing it has some off-road capability.
Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Nissan lined up these 2013 Pathfinders, mostly SL and Platinum trim models, at the break of dawn, ready for a day of highway cruising and trail breaking.
Nissan's new Pathfinder represents a radical update, going from body-on-frame construction to a modern unibody design, which should make for a more comfortable ride.
For this update, Nissan changed the styling substantially, going from the previous-generation vehicle's boxy look to a body more resembling the Xterra.
Nissan fits the new Pathfinder with the same engine across all trims, a 3.5-liter V-6 from Nissan's very successful VQ series of engines. In this application, it makes 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque.
Nissan maintained seven-passenger seating in three rows with the new Pathfinder. The roofline drops very little toward the back so that third-row headroom is not compromised.
Infotainment includes the usual options: navigation, digital audio, and a Bluetooth hands-free phone system. Nissan should update this system with more connected features.
