Nissan Pathfinder (2005 – 2014) Review
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Nissan Pathfinder (2005 – 2014) At A Glance
Rugged looks. Seven seats. Strong build. Tidy handling and very capable off road. Good value for money.
Adults will find the rearmost seats rather cramped. Vague manual gearshift.
Nissan is getting out of volume and into niches. Nissan's X-Trail has outsold its Primera and been much more profitable because it has sold at much closer to the list price asked. And demand for used X-Trails is even greater than for new ones.
So, unsurprisingly, one of the directions Nissan is following is the off-road route. Late last year saw the introduction of the extraordinary Murano, a Lexus RX300 competitor with a detuned Nissan 350Z motor. The enormous V8 Nissan Titan is by far the best big pick-up to drive and is also hugely capable off-road. Later this year we'll get a new ladderframe chassis Navara pick-up. And now, to grab a fat chunk of the 7-seater 4x4 school bus market, Nissan presents us with the large and perfectly formed Pathfinder, also on a tough ladderframe.
It's roughly the same size as the Discovery 3 and does pretty much the same job at prices starting £5,000 lower. These days £25,800 isn't a lot to pay for this much vehicle and, as with the X-Trail, Nissan stands a good chance of not having to discount.
So does it get the nod? Emphatically yes, because it's a huge 7 seater 4x4 that does all it is supposed to, is also very good to drive on the road, promises over 30mpg and at £25,800 is very good value for money. But if you need a 4x4 to take 7 adults any distance, you are going to have to fork out the extra £5,000 for a Discovery 3.
Reviews for Nissan Pathfinder (2005 – 2014)'s top 3 rivals
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Nissan Pathfinder (2005 – 2014) handling and engines
- Engines range from 2.5 dCi to 2.5 dCi Automatic
- Readers report Real MPG to be between 19–38 mpg
For driving on the road, you can choose 2WD which directs drive to the back wheels, or ‘auto' which does the same most of the time, only calling on drive to the front wheels if any start to slip. It handles extremely well and diminishes its own size. None of that boat-like roly-poly stuff that older ladderframe 4x4s subject you to.
And, just like the X-Trail, the gear ratios are perfectly matched to the engine power and torque, so whatever sort of gradient you are on there's a gear that enables the Pathfinder to romp up it.
The 2,488cc development of the X-Trail's 2.2 diesel is also very pleasantly smooth, eager and free revving. On spec, you'd think 2.5 litres was too small for a vehicle of this size. But it churns out a very healthy 174PS at 4,000rpm and 297lb ft torque at 2,000rpm so actually has more grunt than a 3.0 D-4D LandCruiser and offers it to you much more willingly. On the road 0-60 is 11.2 and you can actually see a top speed of 109mph so it's no slouch.
Naturally on a launch like this, an off-road course was included. The Pathfinder simply romped through most of it, including the deep, muddy ruts, in high ratio four wheel drive which locks drive to the front and rear wheels. For the really tricky stuff, you have to stop and engage low ratio four-wheel drive, and that enables the car to negotiate impossible descents that would require abseiling gear to do on foot.
| Engine | MPG | 0-62 | CO2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 dCi | 29–33 mpg | 11.0–11.9 s | 224–264 g/km |
| 2.5 dCi Automatic | 31 mpg | 10.7 s | 238 g/km |
Real MPG average for the Nissan Pathfinder (2005 – 2014)
Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.
Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.
Average performance
95%
Real MPG
19–38 mpg
MPGs submitted
127
Nissan Pathfinder (2005 – 2014) interior
- Boot space is 190–2091 litres
- Euro NCAP rating of four stars
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4183–4813 mm |
| Width | 1850 mm |
| Height | 1783–1865 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2850–3200 mm |
First thing, the outer two seats of the centre row bi-fold at the pull of a handle, so access to the rearmost pair is very good. The centre outer seats and the middle seat also fold squab-forward and back down so that when the rearmost seats are also folded you can achieve a huge, flat and reasonably low load deck and a volume of 2,091 litres.
The front passenger seatback folds forwards for carrying objects up to nine feet long. And even with all seats up there is reasonable luggage space behind the rearmost pair, with a net to keep everything in place. However, unlike the Discovery 3, those rearmost seats are strictly for kids because an adult cannot get his or her feet under the seats in front.
Climb up using the substantial grab handles front and back and it's easy to get comfortable. The driver's seat has plenty of adjustment and the steering wheel goes up and down. Start the engine and you hear a fair bit of diesel clatter, but that's what you expect from a vehicle like this. The 6-speed box has a long, slightly floppy lever but selects its well-chosen set of ratios very well. Steering is pleasantly light, yet not over-assisted.
Nissan Pathfinder (2005 – 2014) models and specs
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4183–4813 mm |
| Width | 1850 mm |
| Height | 1783–1865 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2850–3200 mm |
| Miscellaneous | |
|---|---|
| Kerb Weight | 2110–2265 kg |
| Boot Space | 190–2091 L |
| Warranty | 3 years |
| Servicing | 12500–18000 miles |
| Costs | |
|---|---|
| List Price | £23,895–£37,920 |
| Insurance Groups | 31–32 |
| Road Tax Bands | K–M |
| Official MPG | 28.8–33.2 mpg |
| Euro NCAP Safety Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Adult | 4 |
| Child | 3 |
| Pedestrian | 2 |
| Overall | 4 |
On sale until June 2017
| SUV | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 2.5dCi Acenta 5dr | £32,975 | 33.2 mpg | 11.0 s |
| 2.5dCi Tekna 5dr | £36,310 | 33.2 mpg | 11.0 s |
| 2.5dCi Tekna Auto 5dr | £37,920 | 31.4 mpg | 10.7 s |
On sale until September 2014
| SUV | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 2.5 dCi Acenta 5dr | £32,945 | 33.2 mpg | 11.0 s |
| 2.5 dCi Tekna 5dr | £36,280 | 33.2 mpg | 11.0 s |
| 2.5 dCi Tekna Auto 5dr | £37,875 | 31.4 mpg | 10.7 s |
On sale until February 2009
| 4 X 4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 2.5 dCi Aventura 5dr | £29,295 | 28.8 mpg | 11.9 s |
| 2.5 dCi Aventura 5dr Auto | £29,295 | - | - |
| 2.5 dCi Sport 5dr | £26,745 | 28.8 mpg | 11.9 s |
| 2.5 dCi Sport 5dr Auto | £26,745 | - | - |
| 2.5 dCi Trek 5dr | £23,895 | 28.8 mpg | 11.9 s |
On sale until December 2008
| 4 X 4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 2.5 dCi Sport + Technology Pack 5dr | £28,300 | 28.8 mpg | 11.9 s |
| 2.5 dCi Sport + Technology Pack 5dr Auto | £28,300 | - | - |
On sale until October 2008
| 4 X 4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
| 2.5 dCi Aventura 5dr | £29,905 | 28.8 mpg | 11.9 s |
| 2.5 dCi Aventura 5dr Auto | £29,905 | - | - |
| 2.5 dCi Sport + Technology Pack 5dr | £28,905 | 28.8 mpg | 11.9 s |
| 2.5 dCi Sport + Technology Pack 5dr Auto | £28,905 | - | - |
| 2.5 dCi Sport 5dr | £27,305 | 28.8 mpg | 11.9 s |
| 2.5 dCi Sport 5dr Auto | £27,305 | - | - |
| 2.5 dCi Trek 5dr | £24,400 | 28.8 mpg | 11.9 s |
Model History
- March 2005: Nissan Pathfinder launched
- July 2007
- December 2007: Special edition called Pathfinder Mammoth launched
- March 2008
- April 2009: Pathfinder specification revised
- May 2010: Pathfiner revised
March 2005
Nissan Pathfinder launched
Powered by 174PS 2,488cc development of X-Trail's 2.2 diesel with 403Nm torque. Modern 7-seat interior.
Choice of 5-speed or 6-speed manual or 5-speed auto. Shift on the fly four wheel drive, electronic traction control and hill descent control on four wheel drive. Very good looking. Top speed 109mph, 11.7 seconds to 60mph, 31.4mpg combined. Petrol model from September 2005 with 269PS, 4.0-litre version of the V6 engine from 350Z. Both diesel and petrol models have choice of manual or automatic transmission.
Diesel starts at £24,000 for the 5-seat S and rises to £30,660 for top-of-the-range T-Spec 7-seater. Automatic available on all except the S, adds £1,300, so top price is £31,960 for the T-Spec auto.
4.0 litre V6 T-SPEC on sale from August 2005, deliveries from September 2005 at £33,960 OTR. 3,954cc with 265bhp and 385Nm of torque through a five-speed automatic gearbox with manual override linked to a switchable high or low ratio transfer box. 0 - 60 mph 8.6 seconds, making it fastest 7 seat SUV in UK.
Spec includes Comms pack:
- DVD birdview satellite navigation system. This latest path-finding aid features voice recognition, a full seven inch colour screen, enough mapping to cover 21 countries throughout Europe plus traffic management channel (TMC) to help avoid any congested areas leading you clearly and easily to your chosen route.
- Bluetooth phone connectivity. Just pair your phone up to the N-FORM console and full hands-free, voice activation operation can be applied via the screen monitor.
- Rear parking camera. Select reverse and a full colour image of the area behind you, along with guidance lines, is displayed on the 7-inch monitor.
- Premium Audio. An in-dash 6CD system with a superior sound quality specially tuned to the vehicle and featuring MP3 compatibility.
Same Comms pack as free upgrade (worth £2,000) on the 2.5dCi SVE August and September 2005.
July 2007
Bluetooth phone integration available on all trim levels of Pathfinder and Navara plus it has been uprated to improve convenience and minimise driver distraction. Its integrated into the audio unit, so for incoming calls the volume is automatically lowered, while the display has Caller ID. The system has a phonebook with storage for 100 names and numbers, and improved digital processing for clear sound quality.
New colours are Emotion Red which is an eye-catching, rich colour. Flint Grey is the second new colour. New design of six-spoke 17-inch alloy wheel, while door mirrors are now colour coded on Sport with chrome on Aventura and Navara Outlaw grades. As well as being available either in colour coded or chrome finish, the door mirrors now have integrated turn indicators and a so-called 'puddle-lamp' which lights the ground around the door.
Aluminium kick plates on front doors and tailgate on Sport and Aventura of Pathfinder (Outlaw and Aventura for Navara) and footwell illumination and soft touch paint to the aluminium style centre console.
In the Pathfinder's load-area, the quality and thickness of the carpet has been improved.
Manual transmission Pathfinder is equipped with Uphill Start Support (USS) that allows drivers to perform easy hill-starts without fear of roll-back. When engaged, the system holds the Pathfinder on its brakes for three seconds after the brake pedal has been released, giving the driver time to apply the power and engage the clutch for a smooth take-off. The system was already available on Pathfinders equipped with an automatic gearbox.
December 2007
Special edition called Pathfinder Mammoth launched
Priced at £27995 (OTR). Mammoth is California's favourite mountain holiday resort so, as you would expect, this special edition Pathfinder has been designed and equipped to handle any family adventures.
For peaceful journeys the rear passengers are kept amused by the fitment of a roof mounted rear DVD player complete with a 10.2 inch drop down screen and wireless headphones. But not just a standard DVD player, this one can be removed from the docking station and used as a portable unit away from the vehicle. With the kids tuned into their favourite movie, headphones on, the rest of the passengers can enjoy the sound quality emitted from the specially tuned BOSE stereo system with its 10 high performance speakers and digital amplifier, unique to the Pathfinder Mammoth.
It also comes with DVD birdview satellite navigation, colour reversing camera, Bluetooth® mobile phone connectivity, cruise control, auto headlamps, rain sensing wipers, roof rails, side steps, rear privacy glass, xenon headlamps, front fog lights, leather upholstery with heated front seats and 17 inch alloy wheels. Safety features include Nissans ALL MODE 4x4 system which includes a low ratio gearbox, downhill drive support (auto only) plus Electronic Stability Program.
hould an impact occur then protection is in place with driver, passenger, front side and curtain airbags plus active front headrests to help reduce the risk of whiplash. Choice of four colours: Flint Grey, Emotion Red, Metallic Black and Arctic White and is supplied with special California Sports Adventure floor mats as well as a Mammoth Sports Adventure rear badge.
Accessory package to include a fixed towbar with single electrics and a towbar mounted bike rack that holds two bikes, designed to simply fix onto each other without the need for any special tools. Priced at £500 fitted. The Pathfinder Mammoth is priced at £1000 less than an Aventura.
March 2008
Nissan added a third row of seats to the entry-level Pathfinder TREK making all models in the range seven seaters as standard with pricing starting from £23,995.
April 2009
Pathfinder specification revised
Patthfinder comes in Acenta and Tekna versions only. As before, both are dual range 4x4s with 4x4 looks, a 2.5 dCi diesel engine, independent rear suspension and a cabin with MPV-style versatility.
The Pathfinder will seat up to seven, accommodate a load up to 2.8m long on its flat cargo deck, tow a caravan, boat or trailer up to a braked maximum of 3000kg and if necessary do it all off-road in awful weather. Standard ESP stability control keeps you safe when things get slippy, while selectable low-range gears with the ALL-MODE four-wheel drive system mean this is one 4x4 that can take care of itself when the road runs out.
Based on the former Sport manual, the new Acenta costs from £26,895 and includes seven seats, 17in alloy wheels, ALL-MODE 4wd, six CD autochanger, ESP, privacy glass, Bluetooth connectivity, roof rails, six airbags and automatic headlights and wipers are all standard.
The Tekna takes over from the Aventura and comes with leather upholstery, electric heated front seats, DVD satnav, rear parking camera, sunroof, intelligent key, xenon headlights, side steps and cruise control. A custom Bose sound system is included, too.
The Tekna is available with manual gears (from £29,895) or automatic (from £31,170). But until 30 June buyers can put Nissans family 4x4 into their family on a 0% finance deal when bought on Nissans PCP scheme, Preferences. With a minimum 10% deposit, an Acenta costs from just £329 a month and the Tekna from £359 a month.
May 2010
Pathfiner revised
The Pathfinder Acenta 2.5 dCi 190 is priced at £28,495 (on the road). The fully equipped Pathfinder Tekna is available with either a 6-speed manual transmission (£31,595) or a 5-speed automatic (£33,095). Extra standard features on the Pathfinder Acenta include Fine Vision combimeter for a crisp view of the instrument dials, new centre console and lidded storage box and MP3 AUX input.
On the Pathfinder Tekna, Nissan Connect Premium HDD, a sat nav infotainment system with 7-inch colour touch screen, comes as standard as well as new 18-inch wheels, headlight washers, speed limiter and new centre console with wood finish.
In its latest guise in both Pathfinder and Navara, the 4-cylinder diesel provides peak power of 190 PS (188 bhp) with peak torque of 450 Nm (332 lb ft), figures which represent an 11% improvement over the previous model. For Navara, this represents class leading power and torque without compromising on fuel consumption or emissions. Either vehicle is now capable of doing 0-62mph in just 10.7 seconds.
Both models have significantly improved performance and fuel economy - fuel consumption improves and CO 2 emissions come down, by an average of 15%. For both Pathfinder and Navara, official combined fuel economy is boosted from the outgoing models’ 28.8mpg to 33.2mpg, while CO2 is cut from 264g/km to 224g/km.
A subtle reshaping has resulted in a new bonnet and grille, along with redesigned headlights – now complete with their own pop up washer system (Tekna models only). Two new body colours are available: Slate and, for the Navara only, Electric Blue.
Inside, enhanced styling embraces new designs, trim and fabrics for the door panels, centre console and seats. There’s a clearer new dashboard display, extra concealed storage tray and reworked switchgear. A simple-to-operate speed limiter has also been incorporated into the cruise control of the Tekna models.
A new direct injection V6 turbodiesel has been developed to deliver even higher levels of performance and capability with strong economy, competitive emissions and class-leading refinement.
Power output is 231 PS while the torque output of 550 Nm leads the class. Better still, peak torque is achieved from as low as 1,750 rpm and is available all the way to 2,500 rpm, while as much as 500 Nm is available from a mere 1,500 rpm. Idle speed is an exceptionally low 650 rpm with none of the vibrations and noise usually associated with a diesel.
What to watch out for
Some talk of a "fluttering" engine noise at 2500rpm
Paint bubbles then rusts at the extremes of the trim that include the opening mechanism for the rear door and rear window, on both sides.
Rear heater pipes (on models fitted with rear heaters) and aircon pipes prone to fracture. Apparently a body off repair to do properly because they feed through the chassis rails, so the sensible fix is to bodge.
Like Navara D40, prone to stone chipping and rust spots along top screen rail.
EGR can block, signified by engine management light and engine cutting out.
Upper and lower front suspension ball joints can wear, leading to wandering and knocking. £60 a side to fix. (Wandering on the road can also be due to the fitting of dedicated off road tyres.)
Vibrations from underneath probably due to wear in propshaft joints.
Poor lubrication of timing chain tensioner due to neglected oil changes can lead to them stretching and breaking. The Simplax chain and sprockets can be changed for a Duplex chain, but it's quite an expensive job.
Feel the oil on the dipstick for metal particles. Thaeycould signify all kinds of problems including failing injection pump, failing injectors, failing turbo.
Look for weeping halfshaft seals and listen for noisy front wheel bearing hubs.
Fuel rail pressure valve can fail costing up to £1,000 to replace.
07-10-2013:Automatic transmission failure on 41k mile 2010 Pathfinder 2.5 dCi Tekna. Dealer said neecded a new torque converter at £2,500, plus new transmission control module. Independent said needed a new TCM at a cost of £1,500.
09-11-2013:Automatic transmission heat exchanger located inside the radiator can fracture, allowing engine coolant to mix with the automatic transmission fluid, wrecking the transmission. At least one county court case forced Nissan to rectify FoC.
14-05-2015:History of Nissan Pathfinder bought new March 2011 and oil serviced every 9k miles: Work done under warranty at Lookers Chester included: Replacement of an electrical module on the dashboard where LED backlights for the switches failed. This entailed dismantling the dashboard. Replacement of the heater matrix due to a leak. Replacement of the differential due to a recall issue. In March 2015 the air conditioning compressor failed, requiring replacement at a total cost of circa £1000. Now, I have this engine problem. Then in April 2015, at 91,000 miles, the engine started running on sump oil and blew up as a result of the fuel injection dumping raw diesel into the sump, raising its level.This probably happened because by 91k miles the DPF got choked with ash, the engine system tried to regenerate it in the normal way, but because the DPF was blocked the excess fuel pumped into the engine to do this went straight to the sump where it raised the level to a point where the engine started running uncontrollably on it sump oil.
04-10-2016:Report of paint flaking off and surface rust around the tailgate handle of a 2006 Pathfinder.
26-10-2016:Report of transfer box control module of 2008 Pathfinder failing at 75,000 miles. Quoted £1207. 85 to fix it which includes an hours labour and VAT
20-02-2017:Report of 2007/57 Nissan Pathfinder R51 suffering same centre chassis rail failure as 2005-2007 Nissan D40 Navaras.
27-10-2017:Further report of a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder R51 failing its MoT for the same central chassis corrosion as suffered by 2005-2007 D40 Navaras. Owner reported that once 12 year perforation warranty is up, Nissan will offer no compensation, nor any kind of goodwill gesture. So it is up to owners of these vehicles to report the problem as a safety issue to the DVSA in the hope DVSA will issue a Safety Recall.
03-11-2017:Pipes to rear heater of older Nissan Pathfinders are prone to corrosion and replacing them requires the body to be lifted from the chassis so an expediant solution it to simply seal them off and isolate that part of the heating system.
12-01-2018:Information received that 2010 Nissan Pathfinder 190 had excessive backlash in its differential. While in a Nissan dealer for another job, the dealer retained the car to replace worn parts in the differential under warranty. Apparently some parts were made with inferior metal which wore down quite quickly. They said they had a "shot" test to ascertain the softness of the metal.
