2011 Nissan Pathfinder

This 2011 mid-size SUV is made available by the Japanese automaker Nissan in five distinct trims the S, SV, a Silver Edition on the occasion 25th anniversary, and the top trim LE. A 4.0-liter V6 gas is a standard powerhouse for all trims, but a stronger 5.6-liter V8 is only there in the LE trim. The two different drivetrain choices are in stock on all the trims but the topmost trim LE with V8 gas is only available with 4WD.

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The Nissan Pathfinder SV seems to be a more value for money trim. It includes all good to go features of S trim plus it has some better interior touches like upgraded fabric upholstery, a nice leather-wrapped steering wheel & gear shift knob, leveled-up air conditioning, a comfortable 8-way power driver seat, and necessary safety equipment such as fog lamps, automatic headlamps, and a rearview camera. For someone who wants a hardcore off-roading performance vehicle with a 4WD drivetrain then there is only one trim the LE (V8) that offers those configurations.

The Nissan Pathfinder has two powerhouses, the lower four trims S, SV, Silver Edition & LE (V6) is powered by the 4.0-liter V6 gas engine which produces 266 hp at 5600 rpm and offers a 288 lb-ft of mid-range torque at 4000 rpm. The better and stronger 5.6-liter V8 gas delivers the massive power of 310 hp at 5200 rpm and has a pulling ability of 388 lb-ft at 3400 rpm. The V8 engine produces 22 lb-ft of more torque and one can also feel the pull 600 rpm before that of V6. 

The only disappointing thing is that the bigger engine is only available with a 4WD drivetrain in the top trim LE. Although all the models are RWD as standard, a good thing is that Nissan has offered an optional 4WD for all trims. The only 5-speed automatic transmission comes mated in all the variants and for both engines. With all these specifications, Pathfinder surely becomes a true off-roading truck but it’s not recommended as a daily driver because of its sheer weight and gas guzzler engine.

Nissan isn’t the most powerful in the competition but it still outclasses the raw performance of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ford in 0 to 60 & quarter-mile timing, while Toyota 4Runner is the only one that comes close to Pathfinder just by a hairline. Ford is the only one in the segment that gets a 6-speed automatic but it does make a difference as it might lose the race with the least top speed of 108 mph in the segment.

The Nissan Pathfinder is made to climb mountains, ride clear through slippery muddy dirt roads and enjoy camping nights in the middle of the Forest. For all these reasons it must have an engine that can endure these situations but there is always one thing that needs to be compromised and that is the fuel economy of this vehicle. With that much power, it becomes a monster that is always hungry for more fuel and claims the fuel efficiency of 14mpg, 22 mpg, and 17 mpg in the city, on the straight highway and combined conditions respectively.

While all the rivals average out the fuel economy of 18 mpg and above, Nissan is claiming a terrible economy of 17 mpg under combined situations with the underwhelming fuel capacity of 21.1 mpg. Even the Toyota 4Runner is delivering an impressive efficiency of 19 mpg which outmatches the performance of Nissan. The Ford Explorer on the other hand gets the worst fuel capacity of 18.6 gallons because it’s the one that claims the highest economy of 20 mpg.

The 2011 Nissan Pathfinder comes with three rows and a seating capacity of 7, the front row of this car is quite comfortable but the second and third-row don’t have much leg and shoulder room. The interior design has a pleasant appeal to it and with the generous amount of storage spaces, it has a ready to go on long-drive attitude. 

The ingress and egress for the second and third-row passengers are quite hard and the third row is only suitable for children only. The base trim misses out on some convenience features like an eight-way power driver seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, upgraded fabric seats, leather-wrapped steering wheels, and gear shifter.

In the competition, only Nissan and Ford offer 7 seating-capacity while compromising on the cargo capacity. The Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota 4Runner don’t have any third-row but they offer a good amount of cargo space. In the first row, all the cars have almost the same dimensions except for Ford as it has a massive 61 inches of headroom. Second-row seats of ford are quite spacious, the legroom in the second row of the explorer is 39.8 inches that is the biggest amongst the rivals while Nissan’s second-row legroom is 34.2 which is a disappointment.

2011 Nissan Pathfinder Infotainment System

The base trim of the 2011 Pathfinder comes only with a CD player and a 6-speaker stereo system and SV trim doesn’t pack much, besides a multicolor infotainment display and an AUX jack. If you want your ride to be more enjoyable then opt for the upper trim Silver Edition which also gets Bluetooth connectivity, a 10-speaker Bose audio system with a 6-CD changer, and satellite radio. All the entertainment features that come with the pathfinder either in base or on upper trims are mentioned below:

• 6-speaker stereo system ( S & upper)
• CD player ( S & upper)
• Infotainment display (SV & upper)
• Auxiliary audio input ( SV & upper)
• 10-Speaker Bose audio system (Silver Edition & upper)
• Bluetooth connectivity (Silver Edition & upper) 
• 6-CD changer (SIlver Edition & upper)
• Satellite radio (Silver Edition & upper)
• Navigation system (LE) 
• Rear entertainment system (LE)

The Pathfinder’s exterior doesn’t have much appeal, it rather gives a sober vibe. Nissan has designed this car like a truck, it has a wide and higher stance and one would feel like a king of the road while riding it. This masculine car comes equipped with roof rails, 16-inch alloy wheels in S trim, and 18-inch alloys on top LE models. Nissan has also given a sunroof in the LE trim for those who like light and air inside their car. With the 9-inch of ground clearance, there won’t be any trail that this car can’t go through, and the most unique thing about this vehicle is that the rear door’s handle is on the upper side of the door near the C-pillar.

Despite being a seven-seater the Pathfinder is just 2-inch longer but, Ford significantly has a 7-inch more length than the Jeep and Toyota. Nissan is the second lightest in the competition with a curb weight of 4427 lbs while Toyota takes the lightest and Ford the heaviest badge with the weight of 4400 lbs and 4557 lbs respectively. With the lowest width and the height of 72 inches, passengers would definitely feel some body roll in the Pathfinder. 

The Nissan Pathfinder comes with the overall evaluation as “good” when crash-tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and all thanks to its rugged structure and the safety features that this car comes with. Some safety technology that is included as standard are anti-lock braking system, traction control, electronic brakeforce distribution, vehicle dynamic control, brake actuated limited-slip, front-seat side-impact airbags with some more that are mentioned below -

• Stability control
• Side door guard beams
• Height-adjustable 3-point seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters
• Child safety door locks
• Rearview backup camera
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Fog lamps

The Nissan Pathfinder is a true off-roading vehicle, it has a higher stance and it’s a big car. It’s not an easy task to maneuver this beast on cramped city roads and it also drinks up fuel pretty fast. Then what is the purpose of this heavy vehicle? The answer is simple, it's a vehicle for those who want to enjoy a camp night or go on an adventure with their family and friends then with the seating capacity of 7 it won’t be a problem. So one can select it as an off-roading option.