Review
/5
- Pros:
- Good for off-roading
- Seven seat interior
- Cheaper than rivals
- Cons:
- Diesel still sounds agricultural
- Imprecise steering
- Vague gear-change
pictured: Nissan Pathfinder off-road commercial 2010 5 door 4wd
reviewed by Carbuyer
"The Pathfinder offers go-anywhere capability. Its basic but rugged design makes it a wise choice for off-road drivers."
At a glance
- The greenest
- Acenta 2.5 dCi 190 EURO 5 5dr
£32,445 - The cheapest
- Acenta 2.5 dCi 190 EURO 5 5dr
£32,445 - The fastest
- Tekna 2.5 dCi 190 EURO 5 Auto 5dr
£37,305 - Top of the range
- Tekna 2.5 dCi 190 EURO 5 Auto 5dr
£37,305
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Reasons for choosing a Pathfinder are simple: you need a rugged, unstoppable off-roader that can tow heavy loads with ease. Choosing which Pathfinder you want is simple as well - there's only one engine offered, which drivers can have with either a manual or automatic gearbox. There are only two trim-levels, with the top-spec Tekna trim adding luxuries like leather-trimmed, heated seats.
Drive
Basic and raw on the road, but will impress off it
The only engine available in the Pathfinder is a 2.5-litre diesel. It offers 190bhp and a 0-62mph time of 11 seconds. The six-speed manual gearbox feels heavy, and the engine itself is very noisy. A five-speed automatic gearbox is available, but this dents fuel consumption. On the road, you'll barely even notice if you drive over a pothole. The problems start when you get to a corner, with the light and imprecise steering making it hard to place the car and the soft suspension causing the body to lean. However, if you're looking for a rugged off-roader then you won't be disappointed by the Pathfinder's go-anywhere ability.
Comfort
Fantastic at soaking up potholes, but engine is noisy
The Pathfinder's ride offers mixed appeal. It has a fantastic ability to soak up large bumps and potholes, but this talent is watered down with a shakiness over slightly rough roads. The cabin itself is very spacious and gives all occupants plenty of room to stretch out. The big let-down is the noisy diesel engine which can be heard in the cabin even at idle.
Reliability
Rugged off-roader won't be let down by reliability issues
Nissan has a good track record for reliability and that works in the Pathfinder's favour as most models are certain to live a hard life. They're also relatively safe, with a four star rating achieved in the Euro NCAP crash safety tests.
Practicality
Space for seven and folding seats allow for huge load area
As you'd expect from such a large vehicle, the Pathfinder is very practical. As well as seating for seven, the cabin can also be transformed into a completely flat load area for long items. With all seven seats in place though, the boot is quite small.
Value for money
Plenty of equipment and costs less than rivals
Looking at list price alone, the Pathfinder looks like good value for money. It's cheaper than premium rivals like the Land Rover Discovery and comes equipped in all model trims with the essentials such as electric windows, air-con, central locking and features like automatic wipers. Top-spec Tekna models get everything you could ever need including sat-nav, a reversing camera, leather seats and 18-inch alloys. It's worth remembering though that Pathfinder re-sale values won't be as good as other 4x4 models out there.
Running costs
Running costs will be high, but all 4x4s will be the same
Don't expect to see supermini-sized running costs in the Pathfinder. Instead, you'll find the 2.5-litre engine is capable of 33.2mpg on the combined cycle. Fitted with the five-speed automatic gearbox it can only manage 31.4mpg. CO2 emissions – and therefore road tax – are also high at 224g/km for the manual.
*Our monthly finance prices are updated on a regular basis, but due to the dynamic nature of the market are not guaranteed accurate. You can always confirm the monthly finance price with FinanceAcar.
