Nissan Pathfinder Just Won’t Stop Improving

With capability and features that are in line with its three-row, family-hauling competitors, it’s hard to say that the 2017 Nissan Pathfinder truly blazes its own trail, but Nissan’s latest updates should prevent it from falling behind in the segment. Healthy gains no doubt, considering the previous Pathfinder put out 260 horsepower and 240 lb. -ft. of torque. That would be the Pathfinder, a vehicle that started out, like so many, as a two-door variation of Nissan’s compact pickup truck, then known as the Hardbody.

The first thing you may notice about the 2017 Pathfinder is the revised styling. In back, a new bumper cover and taillight lenses, along with a motion-activated liftgate, differentiate the 2017 Pathfinder from last year’s version.

The hood is higher and the grille more vertical, lending a little more gravitas to the Pathfinder’s appearance-Nissan calls the look more “adventurous”-but as a result of extensive wind tunnel development the design team managed to improve the coefficient of drag to 0.326 from 0.34″.

The current Pathfinder arrived for the 2013 model year and has just now received a mid-cycle refresh.

The most noteworthy element is the boost in power and efficiency for its 3.5L V6. One of these is a new infotainment system with a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen display. It utilizes more than 50 percent new or new-to-Pathfinder engine parts and components including combustion chamber design, pistons, intake manifold and e-VTC (fully electronic on intake).

The list also includes new driver assist features: adaptive cruise control with automatic forward emergency braking; and 360-degree around view monitor enhanced with moving object detection. Navigation is optional for the mid-tier SV and SL trims, and standard on the top-tier Platinum model.

Go to PAGE 2: What else is new for 2017?

“Matching the added power and torque are enhancements to towing capacity and ride and handling due to revised suspension setting and 11 percent quicker steering versus the 2016 Pathfinder”. Retuned shocks, 11 percent stiffer up front and 7 percent stiffer in the rear, combine with 25 percent stiffer rear rebound springs and new rebound springs for the front struts for a claimed improvement in body control and reduced roll.

Prices have yet to be announced, but we can expect those to surface when we get closer to the 2017 model’s actual launch.