2014 Nissan Pathfinder

Although not a bad decision, the SUV is still to prove its worth in a market that is flocked with strong and popular rivals such as the Honda Pilot, the Toyota Highlander, and the Ford Explorer - all of which have tremendous support, a good reliability record and many positive feedbacks from the customers. 

The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder is available in four trims - S, SV, SL, and Platinum - which start at an MSRP of $29,210 and stretch all the way up to $39,950. The S trim is well-equipped and boasts of standard features like 18-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, rear privacy glass, and tri-zone automatic climate control. These features keep on adding as the price increases but are worth the premium the manufacturer asks. 

The Nissan Pathfinder is loaded to the brim with comfort features and luxury amenities, giving the most value for money proposition out in the market. If someone wants to add more, there are several packages to choose from, of which the SL Tech package is the most famous (for the SL trim) because it adds in features like a larger 8-inch touchscreen display with navigation and a 13-speaker Bose audio system. The Premium gets to add a rear-seat entertainment system for the occupants with dual displays. 

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With all things considered, the Nissan Pathfinder is best bought in the SL trim because of all the features it adds on top of the SV and for all the options it can be equipped with. It is already a feature-packed trim that can further be made to nearly Premium class via the SL Premium package which adds various amenities while justifying the price. FWD/AWD is purely dependent on the owner’s use. 

The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder comes with a naturally-aspirated 3.5L V6 standard across the range which produces 260 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque. This engine is paired to a CVT gearbox that sends all the power to the front wheels only, with 4WD being a $1,600 option. While the power might seem a bit on the lower side given how big the vehicle is, the engine does a good job of not making the drive feel that way. 

The engine-gearbox combination is rather good given that the CVT is a responsive unit but the only zonk to that is the noises it makes which, quite frankly, are a lot. The constant droning does creep into the cabin and is just enough to be bothersome on long drives on the highway. The seats are fantastic and are extremely nice to sit in, and are complemented by the soft suspension that helps in negotiating with the bumpy roads. The throttle response is a bit laggy but for normal driving, it is a well-balanced combination. 

All the crossovers are powered by a 3.5L V6 - all naturally aspirated mills - but the output variation is clearly seen in acceleration. The Highlander remains the fastest one out there followed by the Explorer while the Pilot finishes last, just losing to the Pathfinder in the process. One thing to note is how potent the Highlander’s mill is due to the fact that it is quicker than the Ford despite having a nearly 20 hp deficit. 

The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder’s 3.5L V6 is paired to a CVT to help with the MPGs and to prove the same, the EPA rates this engine at 20 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway; for a combined total of 22 MPG from a 19.5-gallon fuel tank. While the MPG estimates are impressive, the real-world mileage of the rivals are very similar rendering the MPG lead an insignificant one but for what it's worth, let’s see how long the Pathfinder can go on a full tank.

Despite all the crossovers being powered by similar engines, the Pathfinder remains the most fuel-efficient of them all, posting 5% better fuel efficiency than the others in the competition. The Honda Pilot, though, has a better range on the highway due to a bigger fuel tank. 

The interior of the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder is very utilitarian in approach vis a vis the materials used. The door panels are soft and have a very comfortable feel to them but the dashboard is rather hard and scratchy. There are a lot of buttons that are intuitively laid out and control the infotainment, the climate controls, and the shortcuts to different driving controls. The center console has a piano black finish and has massive cup holders to hold different sizes of cups. The armrest is soft, comfortable and has a big cubby to store things. 

The seats are soft and have a lot of cushions to keep the occupants’ butts comfortable during long drives. The base trim comes with manually adjustable controls, which are upgraded to power-adjustable ones from the SV trim onwards. Climbing up the trims also gets heating, ventilation, and driver-side memory settings to the seats as well including soft leather upholstery. 

The Pathfinder is a very luxurious vehicle inside with a lot of buttons, which are quite intuitive once you get used to it. The seats are comfortable and the cabin is quite spacious in terms of headroom. The legroom is impressive as well, but the restricted shoulder room in the third row might make the kids a little uncomfortable. The cargo capacity on offer is decent for the class but is nowhere as good as the Explorer. That being said, some of the highlighting interior features are:

• Power-adjustable leather-wrapped heated steering wheel
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Heated front seats
• Dual panoramic sunroof 
• Driver memory settings
• 8-way power driver seat
• 4-way power passenger seat 
• Leather upholstery

How intuitive is the infotainment unit?

The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder comes equipped with a very basic system that shows every little information like time, the station you’re tuned in to, climate control settings, and MP3 settings along with some small signs for warnings. Upgrading to the SL with the SL Premium package brings in a very advanced 8-inch color touchscreen display which has sharp colors and crisp graphics and brings in navigation and Bluetooth telephony as well. 

Talking of the speakers, the standard unit is a 6-speaker system which can be upgraded to an 8-speaker unit but the 13-speaker Bose system is also on offer with the SL Premium package that takes up the music quality to a whole different level. Having said that, some of the most highlighting infotainment features of the Pathfinder are:

• Bluetooth
• 6-/8-speaker system
• Optional 13-speaker Bose system
• Optional 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with navigation
• Optional 120V socket
• USB ports
• 6-CD changer

The redesign of the Nissan Pathfinder in 2013 made it more of a family hauler than a rugged SUV that was meant to find unexplored paths and the most reminiscent feature of this change is the front fascia and the car-like exterior that it does now. The headlights flow downwards and complement the chrome grille well, while the front bumper is rather plain and has vents in them to cool the radiator. The bonnet has a slightly muscular appeal and suits the overall looks well.

The sides of the crossover are highlighted by the big 18-inch wheels that have a distinctive design and complement the silhouette well. There are no complex body lines on the doors giving the side a clean look. The rear is as simple as the whole exterior and is highlighted by the very Nissan-like tail lights along with a big bumper and pretty normal exhaust pipes. 

The Pathfinder is surely the longest and the lightest crossover here but the lower width does eat out the shoulder room in the interior, while the lower ground clearance might pose an issue for the people who plan to take the Pathfinder on rougher terrains. The longer wheelbase does help in increasing the legroom but does so at the cost of cargo space. Despite that, it is a very handsome looking crossovers, and having said that, some of the highlighting features of the Pathfinder include:

• 18-/20-inch alloy wheels
• Fog lights
• Power liftgate
• Heated mirrors
• Dual panoramic sunroof
• Rear privacy glass
• Automatic headlights
• Roof rack

The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder has a lot of features right from the base trim itself and needless to say, the safety has not been compromised to add more features. The platform is new and has been rigorously tested to ensure the strongest bond possible while keeping the weight in check. To add to the rigid chassis, some of the safety features on offer are:

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• Airbag occupancy sensor
• Cruise control
• Rear parking sensors
• Automatic headlights
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning
• 360-degree parking camera

To add to this, the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder has excellent crash-test ratings from both the NHTSA and the IIHS. The NHTSA awards it a 5-star rating while the IIHS rates it “Good” for its performance in the tested parameters. 

The 2014 Nissan Pathfinder is an excellent choice for someone who is looking for a potent family-hauler with the space to seat 7 people inside. The interiors are impressive, except the dashboard, and the amenities are present from the base trim onwards. The seats are comfortable for all the rows and there is enough space for the people to fit in comfortably, albeit slightly less shoulder room. The engine is buttery smooth and the CVT’s noise is manageable and this, along with the nice handling, makes the Pathfinder a very potent choice in today’s market.