As one of Nissan’s best-selling vehicles, the Pathfinder SUV is extremely important to the brand. However, it is also one of the oldest vehicles in the stable, begging for a significant overhaul for at least a few years. Well, the wait is over – the Nissan Pathfinder 2022 is here, bringing the appeal of the redesigned Rogue techno-curb and medium-sized, three-line crosshair.
Leaving the bold style aside, Pathfinder also adds a long list of security and connectivity equipment to its list, with internal packaging suitable for the whole family and reasonable performance. The 2022 SUV should also be more pleasant to drive, as Nissan is throwing the old model’s continuously variable transmission in the trash, replaced by a conventional nine-speed automatic gearbox. While still a unibody crossover SUV with front or all-wheel drive, the new Pathfinder offers seven different terrain modes, as well as towing capacity of up to 6,000 pounds.
Bold confidence
The old Nissan Pathfinder is beautiful enough, but lacks character. Nobody could accuse his successor of it, thanks to headlights with flasher eyebrows, a square grille (which the company still calls “V-motion”, for some reason) and a flat hood that is less minivan- like the Pathfinder current. The darkened A, B and D pillars join a body-colored C pillar on some models, giving the SUV a floating roof effect that is more interesting than other iterations of the exaggerated styling feature.
At the rear, narrow LED taillights make the crossover look wider and more planted, and the convex hatch, resplendent with the silver “PATHFINDER” brand, remembers the first generation SUV. We don’t fully see the link on the back, but the three front-grid mail slots near the hood are a good throwback to the pioneers of the 1980s and 1990s. The same goes for the bubble-filled wheel arches of the 2022 model – they are, like, totally radical. Leaving cheap nostalgia aside, Pathfinder looks much more muscular and firmer than before thanks to these flags.
Living room
Most three-line crossovers live and die inside. It looks like the 2022 Pathfinder is poised to succeed in this regard, thanks to a revised technology package that includes a 9.0-inch central touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and 10-inch head-up display , 8 inches. An 8.0-inch screen is standard, as are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. We hope the finish will mirror that of the Rogue – the smallest screen in grades S, SV and SL, with the optional 9.0 inch screen in SL and standard in Platinum.
Bold style is also on the agenda, with infotainment, climate controls and the dashboard in a nacelle facing the driver. HVAC sockets live in finishing bits with a metallic finish that “interconnect” with the panel, promoting the advanced technology of Pathfinder. Nissan will offer fabric, leather or quilted leather semianiline on Pathfinder, the latter likely reserved for the Platinum model.
Unlike its seven-seat predecessor, the 2022 Pathfinder gets a three-position rear seat, bringing the standard seating capacity to eight. For families who want a little more comfort (as opposed to a sitting position), there are optional second row captain chairs with a center console that is easily removable. The standard second row seat maintains the folding and sliding function of the current SUV (although enhanced with passenger and driver side access), which makes it easier to climb to the third row, even when a child seat is installed.
Nissan has yet to reveal all the interior measurements, but the new Pathfinder will offer 16.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, a marginal improvement of 0.4 feet. With the rear seats fully folded, the SUV can accommodate a 4×8 sheet of plywood in its 80.5 cubic feet of space (up to a single hub in 2021). More attractive on a daily basis will be Pathfinder’s internal cubicles and binoculars. A Rogue-like electronic shifter opens space below the console for open storage, perfect for tablets, small bags or face masks.
Better life with technology
Even the basic Pathfinder S will have the Nissan Safety Shield 360 set, comprising automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, automatic high beam and automatic rear braking. The mid-level SV and SL models will also offer ProPilot Assist as an option, adding adaptive cruise control and lane centering to the list. At the top of the stack is Platinum’s ProPilot Assist with Navi-Link, which uses built-in navigation data to predictively slow down the next road curves, highway exits and nodes.
If everything works as well as in Rogue, Pathfinder should be an impressively stress-free place to spend a long journey. Adding to that sense of tranquility is the laminated acoustic glass on the front door, the thicker rear door glass and the additional door and floor insulation. This is good, because a complaint about the current Pathfinder is a buzzing sensation in the echo chamber at motorway speeds.
Clear performance
Further reducing noise, vibration and harshness is the decision to abandon the somewhat monotonous and continuously variable transmission of the outgoing Pathfinder. Although the 2022 model retains the 3.5-liter V6 with direct injection of 284 horsepower (212 kilowatts) and 259 pound-feet (351 newton-meters), the mill is now coupled to a nine-speed automatic gearbox. The maximum towing capacity remains at an impressive 6,000 pounds, but we would be nervous carrying such a heavy trailer behind an elastic CVT. The automatic should be much more reliable.
Nissan claims the trailer is best in class for the Pathfinder, but conveniently chose to put the Dodge Durango in a different category. Properly equipped, the Durango V6 can tow up to 6,200 pounds, while certain models with the V8 can pull a Suburban-shaming 8,700 pounds. Regardless, Pathfinder surpasses Ford Explorer (5,600 pounds of towing capacity) and Toyota Highlander, Kia Telluride and Honda Pilot (5,000 pounds).
| 2022 Nissan Pathfinder | 2021 Chevrolet Traverse | 2021 Dodge Durango V6 | 2021 Ford Explorer | 2021 Honda Pilot | 2021 Kia Telluride | 2021 Toyota Highlander | 2021 Volkswagen Atlas | |
| Load volume behind the 3rd / 2nd / 1st line | 16.6 / 45.0 / 80.5 cubic feet | 23.0 / 57.8 / 98.2 cubic feet | 17.2 / 45.3 / 85.1 cubic feet | 18.2 / 47.9 / 87.8 cubic feet | 16.5 / 46.8 / 83.9 cubic feet | Husa. 21/46/87 cubic feet | 16.0 / 48.4 / 84.3 cubic feet | 20.6 / 55.5 / 96.8 cubic feet |
| Maximum towing capacity | 6,000 pounds | 5,000 pounds | 6,200 pounds | £ 5,600 | 5,000 pounds | 5,000 pounds | 5,000 pounds | 5,000 pounds |
Make him earn cents
We still don’t know exactly how much you’ll have to spend on a Pathfinder 2022 when it’s time to sign on the dotted line. It probably won’t be much more expensive than the current crossover, which starts at $ 31,980 for the S 2WD or $ 44,910 in Platinum 4WD format. All Pathfinder finishes – S, SV, SL and Platinum – will be available with front or all-wheel drive.
When it goes on sale this summer, the 2022 Pathfinder will be just one of many new or recently renovated models in the company’s line. In fact, among the Kicks, Rogue, Pathfinder and Armada, Nissan may have the most complete and modern line of commercial vehicles in the industry – only the Rogue Sport stands out as the only archaism. It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to help Pathfinder achieve high sales.
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