2006 Pathfinder review

[AZhitman]

By: Jim Robinson

These days Nissan seems to have a truck for every segment of the marketplace, ranging from the Xterra and Murano all the way up to the bigger than life Titan pickup and Armada SUV.

But the heart and soul of Nissan trucks remains the Pathfinder. It has been a hit since it arrived on the SUV scene in the 1980s. Sturdy, reliable and with a pleasant resale value, the Pathfinder has never strayed from its roots and that's certainly the case with the 2006 edition.

Pathfinder is no crossover, but a true truck. It is a body built on a full frame, in fact the same one as used in the full-size Armada SUV. It is much bigger in all dimensions than Pathfinders that have gone before. As such, all Pathfinders come with a third row seat and space (in a pinch) for seven. Second and third rows have split/fold seats. Combined with the front passenger seat that folds forward there are 64 cargo and seating configurations.

Power comes from Nissan's ubiquitous VQ family of V6 engines, in this case displacing 4.0 litres and producing 270 hp and 291 ft/lb of torque. The only transmission is a five-speed automatic. Suspension is double A-arms with coil spring over gas shocks at the front with double A-arms at the back that allow for much greater off-road ability. Towing is rated at 6,000 lb and an integrated tow hitch is standard.

Four-wheel ventilated disc brakes with four-channel ABS, Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA) are standard. In addition, the drive system has a four-wheel limited-slip system (ABLS) that curbs wheel slip on low traction surfaces. Also standard is Vehicle Dynamic Control (ADC) which is Nissan's take on pitch and yaw control that intercedes with brakes or reduces engine speed to bring the truck back on a straight course if the system senses it is about to go out of control.

Pathfinder comes with all-mode, all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. The driver can select two-wheel-drive (2WD), Automatic that acts like slip-and-grip all-wheel-drive, four-high (4H) for conditions like snow and treacherous surfaces and lastly four-low (4L) that locks all four wheels for serious off-road terrain. A large, rotary knob on the centre instrument stack can select all four modes.

Visually, the Pathfinder has the same super aggressive look as bigger brother Armada with highly flared front fenders, slab sides, the angled front grille that is now a Nissan family signature touch and short and rear overhangs. About the only styling it shares with Pathfinders that have gone before is the door handles buried in the C-pillar for back seat passengers.

There are four trim levels.

The base Pathfinder S starts at $37,698. Next up is the SE as tested here which adds goodies like running boards, roof rack crossbars, cargo net, first aid kit, dual zone automatic climate control, rear air conditioning, power adjustable pedals and steering wheel with audio controls for the in-dash AM/FM/6-CD/MP3/WMA system. There's more but you get the picture. Pricing for the SE starts at $41,398

The Off-Road at $42,398 is just that, a Pathfinder for getting off the beaten path. It comes with special big lug tires, long travel performance shocks, full lower skid plates and Hill Descent Control (HDC) and Hill Start Assist (HAS). Hill Descent allows the Pathfinder to go down at 3 km/h in 4LO and 7 km/h in 4H without driver intervention. Using engine retardation and wheel braking, all the driver has to do is steer. The system does the rest. Hill Start lets the driver stop on an incline, release the brake and the Pathfinder remains stationary for two seconds. HSA is always active in 4L and 4H.

The Pathfinder LE at $42,498 is the luxury version with lots of leather, wood and supplemental air bags and things you expect like power sunroof and special 17-inch alloy wheels and tires. A 16-inch wheel is standard all other models. If you have Nissan build in every option, it's possible to spend $52,448.

You know the Pathfinder is big and that truly comes home when you try to park it in a standard two-car garage. Half a decade ago this would have been considered a full-size SUV such is the growth, literally, in the SUV segment.

Because it is boyd-on-frame and the roofline has to be low enough to clear the aforesaid average garage door, getting in means learning to duck your head. But once seated, headroom (for me at least) was fine even with a power sunroof encroaching. The front seats are wide and long in the cushion, keeping in mind the North American physique that seems to be growing in all dimensions.

The overall sturdiness of the Pathfinder can be felt even from launch. You know this is one robust truck and why an engine with 270 hp is needed. When braking, panic stops can be made, but maintaining a safe distance from the guy in front is a wise idea, not just with the Pathfinder, but all big trucks.

Although the SE is nowhere near as loaded as the LE, there's nothing to fault. My G1 daughter pronounced it as the kind of vehicle in which she feels safe, which was a telling comment to me. There certainly was room for my four adult-sized people, making me wish we had it for our annual January trek to a resort south of Algonquin Park. When we went in the family minivan, we encountered driving rain one day and minus 20 C the next, something the Pathfinder would have shrugged off whereas in the minivan was a handful.

What is interesting to me is the price. The SE as tested here is about the same price, give or take a few hundred dollars either way, as a V6-powered 2+2 sporty car I recently drove that didn't even have stability control let alone AWD. If it were my money, the three rows of seats, the resale and the safety would surely influence me.

And that is and has been the beauty of the Pathfinder. Not the cheapest but on the whole it gives great value for the money.

My advice to Nissan is, keep the Pathfinder true to the original and to resist the gnawing consumer pressure for bigger and ever more ostentatious SUVS.