Nissan is using the 2012 Detroit auto show to display a version of its next-generation Pathfinder that the company refers to as a “concept”—but what you see here is largely what you’ll see when the production version arrives this fall as a 2013 model. As we noted when we ran spy shots last month, the first Pathfinder was a body-on-frame SUV, the second a unibody crossover, and the third once more a frame-totin’ SUV. The fourth Pathfinder will again ditch the frame, as it shares its D architecture with the Infiniti JX35.
Like the boxy, trucky, third-gen Pathfinder, the concept is able to seat seven passengers in three rows, but the similarities appear to end there. This new model, for one, appears as if it actually will be aerodynamic. That’s right: Goodbye, rugged boulder-basher. Hello, slippery soft-roader. We can’t say we mind much, since the flared fenders, angled front fascia, and overall contours are handsome if a touch conservative.
As expected, the new Pathfinder ditches the body-on-frame platform of the outgoing model for a unibody setup. Nissan says the switch increases structural rigidity and also contributes to a weight reduction of 500 pounds, with the FWD version now posting a 4149-pound curb weight.
With less mass to pull around, the new model deep-sixes the last-gen’s 4.0-liter V6 and optional 5.6-liter V8 for a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 260 horsepower and pairs with a CVT. Mileage now leads the segment across the board, with the FWD version managing 20 mpg in city and 26 mpg on the highway and the 4WD variant returning 19/25 mpg.
Towing capacity now stands at 5000 pounds, a decrease from the 7000 pounds managed by the V8-equipped 2012 model.
Inside, the Pathfinder benefits from a more upscale cabin with plenty of soft touch materials and a wide range optional features, including a 13-speaker Bose sound system, a three-zone entertainment system and a dual-panel moonroof.
The crossover’s people-carrying capacity is enhanced by a flexible seating system – the second-row provides 5.5 inches of seat travel and also flips forward to allow access to the third-row without removing a child seat in the the second row.
The 2013 Pathfinder will start from $29,025 (including destination) when it hits dealerships this fall, undercutting the MSRP of the old model by slightly less than $1,000.
With three rows, accommodations for seven passengers and what Nissan promises to be towing ability comparable to leaders in the segment of three-row crossovers, we wonder if the smaller V6 is up to the Pathfinder's daily duties. Then again, if those duties don't stray far from pulling a pair of water toys to the lake or carting the soccer team's starting midfield to practice and back, it should be plenty.
The 2013 Nissan Pathfinder will be available in September and goes up against an increasingly tough class that includes the Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Durango and the redesigned Ford Explorer. The Hyundai Veracruz, Mazda CX-9 and Toyota Highlander are also formidable considerations for crossover buyers. Check back for more information, including buying advice, complete specs and driving impressions, as it becomes available. source:edmund.com,leftlanenews.com,caranddriver.com
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