O Captain! my Captain! is a poem by Walt Whitman and featured in Dead Poets Society as a thank you to Robin Williams. However, it should now also be a tribute to the all-new Nissan Pathfinder TiL, as not only do you feel at the helm of a luxurious yacht when driving this modernised SUV, but it also comes with two captain’s chairs for those in the rear.
To bring you up to speed, the Nissan Pathfinder is a midsize SUV that has been in production since 1985. Through four generations, it has steadily improved its looks, power delivery, technology and handling, but this latest fifth generation takes things to a whole new level.
As a nameplate, the adoration of the rugged, yet family-friendly Pathfinder is high with owners enjoying its robust ‘go anywhere’ chassis contrasting seamlessly with its out and out practicality – it’s always been pretty easy to navigate too.
But thirty-five years after the launch of the original model, the Pathfinder has been totally revamped from the ground up, with the team at Nissan enhancing and refining all the best bts so far (to which there are many) and adding a plethora of new treats too.
The look itself gives off an aura of strength, capability and ruggedness. The V-Motion 3-slot homage grille is wider and more in keeping with the new family image, the headlights are C-shaped and while the stance is wide (thanks in part to the muscular wings), the overhangs up front are short so ‘speed bump anxiety’ be gone.
Dimensionally, the new Pathfinder takes up most of the space in a downtown car park, with its 5m length, 1.8m height and near 2m width ensuring that you’re not going to get bossed about on the road either. The trademark ‘floating roofline’ remains, held up by a more structural looking C-pillar that allows for two-tone paint options (a first for Pathfinder) and something my review model took full advantage of – ‘scarlet ember’ red body, black roof.
In the rear, the wide-aspect LED taillights are slimmer than the previous design and the ‘boxed out’ tailgate returns to the boldness of the first Pathfinder, including the oversized, satin chrome PATHFINDER name.
Then comes the power. Behind the wide-mouthed grille sits a 3.5 Litre DOHC 24-valve direct injection V6 petrol engine married to a 9-speed Auto (not a CVT in sight). Together they provide 202kW@6,400rpm and 340Nm@4,800, while emitting CO2 gases 245g/km and supping fuel at a rate of 10.5 L/100km (although I managed 11.2L/100km.
On the upside, the all-new 9-speed transmission and all-new Intelligent 4WD with 7-position Drive and Terrain Mode Selector (Standard, Sport, Eco, Snow, Sand, Mud/Rut and Tow), means that you can take the family virtually anywhere AND tow 2,700kg’s of toys along with you – Trailer Sway Control is standard too..
The changes made to the outside are good, but the interior is really something else, refined to a point where even a picky Euro would be impressed.
Thanks to its new chassis and 2.9m wheelbase the new Pathfinder offers plenty of space for those inside, up to 8-passenger capacity or, for the first time on Pathfinder, the aforementioned 2nd row captain’s chairs – with a no-tools-required removable centre console.
The seats are finished in black quilted leather-accented seat trim (the third row has a synthetic leather-look) and the first two rows are heated with driver and passenger seats being ventilated too. To help keep everyone’s temperature right, there’s Tri-zone automatic temperature control and the second & third row areas have air vents. Now I know that those relegated to the third row should ideally be frequent yoga class attendees, but aside from easy access (EZ FLEX seating system), the ‘forgotten people’ still get 961mm head room, 1,187mm hip room, 712mm legroom and 1,485mm shoulder room – which I have to say is pretty darn good.
Oh and for those wishing to carry stuff too, the 60/40 split folding 3rd row seat provides maximum flexibility and (apparently) enough cargo room for four golf bags – maybe you need to get three friends and take up golf!
Taking pride of place in the centre dash is a 9-inch infotainment touchscreen that provides you with a tonne of ‘NissanConnect’ apps. Feel free to scroll and swipe through the likes of Nissan Safety Shield 360, Bose Audio with 13 speakers and Nissan Door-to-Door Navigation, while the 12.3-inch ‘digital dashboard’ screen offers up all the info a driver needs and presents it clearer and bigger than the previous analog model.
There’s also a (new to Pathfinder) 10.8-inch Head-Up Display that can be personalised to view preferred content such as turn-by-turn directions and even the rear view mirror now comes with a screen that’s linked to the rear camera – so your rear view isn’t impeded by the other golfers behind.
Yes it does have wireless charging for your smartphone and more cup holders than you can shake a stick at, but there’s also a new ‘bridge’ centre console that has the electronic shifter and drive mode selector on top and 13.4 litres of storage space underneath – for endless amounts of golf balls I guess.
As it turned out, I managed to have the new Pathfinder when cyclone Gabrielle was in town, which to be honest, didn’t faze the stoic driving SUV one iota.
On the road the new Pathfinder was quiet and smooth, the former aided by new acoustic laminated front glass, 20% 2nd row glass, a 20% increase in door isolation area, and 2.5 times thicker carpet backing mass, while the latter is assisted by the SUV’s suspension upgrade and plenty of rubber around the 18-inch alloys.
Despite the length being similar to before, the Pathfinder boasts an increased track width which when combined with a new dual-pinion electric power steering system and wider tyres provides a 40% improvement in steering angle rate, leading to less steering effort. Added to this, the front suspension features an updated mount system, helping increase roll stiffness by 28%, and the rear suspension features a multi-link design with updated shock absorbers and dampers, helping increase rear roll stiffness by 14%. What this all adds up to is an SUV that offers up a confident driving experience.
With 7 driving modes to choose from, Nissan’s all-new Intelligent 4WD and 181mm ground clearance you can basically take the new Pathfinder to a multitude of out of the way places, however, for those less adventurous, (for the first time) it comes with ProPILOT+ am advanced driver assist system that monitors that traffic around you and (using adaptive cruise control and steering assist) acts accordingly – it’s simple to use, takes the stress out of SH1 driving and more importantly, WORKS.
Like I said in the outset, this new Pathfinder is a huge improvement on an already good SUV. It looks better, feels more upmarket and the ride itself is superior in every way. Add in the fact that it comes dripping in safety aids for both occupants and those outside and you realise that this is the full package. But for me, it’s the captain’s chairs that seal the deal.
